# Discus water flow



## Derek113 (17 Jan 2017)

To anyone keeping discus, how low do you keep the flow of water?

I get my discus soon and if I do half water ow my temp drops to 27c.


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## DavidW (17 Jan 2017)

Hi, I have my return pump set at 2500lph for my 350 litre discus tank. When I do a large water change say 30% I turn the sump pump off, but I don't do this very often because I have a drip water changer on the tank which changes about 50 litres of water every 24 hours.
I also keep my discus tank at 28c all the time, it has dropped to 25c when I do a large water change but this doesn't seem to bother the discus too much and the water temp quickly rises back to 28c.


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## Derek113 (17 Jan 2017)

If I increase the flow three quarters I can maintain a constant 29.4c temp. I just worry the current will affect 6.5cm discus.


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## alto (17 Jan 2017)

Breeders keep them with minimal flow - sponge filters or even no filters & daily 90% water changes .... I'd be more circumspect with wilds but still pH 4-6 & no where near 10X tank volume flow rates - just look at the body shape, these are not riverine fish, they are quiet tributary & deep still pool fish


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## DavidW (17 Jan 2017)

My discus seem to quite enjoy swimming in the flow from the my wave maker, the sizes vary from 7cm to 14cm, there not wild discus there German breed and quite hardy. I have still protected areas or the tank with low flow where they like to go when the lights go out but a lot of the time when the lights are on their playing in the flow from the wave maker. I cant say this would be the case for all discus just what mine do.


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## Derek113 (17 Jan 2017)

90% water changes every day would become a part time job for me! The place where I'm getting my discus from recommend no less than 30% weekly water change. 
I know from research discus don't do well with strong current. What I was thinking was reducing the spray bar by half. That way there will still be water movement over the heater


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## KipperSarnie (17 Jan 2017)

Not sure if you mean "Flow" or"Water movement"
I keep my filter flow to max but drill out bigger holes in the spray bar to reduce water movement created by the spray bar.


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## Lindy (19 Jan 2017)

As kipper Sarnie said, I would keep up the flow rate but use an outlet that reduces the intensity such as a drilled out spraybar or an 'o poppy' style lilly pipe. On the 240l tank I am using to grow 10 young discus I have a 350lph powerhead on a sponge filter and a 500lph external filter. One both the flow comes out of 16/22 pipe without any type of outlet on it. The fish do not seem to notice the current at all. I have been surprised by the power of discus since starting with them late last year. They are lightning fast and very strong swimmers.


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## Lindy (19 Jan 2017)

Derek113 said:


> What I was thinking was reducing the spray bar by half.


If you do this you will increase the intensity of the flow. Drill out the holes or add more holes.


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