Discus In Non Ro Water

[jaycat]

Hello Discus lovers,

I now have Rio 300, external filter and just bought an RO unit, however now reading all the instructions about the unit I see that for 25l of RO water I will waste about 75l of water. I live in a flat so can't even use for a garden, it really would go straight down the drain. The thought of which I am not too keen.

My local lfs has a supply of locally bred Discus that are from parents that are from Europe. They keep them in local tap water which has a PH of 7.6 and GH of greater than 20. KH of 15.

I was just wondering if any of you experienced keepers kept yours in NON RO water? Would you even consider this alternative? If not do you all have RO units? If the fish are used to the water chemistry surely that means that they have adapted to whatever local water they are in?

Thoughts please...

Thanks for your imput.

 

[Colin_T]

All the discus in my local fish shops are kept in straight tap water. They are fine and the shops aren't going to spend heaps of money making R/O water when they don't really need it. Even wild caught discus go into tap water. We just drop the PH and add some black-water extract. Driftwood and peat do the same thing, make the water brown.
If you have high nitrates or lots of heavy metals in the water then R/O water is good. But you should add some buffers to the R/O water to increase the hardness a bit, which will help prevent PH fluctuations.

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

Yep. I keep mine in regular tap. Same with most Discus keepers around my area.

 

[Sheilaf]

I'm using regular tap as well. Most of the Discus keepers and LFS in my area do as well.

 

[jaycat]

Thanks, are your water parameters roughly the same as mine?

Colin, I looked into re adding chemicals to correct the PH, and minerals but I can also just use 'Peat extract' liquid to darken the water. Therefore just using tap water. I'm in the UK, don't know if that makes any difference at all?

Ta...

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

Thanks, are your water parameters roughly the same as mine?

Colin, I looked into re adding chemicals to correct the PH, and minerals but I can also just use 'Peat extract' liquid to darken the water. Therefore just using tap water. I'm in the UK, don't know if that makes any difference at all?

Ta...

Yeah, my Ph is about 7.4. Haven't checked for myself though. Thanks for reminding me to buy a Ph test kit.

 

[angelmouse]

r/o water is only really needed if your water is excessively hard and are interested in breeding them or you are keeping wild fish. I only use it because my tap comes out at ph 8
regards Angel

 

[FishHobbyist1564]

I also use regular tap water. My pH is about 7.0-7.2 and on the "soft" side.

--Angelmouse, those are beautiful discus in your signature! Are they yours?

 

[angelmouse]

yes fishhobbyist they are mine, i,ve had them nearly 2 years now
regards Angel

 

[freerunner416]

I use tap water with my imported discus. The PH is about 6.8-7. I have never had any problems. The fish must be doing fine as they are breeding etc.

Goodluck

 

[madpiano]

ok - now you have me interested. I have an empty 6ft Tank sitting here and have been thinking about what to do with it. I always assumed that Discus are way too complicated to keep and I need an RO unit etc.

I live in London UK, so straight tap water is not a good idea (high in nitrates, very hard and generally just awful), but I have been using Rain Water for my fish tanks for a couple of years now, if I can use that for Discus, I would love to keep them

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

ok - now you have me interested. I have an empty 6ft Tank sitting here and have been thinking about what to do with it. I always assumed that Discus are way too complicated to keep and I need an RO unit etc.

I live in London UK, so straight tap water is not a good idea (high in nitrates, very hard and generally just awful), but I have been using Rain Water for my fish tanks for a couple of years now, if I can use that for Discus, I would love to keep them

Rainwater is fine for Discus. Low Ph and GH.

 

[kev_kb]

Rainwater is fine for Discus. Low Ph and GH.

It is, but once you've collected and filtered it you may as well just use an RO unit. You'll know what your getting using an RO unit also.

 

[bubblehead]

i kept discus fine in manchester with tap water but used RO when i lived in the midlands and kent just my 10 pennies worth good luck mate im sure whatever way you go with you'll succeed with help from places like this