Ray you have a way of putting it into words so well.....

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Thanks very much for your posts on this. So just to clarify, if i use an HMA filter, i can just heat and add this water without adding minerals or oxygen to it?

Its all a little confusing and my new discus arrive a week on saturday.

I have not had a chance yet to get the water parameters but will try to get it done over the weekend.

Many thanks though!!!!

Neil it is likely as your in Edinburgh you'll have very soft water. Where in the Edinburgh area do you live. I'd think a HMa unit would be all you'd need. Cheaper in the end than tap water or a Ro unit. you also don't have to add any chemicals or minerals. all you do with the water that you produce is either stait in to the tank or store in water butt, heat and keep the water circulating by either air line or powerhead. Check RO man site for some good deals

Thanks guys,

I am just on the outskirts of edinburgh and the water is very soft, though i donbt currently have a water hardness test.

The tests i do have came out as follows on the tap water,

PH- 7
Nitrite - 0 ppm
Nitrate - 0 ppm
Ammonia - 0ppm

I stupidly just spent £60 on a water filter whish says it will deionize the water and it comes with a mineral mix to add to new water. Says its tested by some guy called Jack Wattley who is meant to be some top breeder.
I hope i didnt just waste all my money, lol. I can always take it back, but cannot find a shop that sells hma filter, only online.

I assume using the hma filter or ro filter is essential with discus? even with tap water that tests like that??

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PH- 7
Nitrite - 0 ppm
Nitrate - 0 ppm
Ammonia - 0ppm
id check ya tests mate, if theyre right, id start bottling ya tap water + selling it! never ever seen results like that on tap water in 30 years of fish keeping...most have at least a reading of 20 ppm nitrate

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Must admit thats a new one on me too, I live about 60 miles along the road from you, and our nitrates were always high from the tap.

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Im going to re-test the nitrates, but i had my partner check the test for me too just to confirm! I will do another test just now.
I assume thought that the discus do require filtered water regardless?

I just got another 0 ppm nitrate reading.

I am using an api master test kit. I will go to the shop tomorrow and buy another test kit or borrow someone elses. I thought it was strange, but my partner checked results again with me and agreed it read 0.

Hi,Jack Whatley is one of the most famous discus breeders in the world,he pioneered artificial rearing of fry,his fish are available in the USA,and are produced under franchise to him.The unit you have purchased is probably a mixed resin bed filter which will produce pretty pure water but will be exhausted quickly and need the resin replaced which is expensive,I would return it if you can.You can buy a n HMA from Devotedly discus,Ro-man or osmoticcs.co.uk,for around 50 quid,hope this helps Ray.