Who Gives A Fish Forums

Seachem's MultiTest is underrated. Does ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, and hardness in one go. My Discus are in a 65-gallon with driftwood, and it's been spot-on for a year. Only downside is the reagent bottles are tiny, so you'll need refills quick.

tyrny wrote: ↑Thu May 29, 2025 6:13 pm Anyone tried those 3D background panels? Heard they're safe but wanna confirm.

They're usually fine if they're aquarium-grade. Just avoid the DIY foam ones—some sealants aren't fish-safe. My tank has a pre-made resin panel, no problems in two years.

Yep, smooth stuff is key. My fish got scraped on a cheap ornament once. Now I only use sandblasted wood and rounded stones. Also, no sharp plastic plants!


Exactly. I'd add that even some 'aquarium-safe' resins can be sketchy. Test anything new in a bucket for a week first. My 120-gallon has ...

yo, my discus only spawned when i cut the nitrates to 5 ppm. try adding more plants or upping water changes. i do 30% daily in my 40g breeder, temp 87°F, pH 6.3. no tankmates, just the pair. they're chillin' now, laying eggs every 10 days. also, beef heart's good but toss in some frozen brine shrimp ...

Nah, man, I've never dripped mine. Just float the bag for temp, then plop 'em in. Never had issues. My tank's at 76°F, pH 7.3, and they're chillin' with some Neon Tetras.

Thanks for the tips, everyone. Gonna try 50% changes every other day and monitor their behavior. Also switching to a mix of beef heart and pellets. Appreciate the help!

I've got a 75-gallon tank with 6 Discus, all around 4 inches. Been doing 30% water changes twice a week, but they still seem stressed. Should I bump it up to 50%? Tank's got a Fluval FX6, sand substrate, and a few Amazon swords. Water params are good, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, nitrate stays under 20 ppm.

That sounds frustrating. Java Ferns can be tricky sometimes. Have you checked your water hardness? They prefer softer water, and if it's too hard, they might struggle. Also, how's your flow? They don't like strong currents.


My water's pretty hard, actually. Maybe that's it. Flow is moderate ...

My Java Ferns keep melting no matter what I do. I've got a 20-gallon tank, LED lighting for 8 hours a day, and my water params are solid, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 10 nitrate. Substrate is sand, and I dose liquid ferts once a week. What's the deal?

Re: Started to lower pH, all fish stopped eating.





Originally posted by Deepsea


Bunch of folks here keep discus in water with pH >8. I have never heard of fun rot caused by low levels of alkalinity. Have you tested your source water for ammonia?


My water parameters have always been stable ...