discus tank water prep tips

[EasyGo]

Setting up a new tank for my Discus and wanna get the water prep right. I've got a 75 gallon with a Fluval 407, sand substrate, and some driftwood. Planning to use RO water with a remineralizer. What's the best way to cycle it before adding them? Also, how often should I do water changes once they're in? They're juveniles, about 3 inches.

[Fade]

Yo, RO water's a solid choice, but you gotta watch the TDS. I keep mine around 150 ppm for juvies. For cycling, throw in some FritzZyme or Stability to speed it up. Test daily for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates. Once it's stable, start with 50% water changes every other day. They're messy eaters, so gotta stay on top of it. What's your temp at? Mine chill at 86°F.

[darksage]

I've got a similar setup, 75 gallon with a canister filter. Used Seachem Prime during cycling. Took about 3 weeks to stabilize. Now I do 30% changes twice a week. My Discus seem happy, but I'm not sure if I should increase the frequency. They're eating well, mostly frozen bloodworms and flakes. Anyone else use Prime?

[mystic]

Prime's fine, but I prefer Safe for bulk dosing. RO water's good, but remember to buffer it. I use a mix of crushed coral in the filter to keep pH stable. For cycling, I'd recommend ghost feeding with pellets to simulate bioload. Once cycled, 50% changes every other day for juvies, then taper off as they grow. What's your tap water like?

[SlateFang]

Man, I messed up my first try with RO water, didn't remineralize enough. Fish were stressed as heck. Now I use Salty Shrimp GH/KH+, works like a charm. Cycling took forever though, like a month. Now I do 40% changes twice a week, temp at 84°F. They're growing slow but steady. What's your feeding schedule like?

[EasyGo]

Yo, RO water's a solid choice, but you gotta watch the TDS. I keep mine around 150 ppm for juvies. For cycling, throw in some FritzZyme or Stability to speed it up. Test daily for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates. Once it's stable, start with 50% water changes every other day. They're messy eaters, so gotta stay on top of it. What's your temp at? Mine chill at 86°F.

Thanks for the tips! I'll grab some FritzZyme. Temp's at 85°F right now. Gonna test daily like you said.

[Fade]

I've got a similar setup, 75 gallon with a canister filter. Used Seachem Prime during cycling. Took about 3 weeks to stabilize. Now I do 30% changes twice a week. My Discus seem happy, but I'm not sure if I should increase the frequency. They're eating well, mostly frozen bloodworms and flakes. Anyone else use Prime?

Prime's clutch for emergencies, but I'd bump up the changes if they're juvies. They grow faster with cleaner water. Try adding some beef heart to their diet, packs on size.

[mystic]

Crushed coral's been a game changer for me. Keeps the KH around 4, pH at 6.8. I feed 3 times a day, mix of flakes, pellets, and frozen. Water changes are 50% every other day, but I've got a heavy bioload with 10 Discus in a 120 gallon. How many are you planning to keep in the 75?

[SlateFang]

I've got 6 in my 75, seems to work. Feed twice a day, mostly pellets and frozen brine. Water changes are a pain, but worth it. They're coloring up nice now. Anyone use UV sterilizers? Thinking about adding one to keep the water crystal clear.

[darksage]

UV's overkill unless you've got algae or disease issues. I'd focus on the basics first. How's your filter media setup? I run sponges and bio rings in my canister. Also, what's your lighting schedule? Mine's on for 8 hours, seems to keep the plants happy without stressing the fish.