Reverse-Osmosis (RO) water will not sustain the life of a discus fish in its pure form. Following are three methods of regenerating RO water for the desired hardness and stability of PH.

Mixing dechlorinated tap water with RO water...
This is the most popular and easiest method of regenerating RO water. Many breeders use one-third tap water to two-thirds RO water and fine-tune for the desired hardness.

Using commercially prepared buffers...
The use of commercial products such as R/O Right by Kent Marine is another popular method and one that is fairly straightforward. A hardness test kit must be used to determine the amount needed for proper regeneration.

Using salts...
This is my preferred regeneration method. A baseline is achieved by adding 3 grams of calcium sulfate, 1 gram of calcium chloride, and 1 gram of magnesium sulfate per 20 gallons of RO water. In most cases, this achieves a conductivity reading of between 65 to 85 uS (micro Siemes). In my experience, these are perfect parameters for breeding. A reading of between 200 to 300 uS produces a perfect environment for growing out youngsters.

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