discus breeding tank water testing

[julian]

My Discus pair just laid eggs, but I'm kinda stressing about water testing. Got a 55-gallon tank with a sponge filter, temp at 86°F, and RO water mixed with a bit of tap. pH is 6.5, but nitrates creep up to 20ppm after a week. How often should I test and change water to keep the fry safe? Using Seachem Prime and feeding beef heart twice a day.

[mystic]

For breeding Discus, consistency is key. Test daily for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. Keep nitrates below 10ppm with 30% water changes every other day. RO helps, but ensure you remineralize to 100-150ppm TDS. Sponge filters are great, but add an air stone for extra oxygenation. Prime is fine, but consider Stability to boost biofiltration.

[dynamo]

For breeding Discus, consistency is key. Test daily for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. Keep nitrates below 10ppm with 30% water changes every other day. RO helps, but ensure you remineralize to 100-150ppm TDS. Sponge filters are great, but add an air stone for extra oxygenation. Prime is fine, but consider Stability to boost biofiltration.

Yep, that's solid advice. I'd also check KH to avoid pH crashes. My fry tank runs 2°F cooler at 84°F, but yours should be fine if they're already spawning. What's your substrate? Bare bottom's easier to clean.

[gett246]

Nitrates at 20ppm won't cut it for fry. You gotta hit 10ppm max, or growth stunts. I do 50% changes daily in my breeder, with a Python hose to keep it easy. RO's good, but match the TDS to your tap mix—wild swings stress them. What's your ammonia reading? Even 0.25ppm can wipe a clutch.

[julian]

Thanks for the tips, everyone. I'll bump water changes to 50% daily and grab a KH test kit. Substrate's bare bottom, and ammonia's at 0. Gonna add Stability like mystic suggested. Fry just hatched today, so timing's perfect.

[Lionheart]

Good call on bare bottom. My first try had sand, and it was a mess. How old are the parents? Younger pairs sometimes eat eggs, so watch for that. Also, what's your lighting schedule? Too much light can stress them.

[Jester]

Parents are about 2 years old. Lights are on 8 hours a day, dimmed with floating plants. They've spawned before but never got this far. Fingers crossed!

[dynamo]

Parents are about 2 years old. Lights are on 8 hours a day, dimmed with floating plants. They've spawned before but never got this far. Fingers crossed!

That's a chill setup. Floating plants help, but keep an eye on water flow—too much can tire the fry. What's your feeding routine for them? Baby brine shrimp's the gold standard once they're free-swimming.

[gett246]

If nitrates spike again, check your beef heart portions. Overfeeding's the usual suspect. I feed mine 3x a day but tiny amounts. Also, what's your filter maintenance like? Sponges need rinsing in tank water weekly to avoid gunk buildup.

[mystic]

If nitrates spike again, check your beef heart portions. Overfeeding's the usual suspect. I feed mine 3x a day but tiny amounts. Also, what's your filter maintenance like? Sponges need rinsing in tank water weekly to avoid gunk buildup.

Exactly. Uneaten food decays fast. Use a turkey baster to spot-clean after feeds. And double-check your RO unit's membranes—if they're old, TDS creep can throw off your mix.