New 55g tank

dylan94

I guess tank raised specimen "seem" to do good in harder alkaline water because they havent ever experienced otherwise. Although they seem fine in those water conditions, the impact must not be good on their body and I would also assume that a lot, if not all of them are quite stressed most of the time. RO units are not THAT expensive, only 125$ ish. Especially compared to the Discus. If I am going to keep these fish, I'd may as well use an RO unit, because keeping them in water parameters that do not suit them doesn't seem fair or right to me.

It still might be a month or two before I actually get this project going, but i will definately prepare and dream about it a lot!

Dylan.

iamntbatman

Very good point about the price of the RO unit versus the cost and well-being of the fish. Still, though, if the LFS is keeping them in water conditions similar to yours, it would be best to mimic these conditions initially and slowly convert them to their preferred parameter ranges.

dylan94

Would I do that or could I use the drip method of introducing them? The drip method would slowly acclimate them to the water parameters of my tank. They would probably initially be very tired, stressed and shy, but after a day or two I think they will be thriving and fully accustomed to my tank. If I did the slowly drop the pH method, I would have to add the Discus first as the other fish will probably not tolerate neutral, high pH water considering cardinal tetras are mostly wild caught, if I am not mistaken.

I can't wait to start this project!!!

iamntbatman

Well, the drip method is pretty much a good idea under any circumstances as it's essentially the least stressful way to acclimate a fish to a new tank.

You did mention that you wanted to add the other species (likely even more sensitive to water parameters than the Discus) first. I do kind of doubt that the LFS is keeping their fish in different parameters (other than "easy fixes" such as using crushed coral as substrate in the African cichlid tanks). That said, if their Discus are being kept at parameters similar to your tap, their other fish (tetras, rams, etc.) likely are, too. So in that case, I still think you'd be best starting with the harder, more alkaline water and slowly converting to the "ideal" environment once the tank is stocked.

Again, this is all pending the LFS's water parameter numbers and could end up being a moot point.

1077

Some insist on using R/O water just as some insist on driving cadillacs. Nothing wrong with either. Depends on what you wish to provide for your fish.
Would note that some report that it can take between ten and twenty gallons of water to produce one gallon of R/O water.
I am not inclined to make things difficult when not needed, nor am I inclined to provide poor enviornment for the fishes I care for.

dylan94

hhhmmm, I am pretty sure most RO units don't use that much water. I thought it was like max 5 gallons per 1 gallon of RO water. I will research this... :)