[Doogy262]

I probably should stop looking at other forums and just stay with what I have but I looked at a forum called aquarium forum and recognized a lot of names from here but to the subject.They have a section just about discus keeping and one of the questions was on the proper way to change water.Many of the more experienced members were totally against replacing water from the tap after conditioning and feel the only safe way especially with chloramine is to age the water with an air stone and heater for at least 24 hours.I have from the start been using safe at full tank amount and tap with temperature correction and have seen no issues and I don't have the room for all that as i live in a single story home built on a crawl space but am curious how you guys feel.I do change about 40% of the water twice a week.

 

[Aparker2005]

I use a python in my discus tank. Get the water out, prime it, temperature set, put right back in straight from the tap. No problems at all

 

[trunglippo]

I have been on this forum for awhile to learn and came to your post today. I have been keeping discus for 5 years, and I do 80% of water change for them everyday. I use only tap water and Prime. A lot of people will against that fact since too much water change is not good for fish. Well, with discus is a different story. You can look for the forum is called simply discus forum and find down the answers.
Hope this help.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jestep]

When I was keeping them, I landed on using 50/50 RO and tap water treated with safe. For adults, I would typically do 50% - 2x per week. For juvi's at least 100% per day, and that often wasn't enough.

Have you done a ph test out of the faucet and let a sample sit for at least 12 hours and see what the ph is? I hadn't heard the chloramine idea, chloramines are not going to be broken down by airstone alone, so I'm not clear on what they're trying to accomplish. Were they adding prime or safe and then sitting it for 24 hours?

 

[Veritas]

For juvi's at least 100% per day, and that often wasn't enough.

100% per day....not being enough? I....don't understand

 

[jestep]

100% per day....not being enough? I....don't understand

Had stunting and slow growth issues with them a few times there and lower and didn't have the same problems when changing 150 - 200% per day.

 

[discuspaul]

If you're using either Seachem Safe or Prime, these conditioners will deal with chlorine &/or chloramines.

With discus & tap water, the only relatively common occurence you need be concerned about is a large swing, or difference, in the pH between your tap water, and that in your tank. If there is a large difference, then a holding container for ageing tap water & allowing it to gas off is usually the way to mitigate the problem, (& with heating and aeration being done to the container water).

IME and based on what other experienced discus-keeping sources have advised me, a difference of .7 or .8 in pH is generally not an issue, even where water change quantities are up to say, 75% of tank water volume. A rapid change of 1.0 or more though, or lack of relative stability in pH (consistent up & down swings), can be harmful to discus.

 

[Doogy262]

My six fish are all 5-51/2 inchs as I quickly learned from people on here that adults are easier to keep.i still do twice a week 50% changes and that has worked well.My ph out of tap and 12 hours later is right about 7.2 so that is not an issue.The people on the forum were taking tap water using prime than aging for 24 hours or more with an air stone and heater.I am currently doing exactly like AParker does...

 

[aja31]

My six fish are all 5-51/2 inchs as I quickly learned from people on here that adults are easier to keep.i still do twice a week 50% changes and that has worked well.My ph out of tap and 12 hours later is right about 7.2 so that is not an issue.The people on the forum were taking tap water using prime than aging for 24 hours or more with an air stone and heater.I am currently doing exactly like AParker does...

Not sure what the point of that is. If your water company is just adding chlorine to the water then prime removes it instantaneously. There is nothing additional gained by aging it further.

If they are adding chloramine's to the water then older versions of prime will not break it down properly, however it takes 7-10 days to break down on its own. Aging for 24 hours again does nothing. However it doesn't matter anyway since prime has long since updated its formula to properly break down chloramine as well as chlorine.

 

[Veritas]

Had stunting and slow growth issues with them a few times there and lower and didn't have the same problems when changing 150 - 200% per day.

so, two separate 100% water changes per day? that is insane

 

[bsherwood]

I had been debating getting into discus keeping. 200% water changes per day? ummmmm no.....I thought I was going the extra mile doing 50% per week on all my tanks....

 

[Doogy262]

I had been debating getting into discus keeping. 200% water changes per day? ummmmm no.....I thought I was going the extra mile doing 50% per week on all my tanks....

The answer here is to get discus in the 5 inch and up size than those constant water changes are not needed.Like I said I do 50% twice a week mainly because I have the time and the tank looks amazing.

 

[lksdrinker]

There is nothing additional gained by aging it further.

If they are adding chloramine's to the water then older versions of prime will not break it down properly, however it takes 7-10 days to break down on its own. Aging for 24 hours again does nothing. However it doesn't matter anyway since prime has long since updated its formula to properly break down chloramine as well as chlorine.

There is actually additional benefits to ageing further. There are a ton of dissolved gasses in tap water. Ever do a water change (on a discus tank or any other for that mater) and see all those tiny bubble sticking to the side of the glass and everything else in the tank? Some discus keepers find that these dissolved gasses seem to stress out the fish. Aging the water further helps to offgas all of that. Whether or not it is "necessary" is up for debate though.

 

[discuspaul]

There is actually additional benefits to ageing further. There are a ton of dissolved gasses in tap water. Ever do a water change (on a discus tank or any other for that mater) and see all those tiny bubble sticking to the side of the glass and everything else in the tank? Some discus keepers find that these dissolved gasses seem to stress out the fish. Aging the water further helps to offgas all of that. Whether or not it is "necessary" is up for debate though.

100% agree.


Read this article:
Gas Bubble Disease - Betta Late Than Never Rescue


I have read of a number of fish-keepers who have experienced disastrous results to their fish because of this occurrence.
Off-gassing may also alter tap water pH and stabilize it for later aquarium w/c use.

 

[Nordic]

The benefit of storage tanks lies not in the ageing, but in the aggregating of up and down swings in the supply.