Actually live plants can bring down TDS. The KH and GH in all three of my planted tanks is lower than the unplanted tanks. They will remove many other things not included in KH or GH but in TDS as well.
Discus
- Thread starter NeonFlux
- Start date
yes but some of the more hazardous disolved organics(part of the TDS) are not affected.
I can see plants affecting gH and there in affect kH since in certain instances solids precipitate out.
but having plants in no way should equate to lowering the water changes.
keep in mind plants don't use all the TDS in the tanks. only what they need to survive.
I can see plants affecting gH and there in affect kH since in certain instances solids precipitate out.
but having plants in no way should equate to lowering the water changes.
keep in mind plants don't use all the TDS in the tanks. only what they need to survive.
Nothing replaces water changes. But plants can help with water quality. I don't think anyone said anything about not doing water changes. Actually they just said "Live plants!!!". I think my discus are doing much better now in the planted 40breeder than in any other setup I have had them in.
NeonFlux - just to bump this since I'm worried about what you're doing....in your first post you stated you added amquel, novaqua and prime to the tank. Why are you adding a full dose of three different brands of water conditioner to the tank? I'm worried this combo is going to hurt the fish.
How would it hurt the fish?
I think it is unnecessary to triple up if they are all doing the same thing, but how would it do any harm?
I think it is unnecessary to triple up if they are all doing the same thing, but how would it do any harm?
I'm thinking at a minimum it could be a severe irritant to mix the chemical contents from 3 different dechlors at one time. Will that produce chemical by-products? I would consider that an overdose at a minimum. How would you know that it doesn't interfere in any way with their breathing, or irritate their gills or eyes. My discus show skin irritation with plant ferts. Discus are very sensitive to what's been added to their water.
Plants will help polish the water and help with the fish waste but!
You need to get the water under control first
once you have that under control I would add some easy potted plants in a terracotta pot. a sword plant or a crypt would do to start but only after you get this water right.
Discus = water changes a lot of them plants or not I do 20% every day except sun my day off unless there is a problem.
You need to get the water under control first
once you have that under control I would add some easy potted plants in a terracotta pot. a sword plant or a crypt would do to start but only after you get this water right.
Discus = water changes a lot of them plants or not I do 20% every day except sun my day off unless there is a problem.
I do not see how 'overdosing' dechlorinators would be a problem. I think it is unnecessary and should not be done, but I do not think it is necessarily harmful.
Did they show any distress after adding the three chemicals?
Did they show any distress after adding the three chemicals?
ReptileGuy I didn't say I knew for sure that it would be harmful to the fish, I said I was worried that it might be. To me, the water conditioning appears to be getting done improperly. It cannot be a good thing to triple dose 3 different water conditioning products with every water change and perhaps NeonFlux doesn't understand completely how to use the products. I'm just trying to find out why the use of 3 dechlors at once. Maybe there's a good reason and rather than me giving advice I'll in fact learn something new. I'm just trying to help the tank owner and the fish and don't understand why you are giving me such a hard time for noticing something that appears to be wrong with water handling. Perhaps a lot of people use multiple water conditioners at each water change, I've just not read about that yet.
Gee, did i miss something??
I never said anything detrimental about live plants. so i am not sure what your reference to "live plants in in reference to.
but some novice fishkeepers my get the impression that live plants may reduce the need for water changes.
as far as keeping discus in planted tanks..I do it myself.
I will say that in most cases discus raised in planted tanks may not achieve the size and stature of some of those kept in bare bottom tanks.
but will min most cases get to normal adult discus sizes.
" I do not see how 'overdosing' dechlorinators would be a problem. I think it is unnecessary and should not be done, but I do not think it is necessarily harmful.
Did they show any distress after adding the three chemicals?"
just because they may not show distress does not mean they may not suffer issues as a result of too many chemicals. history is full of instances where too much of a good thing proved harmful.
the effects of these chemicals may actually not be known or years. as they may accumulate over time to a point where there could be visible signs of toxicity.
a prime example is prolonged exposure to heavy metals.
