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What is the Ideal Water Hardness for Discus?

April 26, 2017discus discus fish water

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What is the Ideal Water Hardness for Discus?

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Water hardness refers to the amount of dissolved minerals in the water. They are essentially two form of measurement for hardness, general hardness (GH) and carbonate hardness (KH) aka alkalinity. KH and alkalinity both refer to the ability of the water to buffer (or support) the pH. To put simply, the higher the KH, the more stable the water pH will be. GH on the other hand refers to the sum total of carbonate and non-carbonate hardness. It is measured in oDH or ppm. The recommended water hardness for discus keeping is between 10-15 oDH (179 – 268.5 ppm) Water hardness can be measured with test kits that are widely available on the market but the most accurate tool would be an electronic meter. As for the method to adjust water hardness, peat and water-softening resins can be retrofitted to the filter but the best way is to use reverse osmosis or de-ionized water to dilute the water. Learn more about the basics of water chemistry to curb undesirable diseases here at Care4Discus.info!