How to perform a water change
The OZ Discus team walks you through how to perform a water change, what to add to the water, and it’s importance in Discus care.
Tank Set Up
It’s important to have the correct tank set up to keep your Discus happy and healthy. Ideally, you want to keep the nitrate levels below 20ppm.
Having a sponge filter in the tank helps to keep the water clear. The sponge filter will also grow anaerobic bacteria, which helps to remove nitrate.
A marine pure block in the tank will also help, as the block grows good bacteria in it’s pores.
Make water changes simple and easy
At OZ Discus, we perform 90% water changes on our tanks every two days.
While this may sound cumbersome, there are many things you can do to make your water changes quick and easy, such as using a hose or pump to siphon the water and keeping a bare bottom tank.
How to change the tank water
Use a hose or pump to siphon 90% of the water from your tank. You can use this water for your garden.
Once drained, begin filling the tank back up. Most Discus are born and bred at the farms using tap water, so it is perfectly safe to fill your tank with tap water. You may need to use a mixture of warm and cold water, depending on the climate of where you live.
As the tank begins filling up, add the necessary medications, vitamins, and minerals.
What to add to the tank during water changes
As the tank is filling up, add Aquarium salt, Seachem Safe, and Fish V to the proper dosages for your size tank.
Aquarium salt helps your Discus breathe easier and aids in the healing and recovery of injuries.
Seachem Safe helps remove chlorine and ammonia.
Fish V contains great vitamins and nutrients. The dosage is 1 drop per 100L. We find that by using Fish V, the Discus become more vibrant in colour and eat better.
If your Discus are sick or recovering from injuries, you can use Easy-Life Voogle to treat the Discus and help them recover faster (rather than using Fish V).
Towards the end of the fill, add extra Seachem Safe to the tank so that the Safe is spread evenly throughout the tank.
Learn more about fishkeeping
Ready to up your knowledge and become an expert fishkeeper? Visit our Learning Hub to discover what you should know before owning Discus, what you should feed your Discus, and the basics about aquarium filters.
Disclaimer: This is a guide only. OZ Discus is not liable for any losses and holds no responsibility in the event of the death of the fish. Users of this guide are to use the information at their own discretion and accept all risks resulting from the use of this guide.
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