Setting up discus tank help

[kamilnieradka15]

Hello I'm just getting all the information in at the moment until I try and set my tank into discus tank but need a step by step instructions write on here so I know what to do 1st..... I don't know if I need to buy everything new inside the tank or keep the original stuff like gravel and external filter outflow and inflow etc because some people say you need everything new inside the tank if you gonna have discus in
My water parameters are
Ph 6.5
Gh(general hardness) pretty high 80
I got hard water so will it effect the fish or they will be fine in hard water?



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[Essjay]

The first thing to ask is, what is the unit of the hardness measurement. 80 sounds like ppm (aka mg/l) rather than degrees, but what kind of ppm? For example, my water company gives my hardness in both ppm calcium and ppm calcium carbonate. Others use ppm calcium oxide.

80 ppm Ca = 11.2 degrees, which is quite hard.
80 ppm CaO = 8 degrees, which is neither soft nor hard, but between.
80 ppm CaCO3 - 4.5 degrees, which is soft.

As you can see, the unit makes quite a lot of difference to whether the water is soft or hard.

 

[kamilnieradka15]

The first thing to ask is, what is the unit of the hardness measurement. 80 sounds like ppm (aka mg/l) rather than degrees, but what kind of ppm? For example, my water company gives my hardness in both ppm calcium and ppm calcium carbonate. Others use ppm calcium oxide.

80 ppm Ca = 11.2 degrees, which is quite hard.
80 ppm CaO = 8 degrees, which is neither soft nor hard, but between.
80 ppm CaCO3 - 4.5 degrees, which is soft.

As you can see, the unit makes quite a lot of difference to whether the water is soft or hard.

The water parameter for hardness is 80 ppm (my/l)


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[Essjay]

I assume you meant 80 ppm (mg/l)?

But that doesn't say ppm of what (or mg/l of what). It could be ppm (or mg/l) of one of three different things and depending on which of those three things you water is either hard or soft or middling. Which is of no use at all.

Your profile gives your location as GB. What is the name of your water supplier and I'll see if I can find out which units they are using.

 

[kamilnieradka15]

I assume you meant 80 ppm (mg/l)?

But that doesn't say ppm of what (or mg/l of what). It could be ppm (or mg/l) of one of three different things and depending on which of those three things you water is either hard or soft or middling. Which is of no use at all.

Your profile gives your location as GB. What is the name of your water supplier and I'll see if I can find out which units they are using.

I'm using Anglianwater


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[Essjay]

I picked a town in East Anglia at random - Ipswich - and found a postcode there. I entered this postcode in Anglian Water's website and that gives hardness in both mg/l calcium carbonate and mg/l calcium.
Could you try entering your postcode in the "In Your Area" box on this page and click the arrow. That should take you to a map with a box for Water Hardness in the top left corner. Click on that then the words click here. There should be a list of 6 numbers on the left and six units on the right. Type in here exactly what that box says, all six numbers and all six units.

Then we'll know what kind of water you have and can help further with your discus tank.

 

[kamilnieradka15]

I picked a town in East Anglia at random - Ipswich - and found a postcode there. I entered this postcode in Anglian Water's website and that gives hardness in both mg/l calcium carbonate and mg/l calcium.
Could you try entering your postcode in the "In Your Area" box on this page and click the arrow. That should take you to a map with a box for Water Hardness in the top left corner. Click on that then the words click here. There should be a list of 6 numbers on the left and six units on the right. Type in here exactly what that box says, all six numbers and all six units.

Then we'll know what kind of water you have and can help further with your discus tank.

The calcium carbonate is at 348.5 mg/l

It says my water is very hard


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[kamilnieradka15]

I picked a town in East Anglia at random - Ipswich - and found a postcode there. I entered this postcode in Anglian Water's website and that gives hardness in both mg/l calcium carbonate and mg/l calcium.
Could you try entering your postcode in the "In Your Area" box on this page and click the arrow. That should take you to a map with a box for Water Hardness in the top left corner. Click on that then the words click here. There should be a list of 6 numbers on the left and six units on the right. Type in here exactly what that box says, all six numbers and all six units.

Then we'll know what kind of water you have and can help further with your discus tank.

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[Essjay]

That table shows your water is very hard and as such not suitable for discus. And the water quality report for that postcode gives the average pH as 7.3, not 6.5 as mentioned in your first post.

Discus need soft acidic water so if you want to keep discus you will need to use RO water - either to mix with your tap water in the proportions needed to get soft acidic water, or 100% RO with some minerals added.


I don't know very much about keeping discus other than their water requirements, so hopefully someone who does have experience with these fish will be able to help you further.

 

[Seanthebusdriver]

Anglian Water in East Northants comes out at a PH of 7.5 to 8.2 and it is classed as very hard. You can buy discus from local breeders (Just Discus) who raise them in similar water parameters and who state that its safe to continue to keep them without RO. I personally RO 50% of my tap water to ensure that the PH stays below 7.5. The more concerning issues are high nitrate levels 16 to 30ppm from the tap and high levels of potassium.

I am now happy with my setup but there were a few sleepless nights, its like having a new born baby.

There are easier fish to keep in the Anglia region but Discus are very rewarding if you can get a good balance.