discus breeding tank water prep

[Coralite]

Setting up a breeding tank for my Discus and wanna get the water right. Got a 40-gallon bare bottom, sponge filter, and a heater set to 86°F. Using RO water with a TDS of 50, but not sure about the mineral mix. How do y'all prep your water for breeding? Heard some folks add peat, others swear by crushed coral. My pair's been laying eggs but they keep fungusin' up.

[dawny]

I've had luck with a mix of RO and tap, about 70/30. Keeps the TDS around 100, which seems to cut it for my pairs. Also, try adding some almond leaves, gives the water a weird vibe they seem to dig. What's your pH sitting at? Mine's around 6.5, and they've been spawning like crazy.

[turret]

RO water alone might be too soft. You'll need to remineralize with a balanced mix, ideally targeting 100–150 TDS. I use Seachem Discus Buffer to stabilize pH at 6.0–6.5. Fungus on eggs is often due to bacterial load, so consider a UV sterilizer or methylene blue dips for the eggs. How often are you doing water changes?

[Coralite]

I've had luck with a mix of RO and tap, about 70/30. Keeps the TDS around 100, which seems to cut it for my pairs. Also, try adding some almond leaves, gives the water a weird vibe they seem to dig. What's your pH sitting at? Mine's around 6.5, and they've been spawning like crazy.

Thanks! My pH is 6.8 right now, gonna try the almond leaves. How many do you toss in for a 40-gallon?

[dawny]

I usually chuck in 2–3 leaves, but it depends on how tannin-y you want it. They'll sink after a day or two. Also, keep an eye on the TDS if you're mixing tap, some cities got sketchy stuff in their water. My last batch of fry thrived with this setup, no fungus issues.

[turret]

Setting up a breeding tank for my Discus and wanna get the water right. Got a 40-gallon bare bottom, sponge filter, and a heater set to 86°F. Using RO water with a TDS of 50, but not sure about the mineral mix. How do y'all prep your water for breeding? Heard some folks add peat, others swear by crushed coral. My pair's been laying eggs but they keep fungusin' up.

Fungus is often a sign of low oxygen or high organics. Increase aeration and consider daily 10% water changes post-spawn. Crushed coral can buffer pH but may push it too high for breeding. Stick to almond leaves and a gentle remineralizer.