Discus Plan Revised

[lordtrini]

Ok so i have not given up on my Discus dream. This week i got an other tank. I got a 72 Gallon Bow Front, stand, 80watt light and a Eheim 2128 with a ton (literally) of supplies all for $350US (not Euros... lol...and this one is my last tank)

Is this suitable for 6 or 7 x 3 inch Discus???
From what i have read i am looking at 25% water change twice a week. I have a system that i already use. It consists of a 55 gallon drum, in which i store treated tap water that i heat and aerate. I pump water from this drum to my tanks with a power head. I also have a 50 foot python. I have yet to test my tapwater this year. But will do so soon.

I am going to plant the tank this week and add some fish to begin cycling... I really don't want to use some disposable fish like zebra dainos, (i am wondering if 10 Black Neons will survive the cycle and i want to keep them after.) I will also add floss from one of my mature tanks when i have added my cycle fish and plants.

I will then wait 3 weeks (by that time i should have 0, 0, 5) and then buy the 6 or 7 discus.

I have 2 Corys in the tank right now

I consider myself an intermediate so i am asking questions...

PS... the Eheim is the Bentley of Filters... or is it Bentley is the Eheim of Cars

Any words of advice...

 

[Mikaila31]

Fish less cycle! When cycling with fish you start with a small bioload, once the tank has cycled you slowly add to this. If you do things like you currently have planed out, when you add the disucs the tank will minicycle. Fishless cycle is the only way you could add all the discus at once.

 

[lordtrini]

Fish less cycle! When cycling with fish you start with a small bioload, once the tank has cycled you slowly add to this. If you do things like you currently have planed out, when you add the disucs the tank will minicycle. Fishless cycle is the only way you could add all the discus at once.

I take your point...
I was thinking also that i should do the following in concert...

1. Add mature media to the filter
2. Add some Nutra Fin Cycle or something of the like
3. Drops of ammonia

I have never done a fishless cycle... all me other take i have cycle naturally and used mature media to get them going...

 

[Tolak]

I would second the fishless cycle. Neons are rather delicate fish, being wild caught & transferred who knows how many times with how many different types of water. They will also end up being discus food.

Other than that it all sounds like a solid plan. Don't skimp on paying good money for the discus, like cheap filters, they are false economy. I have a 2026 that I originally did a fishless cycle with on a 65 gallon years ago, you can safely stock the tank to capacity once a filter like that is cycled. Mature media is a good idea, save the money from the Nutra Fin cycle & put it towards the fish.

 

[lordtrini]

I would second the fishless cycle. Neons are rather delicate fish, being wild caught & transferred who knows how many times with how many different types of water. They will also end up being discus food.

Other than that it all sounds like a solid plan. Don't skimp on paying good money for the discus, like cheap filters, they are false economy. I have a 2026 that I originally did a fishless cycle with on a 65 gallon years ago, you can safely stock the tank to capacity once a filter like that is cycled. Mature media is a good idea, save the money from the Nutra Fin cycle & put it towards the fish.

Have you heard of SAFESTART (instant tank cycler)... i am looking up other reviews online...

 

[Mikaila31]

IMO all things that claim* to cycle tanks are a waste of money. Ammonia is the only thing that will cycle a tank, mature media will speed up the cycling process.

 

[rabbut]

OK, 3" discus would need a minimum of 25% water changes daily, or they will stunt. 25% twice a week will be fine for adult Discus at 8" or more in length, but not juveniles.

Discus require a mature tank, so don't add then until the tank has been cycled and established with fish for at least 6 months.

Neons can end up being lunch when the Discus get bigger. Most corrydorus won't take the heat of a discus tank, neither will the Neons (remember the tank should be kept between 28 and 32 degrees centigrade, with 30 being generally considered the sweet-spot).

