Poor water quality in Woodlands?

[wks]

Hi, ever since I moved to Woodlands last month there has been a puzzling issue nagging me. After water changing (once a week, 100% change), I noticed my discus either laid flat or body turning black, some even drifted along with water current as if they were dying. This phenomenon would last for about 3 hours before the fishes became normal again.
Currently, I'm using filtered water ( using high grade activated carbon to remove chlorine and chloramine) and Ocean Free brand pure liquid water conditioner when water changing. I'm using a cannister filter and an air-stone with bare-bottomed tank in my discus setup.
The funny thing is that other fishes are not affected at all, not even cherry shrimps!
Any discus keeper in Woodlands please share your experience.

[valice]

CHeck the pH... Different places different pH...

[Justikanz]

The funny thing is XnSdVd also complained about Woodlands water when he first shifted there...

[benny]

In some areas, the pH of the water straight from the tap could be almost 10!!

Also, the mineral deposits from the pipes before it reaches the tap may cause some discomfort for the fauna due to the sudden change in osmotic pressure, especially during larger water changes.

Cheers,

[wks]

In some areas, the pH of the water straight from the tap could be almost 10!!

Also, the mineral deposits from the pipes before it reaches the tap may cause some discomfort for the fauna due to the sudden change in osmotic pressure, especially during larger water changes.

Cheers,

Benny, what really puzzles me is that my apistogrammas are not affected at all while I perform a 80% water change weekly together with the discus. My cherry shrimps supposed to be the first casualty if there is a big swing in pH, but they are very much alive and one female even has eggs under her tummy!

When I stayed in Sembawang, I used exactly the same water changing method on my discus and none exhibit the weired behaviour in Woodlands.

I can only say the water supply comes from different sources.

[wks]

I'm so happy! I managed to solve my discus problem. After talking to some discus experts, I strongly suspect one cultprit- chloramine. So I decided to do a simple experiment. Yesterday I bought a bottle of Ammo-lock and used it during water change. My discus stayed perfectly well throughout the whole water changing session, even my wife was delighted.

I came realised that though my high-grade carbon filter could break down the chemical bond of chloramine, it could not adsorb the released ammonia. Hence the discus were poisoned in the past.

So all hobbyists staying in Woodlands, make sure you keep a bottle of Ammo-lock or similar water conditioners to counter the toxic effects of ammonia.

[Cacatuoides]

Good to hear that you've found a solution and your discus are fine!!

Luckily I've got no problem with the water at my place....I just use the water straight from the tap and add abit of the stress-coat i've got from you

[juggler]

Jason, good to know that your fish are fine now. I don't find anything strange with my planted tanks when I do 50% water changes. I do use Genesis anti-chlorine if available. But do not notice any ill effects if I don't. Maybe the plants help?

Cheers!

[wks]

Koah Fong, your plants definitely help. They are more likely to take in NH4 as food compared to NO3. Maybe thats the reason why your plants are so green and growing like crazy. In my case, I'm using a bare tank so ammonia is a grave issue.

Come to think of it, I never know chloramine can be so potent as a plant fertilizer.

[XnSdVd]

Hold on.. you've brought up an interesting point. Chloramine can be broken down into ammonia by carbon?! Mind posting the chemical equation? I've been searching for a way to break it down instead of just binding it.

[wks]

Hold on.. you've brought up an interesting point. Chloramine can be broken down into ammonia by carbon?! Mind posting the chemical equation? I've been searching for a way to break it down instead of just binding it.

Hi, my carbon filter is not the ordinary type which you find in lfs. Its a Catalytic Activated Carbon filter (used as a shower filter), using KDF(Kinetic Degradation Fluxion) media and granular activated carbon. The granular activated carbon breaks the chloramine cheimical bond leaving KDF to convert free chlorine into harmless chloride by redox reaction.

The problem lies with the free ammonia which is not oxidised into ammonium hydroxide readily in a bare tank environment. For planted tank, I believe this process is accelerated due to the presence of aquatic plants, hence the fishes are protected. However I'm not sure how this is done.