Water Problems

[cms6175]

Ok, guys, need some help.

I am wanting to set up discus here at my house in Coldspring. This is the problem, the water is so hard that there are actual deposits in the water. The ph out of the tap is 8.2.

What can I do to soften the water and bring down the ph?

The reason I asked this. On Monday, I bought 2 angel Rams from Fish R Us, I dripped them in a bucket for nearly 3 hours, placed them in the tank, on Tuesday, the male was dead, as of last night, the female is dead.

If rams will not survive, then how the heck am I going to get discus to survive?

Shaun

[Darbex]

First I would find out what is the water param from the place you are purchasing from. You could use peat or I believe almond leaves will work or you could collect rain water. Discus can adapt to different water params if given time. From my experience it is much easier to kill rams than it is to kill discus.

[Mzungu]

There is always the possibility that something was wrong with the rams in the first place when you bought them. In what kind of parameters were they kept at the store?

[imagirlgeek]

I agree with Darbex and Mzungu. If the fish are properly acclimated before you take them home, you shouldn't have problems. I also have a pretty high pH out of them tap, and I keep Discus in it just fine. I don't buffer the water at all...my water changes consist of water straight from the tap.

[cms6175]

There is always the possibility that something was wrong with the rams in the first place when you bought them. In what kind of parameters were they kept at the store?

Fish R Us told me that it was just plain tap water from there that has been dechlorinated.

I know that my water is hard, i know that african's would do very well, the problem is, my partner letting me spend the money to get the africans!

a couple of discus , $60 bucks, the africans I want, it is crazy, the amount of money.....plus he would not say anything about the discus, as he really likes the discus.

the mollies that I have cycling the tank are doing fine, as is the clown loach that i put in there.....

what type of peat should I use, and should it be in the canister filter?

[Darbex]

What kind of Africans do you want? Discus generally cost more than Africans. I do not use peat personally so I would be a bad source. Nacra99 uses it. The only problem with most natural buffers is they will tint the water if you dont mind that then they are good. But I dont like the look of the biotope.

[cms6175]

What kind of Africans do you want? Discus generally cost more than Africans. I do not use peat personally so I would be a bad source. Nacra99 uses it. The only problem with most natural buffers is they will tint the water if you dont mind that then they are good. But I dont like the look of the biotope.

i love the juli's, but i also love the frontosa's, peacocks, and troph's......

if someone could hook me up on some cheap fish, i would love it....especially on the peacocks,

i would also need to get rock...

[cichlid1409]

post a thread in the buy/sell forum statig what your looking for speciffically and see what you can find. theres always someone getting rid of something. good luck on your new tank.

[Darbex]

You can get peacocks for around $25 a pair and sometimes even less. Another place to stock up at is auctions. GHAC and HAS has auctions twice a year for each club and usually there are great deals on fish. I have noticed that most of the fish available are Africans. But sometimes you will find the Discus and other NW cichlids. I know HAS is having theirs with the FOTAS meeting in September and I know GHAC is having ours in November.

[cms6175]

You can get peacocks for around $25 a pair and sometimes even less. Another place to stock up at is auctions. GHAC and HAS has auctions twice a year for each club and usually there are great deals on fish. I have noticed that most of the fish available are Africans. But sometimes you will find the Discus and other NW cichlids. I know HAS is having theirs with the FOTAS meeting in September and I know GHAC is having ours in November.

it is very hard for me to get to the auctions this year, as I have litters of puppies that need supervision, and cleaning!

[wesleydnunder]

A "couple" discus may not be the best way to go. Discus are gregarious fish and prefer to be in groups...I'd do a minimum of five. I'd suggest going with the africans to start, do lots of research on discus in the meantime, and later upgrade or add a dedicated discus tank.

Mark

[Mzungu]

Good advice, Mark.

Cms, if you can't make any of the auctions, I second Mike's advice of posting. WTB thread here in the Fish Market. You'll find what you need.

Oh, and you KNOW you're gonna have to post pictures in the lounge of the puppies, right?

[cms6175]

Good advice, Mark.

Cms, if you can't make any of the auctions, I second Mike's advice of posting. WTB thread here in the Fish Market. You'll find what you need.

Oh, and you KNOW you're gonna have to post pictures in the lounge of the puppies, right?

i am not the best picture taker, however, i have a website.....

[cms6175]

A "couple" discus may not be the best way to go. Discus are gregarious fish and prefer to be in groups...I'd do a minimum of five. I'd suggest going with the africans to start, do lots of research on discus in the meantime, and later upgrade or add a dedicated discus tank.

Mark

before I moved here from Arkansas, I raised discuss, in well water, nothing special, and did fine....the freaking water here in texas is so horrible!!!

it even kills guppies at my house.....

[newb]

not to hijack your thread...but what kind of puppies?