Rodi water for discus?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Keeping fish in just RO can be harmful in a freshwater aquarium unless you add back the trace elements the fish need. Would not apply to saltwater because the salt mixture has the needed trace elements in it.
That would be DI that you are referring to. Reverse Osmosis is actually what is used to make drinking water and is plenty safe. Plenty of people have used RO for their freshwater fish, including myself, for decades.
 
I think I should stick with the tap then and like u guys said it is save time and money lol. By the way what kind of substrate I should get for the discus? I planning to get a 65 gallon with some driftwood in it and background picture on the back but not going add any plant.

For young fish nearly all the experts recommend starting with a bare bottom tank and doing daily water changes along with vacuuming the bottom of the tank after every feeding. If you are going to start with substrate, plants, or less than daily water changes they recommend getting adult fish. I am not a discus expert. I recommend you do a bunch of reading in the new discus keeper section on SimplyDiscus.

EDIT: If you are going with substrate most recommend sand.
 
That would be DI that you are referring to. Reverse Osmosis is actually what is used to make drinking water and is plenty safe. Plenty of people have used RO for their freshwater fish, including myself, for decades.

I am also referring to RO. If it is working as it should you end up with little or no trace elements left behind. I am saying this CAN be harmful for fish. Some studies are now saying that RO water can be harmful to people as well and that tap water might be better for people.
 
Ya my LFS also sayin that they are using tap water and told me to use tap water also.Only use ro if I want to nreed them or keeping the wild caught ones. The only thing I am still wondering is if I can keep discus and datnoids together. Lol
 
I am also referring to RO. If it is working as it should you end up with little or no trace elements left behind. I am saying this CAN be harmful for fish. Some studies are now saying that RO water can be harmful to people as well and that tap water might be better for people.

You do realize that certain Discus and other fish can come from water with little or no measurable hardness at all. Black water rivers and steams are basically slightly dirty distilled water. For domestic discus would think tap water is easiest.
 
RO is not needed to raise or keep discus! RO is only needed if your breeding or keeping wilds. The purpose of RO is to have a lower/zero TDS and softer water. If your going to raise Fry/Juvies i would keep them in a bare bottom tank. Fry and Juvies require power feeding and lots of fresh, clean pristine water to grow so they don't get stunted! If you going to invest in adults then go ahead and use a substrate, plants, decor etc.... Not sure how Dats and Discus will work in the same tank.
 
I wouldn't put dats with discus. Start with discus only, learn what makes them tick, and then when you have that under your belt you can start to consider tankmates. As it is, a 65 gallon is going to be full once a group of discus reaches adult size.
 
I think I might just buy some neon or cardinal tetra with them but the problem is I am wondering if the discus going to harass the tetra since the tetra are like 1- 1.5'' and the adult discus I get are 5''. Back in the days that I used to have two 4'' discus with some neon tetra then I removed the discus after two weeks due to the discus was chasing them and they seem like trying to eat the neon. I had them in a 29 gallon and I had about 10 neon tetra in there.
 
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