Tips on aging water for Discus tank

[Tankster]

Can you give me some tips on how you aged the water?

There is really no magic to it. Fill up your holding tank or barrel, fill with water, run aerator and heater for 24 hours - ready to use.

I ran tests on my water before and after the ageing process because I am no scientist and also a skeptic - "how can bubbles remove chlorine?". Tested 0 chlorine and I had a minor Ph swing downward. The Ph swing was not going to be harmful to the fish but it was nice to know I was eliminating another potential stress factor. Most people will tell you the most important thing in water for discus is consistency in water chemistry and temperature and this is an excellent way to achieve that.

Your holding tank can be anything that is food safe. Be careful with the trash cans from hardware stores. The manufacturing process sprays a release agent on the metal die mold that forms the can and there is usually some residue left. On your first fill you will probably see an oily sheen on top. This is what you want to get rid of before using for the fish. Be sure to clean it well if you use a trash can. Another tip on the trash can since the heater and plastic don't go well together you can build an X with wood that rests on top and allows you to suspend the heater in the middle of the can using a clamp like this.


I highly recommend at least visiting Simply Discus. You don't even have to register to have access to the tons of very helpful info on raising discus available to you.

Here is the air stone that I used.

Good luck and let me know if you have any other questions.

this image won't go away - just ignore this double post of the pic of the clamp

 

[voidex]

I also have discus and I do age my water so that the chlorine does goes away what I do is I have two 10G barrels that tops are fully open and have lids to them this allows for air exchange. I will fill them with tap water, I do know that there is very little chlorine in my tap which will burn off in about a day and I will let the barrels sit in my basement exposed to sunlight with the lids off for 3 days. I have not had any problems with my method but Like you I have a discus that is a real drama queen and will act like its the end of the word and float on its side if you try to touch him or leave he will go back to just swimming around. I find discus over react to things and are a very skittish fish.