Hi,
I have discus which I purchased from someone who was keeping them in HMA water from Birmingham which he said has hard water. Before getting them I purchased a HMA filter from devotedly discus so that the water would hopefully be a close match as I too have hard water. However I'm beginning to think that they require RO water to thrive. I've lost a few (I've had them around 5 months) and the 5 I have left haven't grown much and one is smaller than the others and darker.
The Ph is very high at over 8
KH is at 11
GH is at 15
They are in a 100 litre, bare bottom grow out tank. This is filtered with 2 sponge filters and has an air stone and is heated to 30 degrees. I do around 40-50% water changes every other day.
If I get an HMA-RO converter and mix 80% RO with 20% HMA will this be much better for them and get them growing nice and big and happy? Is it that simple to just mix the water as above? Or would more need to be done? If this is the right route to go would I need to slowly introduce the RO water maybe start by adding 20% to the first change, then 40% on the next until I get to 80%?
I want to do everything I can to make them happy and healthy.
Thank you for any advice you can offer.
Chris
I have discus which I purchased from someone who was keeping them in HMA water from Birmingham which he said has hard water. Before getting them I purchased a HMA filter from devotedly discus so that the water would hopefully be a close match as I too have hard water. However I'm beginning to think that they require RO water to thrive. I've lost a few (I've had them around 5 months) and the 5 I have left haven't grown much and one is smaller than the others and darker.
The Ph is very high at over 8
KH is at 11
GH is at 15
They are in a 100 litre, bare bottom grow out tank. This is filtered with 2 sponge filters and has an air stone and is heated to 30 degrees. I do around 40-50% water changes every other day.
If I get an HMA-RO converter and mix 80% RO with 20% HMA will this be much better for them and get them growing nice and big and happy? Is it that simple to just mix the water as above? Or would more need to be done? If this is the right route to go would I need to slowly introduce the RO water maybe start by adding 20% to the first change, then 40% on the next until I get to 80%?
I want to do everything I can to make them happy and healthy.
Thank you for any advice you can offer.
Chris