Straight remineralized RO water for F1 geophagus sveni

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FishKing5

FishKing5

Aimara
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Oct 24, 2013
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What’s everyone’s thoughts on raising geophagus sveni in straight RO remineralzed wkth Discus trace minerals? I’ve been growing them out in buffered RO water and they put on impressive growth in the last year of doing so. The reason id like to change is to really just mimic their natural water which is very soft and low in ph and using straight RO doesn’t create ph fluctuations which I’m pretty sure I had happening with my buffered RO water I was using for them before. It seems like much less of a headache using straight RO with discus trace minerals then having to check the kh, gh and ph of the water that’s coming out of my RODI unit and then having to adjust to that. Straight RO with the minerals won’t cause ph spikes or anything since it’s nuetral. So what do you all think. I know you can reside geophagus sveni in straight tap water but after some research it sounds like they’ll eventually start getting more prone to disease and parasites if not raised in softer water.
 
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I don't know the answer to that. Anything I've found so far in trying to research their reported native habitats (Araguaia, Tocantins, Parana, mine are from Parana) indicates essentially neutral pH, some conductivity and dissolved solids and varying temperatures, 70s and low 80s. They've been found in Brazil and Argentina according to references I've found and they see some seasonal variation in water conditions. I suspect they're reasonably adaptable, within what range is the question.

I've had mine a few months, the largest in the group is now approaching 4 inches. They're doing well in pH in the low 7s, hardness on the low side of moderate, not super soft. Mine are F1 from TUIC, and Jeff said he kept them in pH 7. I've seen people here keeping them in pH as high as 8, don't know about that long term. Mine seem to reward substantial weekly water changes with good growth.
 
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I would think it would be like having WILD DISCUS. you need to do be serious about water changes and checking your ph.

I had some BIotodma Cupido perish away because the water just wouldn't become soft enough even with my great low ph here in southern california plus aged water. I even tried driftwood to the point where the water was a nice tea red color. Other fish loved it, some are so dam sensitive.
 
Kayzee said:
I would think it would be like having WILD DISCUS. you need to do be serious about water changes and checking your ph.

I had some BIotodma Cupido perish away because the water just wouldn't become soft enough even with my great low ph here in southern california plus aged water. I even tried driftwood to the point where the water was a nice tea red color. Other fish loved it, some are so dam sensitive.
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Yes. I am treating them with the same water as I do with my wild discus which is a big reason I’m doing so since it’s a lot easier to get the water made up for both tanks that way. I know geophagus in the wild live in a ph range in the 4s so straight RODI water from my well should be pretty spot on. They seem quite happy so far. I got them a year ago at 1 inch from Jeff as well and the bigger ones aren’t now pushing 6-7 inches already. Quite surprised the size they have put on already. I had been growing them out in buffered water with a ph around 6.6 though, kh 3-4 and gh 4.
 
Your grow out water is perfect for the river systems they come from.
 
I'd do it. Have you tried cutting your ro with tap?

I found the formulas for equilibrium and replenish if you want the link to a discussion about it. I've used them with really good results along with the guys who originally tried it. Saved a ton on reminerization products

I found it digging through my saltwater notes the other day.
 
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Most freshwater lakes and rivers have fluctuations in pH due to plants, algae, during the day they pull co2 out of the water rising the pH, at night co2 builds up lowering the pH. On lakes, rivers with little buffering these ph swings can be quite large, pH 5 at sunrise pH 7 at sunset. The fish are perfectly adapted to these changes as long as with in there natural range. What doesn't change, or changes very slowly is the hardness of the water.
I would concentrate on kh, gh and make sure the water has enough buffering capacity to stop a pH crash which won't bother your fish but could the beneficial bacteria. I would look in to P PYRU suggestion.
 
dan518 said:
Most freshwater lakes and rivers have fluctuations in pH due to plants, algae, during the day they pull co2 out of the water rising the pH, at night co2 builds up lowering the pH. On lakes, rivers with little buffering these ph swings can be quite large, pH 5 at sunrise pH 7 at sunset. The fish are perfectly adapted to these changes as long as with in there natural range. What doesn't change, or changes very slowly is the hardness of the water.
I would concentrate on kh, gh and make sure the water has enough buffering capacity to stop a pH crash which won't bother your fish but could the beneficial bacteria. I would look in to P PYRU suggestion.
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Hey could you
PYRU said:
I'd do it. Have you tried cutting your ro with tap?

I found the formulas for equilibrium and replenish if you want the link to a discussion about it. I've used them with really good results along with the guys who originally tried it. Saved a ton on reminerization products

I found it digging through my saltwater notes the other day.
Click to expand...
hey could you share with me how you use your replenish and equilibrium
 
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