ATM, it would appear you have a lot of research to do before you are ready to add Discus to your tank. Most of the above questions and responses would be considered the basics of Discus care. Most people whom fail with Discus do so due to lack of research, and blame the fish for their errors, making sweeping statements like "Discus are hard to keep". Not true. When you aide by the "rules" of Discus keeping, with tank bred Discus, you will likely find them hardier than your average Neon Tetras

Mature media to cycle the tank is a good move You still have a lot of work to do though if you want to make a good job of a Discus set-up If you plan of growing on Juvis, I'd keep the tank bare bottom and un-planted if this is your first go at them. They will stunt unless the tank is kept spotlessly clean, and gravel and plants are two of the best dirt magnets there are. You will find it very difficult and labour intensive to keep the tank clean enough for them if you plant it and keep gravel before they get to their adult size

All the best
Rabbut

 

[lordtrini]

OK, 3" discus would need a minimum of 25% water changes daily, or they will stunt. 25% twice a week will be fine for adult Discus at 8" or more in length, but not juveniles.

Discus require a mature tank, so don't add then until the tank has been cycled and established with fish for at least 6 months.

Neons can end up being lunch when the Discus get bigger. Most corrydorus won't take the heat of a discus tank, neither will the Neons (remember the tank should be kept between 28 and 32 degrees centigrade, with 30 being generally considered the sweet-spot).

ATM, it would appear you have a lot of research to do before you are ready to add Discus to your tank. Most of the above questions and responses would be considered the basics of Discus care. Most people whom fail with Discus do so due to lack of research, and blame the fish for their errors, making sweeping statements like "Discus are hard to keep". Not true. When you aide by the "rules" of Discus keeping, with tank bred Discus, you will likely find them hardier than your average Neon Tetras

Mature media to cycle the tank is a good move You still have a lot of work to do though if you want to make a good job of a Discus set-up If you plan of growing on Juvis, I'd keep the tank bare bottom and un-planted if this is your first go at them. They will stunt unless the tank is kept spotlessly clean, and gravel and plants are two of the best dirt magnets there are. You will find it very difficult and labour intensive to keep the tank clean enough for them if you plant it and keep gravel before they get to their adult size

All the best
Rabbut

I am so amazed at the different things that i keep reading on the care of discus. I bought 3 highly rated books on amazon and i have been reading anything i could find online...
from what i read 6 x 8 inch discus in a 72 gallon tank will be fine. I get the high temperature, high protein foods etc. But the one thing that is inconsistent is the water changes... i am hearing from 25% 3 times a week to 50 x 3 times a week to top breeders doing 90% water changes every day.

Also does the amount of water changes that discus need dependent on the ratio of the water volume to their body mass....

Also... i read that discus put out a hormone that allows them to grow to the size of the tank (stunting them if water changes are not kept up)... this might be dumb but is there a way to turalize this hormone with carbon or something... i know its silly... but its just a question...

 

[rabbut]

Well, growth rates are proportional to the amount and size of water changes you do on the tank while growing out the Discus. The other factors are Filtration type, stocking and if you have a substrate that will trap dirt. For the most part though, more water changes mean quicker growth.

If you have a Python, water changes are not too much trouble at all, so you don't really have an excuse to skimp on them. The issue is that Discus will stunt before you see that water changes are not big or often enough. You may get away with 25% twice weekly changes while growing out Discus, in a 150g tank with like 5 Discus and no decoration, but the average keeper with an average stocking will stunt their fish with such little changes, even if they keep the tank bare bottom

Carbon can help remove all manor of chemicals. Whether hormones are one, I don't know, but I imagine that carbon will get them also. The issue is that carbon saturates fast, usually doing most it's work in a few hours, but will adsorb more if more chemical is added until saturated in some cases many weeks later. The chemicals will remain in trace amount though, even if the carbon is not saturated, as carbon adsorbs, hence takes stuff out till it reaches an equilibrium and then stops taking stuff out.

Basically, to keep carbon as effective as water changes for keeping chemicals at trace levels, you'd need to replace it daily. Fr that tank, you'd need a whole 500g tub each time, at £5 a time. That's rather expensive isn't it

All the best
Rabbut

 

[bagu]

in all honesty, is all the water where they come from sparkling clear with a RO unit etc =/

I think if you do it right, you could adapt it to your liking, just an idea; i don't keep discus's!