I need some help with my discus tank

[Hondatek]

Should I gravel vac at every water change or not

 

[Rosenweiss]

Yes, that'll keep nitrites down.

 

[thras]

Why would a 90% wc sound bad bacteria is in the filter and in the gravel not the water the water has all the toxic stuff so do a 50% water change a day until this clears up then do 20% because the growing discus need the minerals and stuff from ur tap water

 

[Hondatek]

I don't know really I know about the bio being in the gravel and filters but I guess the idea of it scares me

 

[Rosenweiss]

90% wc is too much for large discus, as they're easily stressed at that would shove them all down toward the bottom of the tank... just think about it practically, you should leave at least 10" full, imo, if the fish are 5". A 50-60% couldn't hurt though, but make sure the temperature is exactly even before adding it, and try not to splash.

Edit: he's correct, though, the good bacteria resides not in the water but on the hard/soft surfaces.

 

[Hondatek]

Ok I'm working on the water change now im going to do almost half the tank. Do you think the nitrites will spike? The have always been zero

 

[jetajockey]

please don't put stability in there.

I would do 40-50% wc's, those tiny ones aren't going to do anything.

If you used aged water to do your wc you can change a huge % out without much adverse effect. If you are filling directly from tap I would only do about 40-50% to help cover for any difference in gh, tds, temp.

Nitrites *might* spike since you are having ammonia issues, it could mean that you are also having to build up the nitrite-converting colony as well, but doing a water change isn't going to have a direct impact on that other than actually reduce any present nitrites.

 

[Hondatek]

Ok im taking out the last bucket now.in your opinion what's wrong with stability?

 

[thras]

When u do a 90% change u put the discus in a bucket or two or three even

 

[jetajockey]

it doesn't have the correct nitrifying bacteria in it, so if it works at all, it's not stable for anything long term.

 

[Hondatek]

So what do you use then? Or do you just use prime

 

[thras]

I would just use prime IMO

 

[jetajockey]

Prime is a water conditioner, stability is a bacteria supplement. Since the tank is well established at this point, just do water changes with Prime and leave the bacteria supplements on the shelf.

 

[Hondatek]

Ok I know the difference but I always though u needed to replenish the bio but I guess not I'm not using it today

 

[jetajockey]

the beneficial bacteria are anchored in the biofilm. The 'replenish the bio' hype is simply that, just to sell product.

The issue at hand right now is why is the bacteria colony not keeping up with the toxins, could be a spike from uneaten food, dead fish, a ph crash, lots of reasons.

 

[Hondatek]

Ok thanks alot. Well I know for a fact that the ph has been at 6 for months.and not one fish died in there since my discus have been in there. I did almost a 50 percent change and my test is now 6.0 ph 1.0 ammo 0 trite and 5 trate. So same procedure tomorrow?

 

[mfdrookie516]

I would do another one in a few hours, then repeat as necessary to keep the ammonia at or below .5ppm... JMO

 

[Hondatek]

Is the whole wait 8 hours for the bacteria to reproduce between pwc not true?I just don't want to overdue it

 

[mfdrookie516]

No, as others have said, the bacteria is not in the water column, so you can do a 100% water change and still technically be cycled.

 

[Hondatek]

Ok cool so it's 6 45 now maybe around 9 o'clock?