Water Chemistry For The Discus Tank

Much has been written about the Discus, or Symphysodon aequifasciatus, its Latin name. The Discus has always been given a bad rap for being hard to raise and difficult to keep. Actually, these long-lived fishes are easy to keep as long as certain guidelines are followed.

Here, we discuss the different water parameters that MUST be followed if we are to insure that our Discus friends are kept happy and healthy.

Testing the Waters

Initially, you will need to test for chloramine and chlorine, pH, and alkalinity. If you are a city dweller, a lot of this information can be gotten from the city waterworks, and although a good idea to do so, I would not recommend that you rely exactly on this information. At anywhere from $275 to $425 for a breeding pair, an initial investment for a decent PH/TDS meter is well qualified. Currently at King Discus Hatchery, we use a Hanna Combo PH/TDS meter that measures in ppt (parts per trillion) for the most accurate reading of our tanks.

Determining the levels of pH and alkalinity in your base water is the first step in this process. Although some base water is quite good for the discus with little or no buffering, some water will need extensive conditioning before the first Discus can be introduced into the tank. Once you know the levels of PH and alkalinity, water chemistry tests should be conducted on a regular basis.

Test on a regular basis. When you are comfortable with this process, it is time to and add a few more tests to the battery of tests performed.

These tests will be for nitrite and nitrate, phosphate. In the planted tank, you will need to also test for iron and CO2. Test kits are very easy to use if instructions are followed to the letter. A particular number of drops of the testing reagent must always be accurate, following instructions on the test kit, or test results can be skewed. Test kits and probes available for the aquarium are quite inexpensive and easy to use, and can generally be bought at your local pet supply store, especially if they specialize in aquarium keeping.

Toxins in the Water Supply

Be aware that Chlorine or chloramine are routinely added to the water in many urban areas. Using a simple color test kit to determine the presence and concentration of either is very advisable. Removing these elements of chlorine or chloramine is a vital part of the process to properly condition your water. Conditioning is carefully adjusting the chemistry of the water to raise it to the parameters required for Discus keeping. Aging the water through carbon filtration (mechanical), aging the water, and proper aeration will be of benefit. Be aware, though, that aeration will not remove chloramine from your water. Chlorine can also be removed by adding prepared chlorine removers, but Nick Lockhart, the breeder for King Discus Hatchery, is not fond of using buffering agents. Constant water changes in the Discus tank will only leach these buffers, and then you are unsure of where your water chemistry is at. Nothing will harm the Discus more than wild fluctuations of PH. It is much more advisable to use reverse osmosis or deionization. We use RO, with a special Peat Moss filter to accomplish our parameters. The process of RO with fine tuned filtration of the RO water will remove virtually all toxins, but one must be aware that Discus cannot live in pure RO water, and steps must again be taken to insure proper levels of acidity/PH in the RO water. Chloramine is a combination of chlorine and ammonia, and some water companies need to use this for disinfection of the water supply.

If these simple tests are done on a regular basis, and care is taken to insure that there are no wild PH swings in the Discus tank, your success as a Discus breeder are much higher.

Alden Smith is a published author, and has been marketing on the internet for 7 years. His website, King Discus, is an active gathering place for discus breeders and lovers of discus fish. His wife Betsy is the administrator of All The Best Recipes a site rich in online recipes and cookbooks.

News24
Pets weather Gustav well
Detroit Free Press, United States - Sep 4, 2008
Early reconnaissance by rescuers allowed into storm-damaged areas indicates the vast majority of pets were evacuated with their owners, and thousands of ...
Pets’ hurricane plan needed Cay Compass
When storms threaten, consider pets' safety, too Gulf Breeze News
Gustav Pet Evacuations Show Katrina Lessons Learned National Geographic
News Courier - WDSUall 410 news articles

City mulls making it law to spay, neuter pets
Houston Chronicle, United States - 6 hours ago
Have your pet spayed or neutered." Some, including Mayor Bill White, have floated the possibility of following in the footsteps of Los Angeles, which passed ...

Retail's next big thing - pets
Sydney Morning Herald, Australia - 9 hours ago
The imminent opening of pet superstore Pets at Home at Melbourne's retail mecca, Chadstone shopping centre, is a significant milestone in the life of the ...

Taking Pets To The Vet For The First Time
Imperial Valley News, CA - 8 hours ago
Imperial, California - Pets often seem to have limitless energy and robust constitutions, but don't let this fool you: They are susceptible to all sorts of ...
Rohnert Park Vet Writes Book Santa Rosa Press Democrat
all 2 news articles

Barney's Bling Announces Launch of Matching Diamond Jewelry for ...
PR Web (press release), WA - 4 hours ago
Barney's Bling, matching jewelry for people and pets using real diamonds and precious metals announces the launch of their online store. ...

KAALtv.com
Presidential politics for pets?
KAALtv.com, MN - 5 hours ago
At a recent Barack Obama rally, Sharon Young, an entrepreneur from Kansas City, discovered the idea of making campaign buttons for pets. ...

Doctors Foster and Smith and Midwest Airlines Join Forces to Make ...
MarketWatch - 23 hours ago
RHINELANDER, Wis., Sept 04, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- When equipped with the right information and tools, airline travel with pets can be as simple as ...
Flying with Pets? Here’sa Link You’ll Love Cheapflights.com
all 7 news articles

San Francisco Chronicle
Remembering childhood pets
San Francisco Chronicle,  USA - 19 hours ago
As I drove my children and Simba home, I remembered the pets from my childhood. There was Lollipop, a gray and white tabby; Hammy the hamster, who bit holes ...

Where To Take Your Pets
Live 5 News, SC - 13 hours ago
CHARLESTON COUNTY (WCSC)--- State regulations for South Carolina says that the three Charleston County shelters are not able be able to take pets. ...
Shelters opened in Charleston County Live 5 News
all 2 news articles

UCF asks fans to leave pets at home on game day
Orlando Sentinel, FL - 15 hours ago
UCF officials are reminding fans to leave their pets at home on game day. Fans are not allowed to bring dogs to tailgate parties on campus, no matter how ...

Wind Chimes and more...

Windchimes for great gifts!

Cute Cat Names ... And How To Find Them