Need water answers

[Shawnts106]

Ok, I need to know the following for discus keeping:

pH ?
kh ?
gh ?
temp ?


what should these be?
My pH for my discus is about 6.5, and temp stays at 82*F, so what should my kH and gH be?

[DR.V]

pH 6-6.5
temp 29-30 Celcius
kH and gH is not so important unless you're breeding them.
kH is about 3-4

[Shawnts106]

so what about gh? what are they, is kH and gH the same?

[DR.V]

kH is Carbonate Hardness which measures the level of mineral content in your water. gH measures the general hardness of the water.
General hardness (gH) is different with carbonate hardness (kH) ... but basically measures the same thing.

For discus tank I think you want :
pH = 6. to 6.5
gH = 70-100ppm
kH = 3-4 degrees
temp = 29-30c

Are you breeding them ??
_________________

[jwight]

GH and KH are not the same there is however a link between the two results. if one is high usually the other is high but not always.

[Shawnts106]

Oh ok, kH and gH are kinda like Alk and DKH? I get it.. ok now we are rolling with dough!

iight!... Well, they are a bit young to breed, only a few months old... but, yes I do plan on trying to breed them... What I am trying to do now is just mimic their natural habitat as much as I can... thats why I am keeping acidic water and such...

as for the plants.. well, they are my decision! haha!

[jwight]

The discus you will get has a natural environment of a barebottom tank with no substrate so its not their natural envrionment. The amazon where discus lives in the wild is brown with visibility low with driftwood and few if any plants so it is not desirable to mimic their environment. There water is soft with a pH getting as low as 4.5. Its warm around 28*C.

[Shawnts106]

Right, I know these fish are NOT from the wild.. But they are STILL a species that has to have a natural environment... If we breed wolves in captivity that doesnt meen that the new baby wolf doesnt have to eat meat, or can survive in temperatures close to the sun, or freezing 24/7... we still have to feed it protein... and it still has to be in a temperate climate.. and it is better for it to have a nice outdoor spot for it to exercise and breathe in, because keeping a wolf indoors isnt a good idea, it could go crazy, and it could have serious health issues because it is not getting fresh air.. the same is true with fish or DISCUS for that matter, just because one is raised in captivity and has NO idea what the WILD is like.. doesnt meen it can be kept in NITRATE, AMMONIA, and NITRITE infested water with a pH of 9.0... and feed it lettuce and baby carrots... this is NOT NATURAL and the species will NOT survive and flourish and be physically happy at all... Beefheart isnt natural but we feed it because it is GOOD for them, it has proteins that help it grow... we feed wolfs a protein inriched dog chow .. its still good for them!

you see what im getting at???

OK!!!... now,

BTW: I checked my Gh and Kh today.. the Gh didnt register.. bad kit possibly.. and the Kh was 7*DKH... so is this ok?...

I think the gH was 0 to 1.. but not sure... not 100% sure.... I think the test kit was bad!

um... so my pH is fine, the temp is fine... so... .. and my KH is at 7*.. so is there anything else that I need to worry about "chemistry-wise"

[Shawnts106]

jwight

If im not mistaken.. Discus are found in a Variety of different habitats some blackwater, some clearwater, some streams some rivers, some acidic some neutral...

so they are not all found in blackwater... also, it depends on what kind of discus from the heckels and blues and reds and browns... they are all from different parts...

My Neon Purple is probably a decendent from the Blues, and my PB is probabaly a decendent of a heckel or red?...

[weird]

I think creating a biotope is kewl Shawn, go for it mate.

Do a search for biotope, perhaps someone can do a write up on it.