Movin Up In The World (Discus)

[Psytron]

Been a minute since I've posted on here. 

Have a 56 gallon tall tank stocked with

9 Discus all 2.5 to 3.5 inches 
15 Rummy Nose Tetras
 
Finally cleaned my 75 gallon out, and I got an offer to trade my 75 for a 110 from my brother.

Looking forward to moving them over to it. 
 
30 ppm Nitrates,
0 Nitrites
0 Ammonia
60 - 70 gH 
6.7 - 7.2 pH
 
10 - 1 RO to tap water changes Buffer with 5 grams aquarium salt, 10 ML kent discus essential minerals, and 8 ml kent blackwater expert, and 5 ml plant fertilizer.
Change 11 gallons a week.
 
Ph bounces slightly when I have the lights on. Thinking of taking my bubbler out to get the ph lower and let the CO2 build up more and form more carbonic acid and nitric acid and let the bicarbonate naturally form and keep the water slightly acidic.

But to the main point of this post. 

Thinking of how I'm going to setup my 110 gallon when I get it. Want advise for it also. 

Bare bottom? Yes / No?
Sand? Black / White ( have both already)
Driftwood ( already have )
Plants? ( Have a lot of Anubias and 2 Amazon Swords)
Continue Blackwater?
 
Also thinking of trying to get a sump / refugium going with bioballs and maybe java moss or another plant that will suck nitrates out.

More about my discus.
Melon - Largest Highly Aggressive # 2 in pecking order 
Golden Yellow - 2nd Largest  #1 in pecking Order
Snakeskin - 4th largest Hides, Aggressive when confronted
Blue turquoise - 2nd smallest,Most interactive with me,  eats from my hand and rubs against my hand and fingers when in the tank.  
Red turquoise 1 - newest in the tank 5th in pecking order 3rd largest. Stays near my snakeskin until chased.
Red Turquoise 2 - 5th largest hides extremely well usually see when I put food in and it settles he'll eat food out of the plant roots.
Blue Diamond - stays under driftwood looking for food or near Golden Yellow 6th largest only aggressive when smaller fish are around.
Turquoise - Always near Snakeskin always hidden. Comes out when lights are off.
Unknown think a Malboro yellow - Smallest and has been in the tank longest #3 in pecking order.

 

[CSnyder00]

Sounds like a great project. I'll let someone who has kept/keeps discus help you here. Keep us updated and SHARE PICS!

 

[Munroco]

Having never successfully kept discus (mind you I only tried when I was new to the hobby) My opinions are only gonna be on the aesthetics. Bare bottom is more functional and easily maintained, but if your discus are for looking at rather than breeding, I think they would look much better with sand (my preference would be white), that way you can make a more natural looking planted tank.
 
Theres nothing more relaxing than seeing angels or discus gliding through tall plants. Swords, vallis etc planted amongst your driftwood would look great. I'd also go with the blackwater but I'd put something like peat in the filter rather than using extracts. Not sure why you would want salt. Possibly some floating plants like water lettuce to give shadier parts of the tank.
 
Very much looking forward to pics. Maybe make a journal of your experiences?

 

[CSnyder00]

Sound advice. I like sand and I know discus like taller plants. Never tried peat but is definitely natural enough.

 

[Munroco]

If you decide to go with peat, cut the foot off of an old pair of tights (pantyhose to you) fill it with peat and tie it off. You can then put it in your filter without bits floating all over the tank.

 

[Psytron]

Cool cool, the salt is for buffering and electrolytes.

 

[simonas]

I've kept them a few times in the past and am slowly winding my reef down to keep them again.
 
Lots of people say you can keep them better with bare bottom but it doesnt look like a nice set up IMO . I like discus with giant vallis and will be setting mine up that way with bog wood in there too. For me they look at their best in that kind of set up with loads of rummys and cardinals

 

[CSnyder00]

The cardinals don't become food?

 

[Munroco]

I keep cardinals with my angels which are a little bigger atm than your discus. The angels don't look twice at them. Discus will get bigger though .......

 

[Psytron]

I think I'm going to stick with the (White Sand) idea. My discus play in the sand a whole lot so I don't want to take that from them. I am going to test my Ph hopefully tomorrow if I have time before work. The plan is pathogens have a harder time developing in acidic water so I think that's going to be my primary defense for their immune system, 2nd I have been using a 100~ gallon rated  UV filter in my current tank and I plan on moving it to my new tank. 

I have been doing a lot of research and theory crafting putting everything I've seen together. That and I have a lot of Pharmacist around me with a background in organic chemistry which helps for my water quality and water chemistry questions as long as I know what I'm trying accomplish.

So once I get everything setup this is how i think it's going to be when I'm finished.

-1/2 inch white sand substrate, 
- Leftover white sand in pots with amazon sword. Getting more area under for the fish to be in the shadows and keeping the plant closer to the surface for more light. More photosynthesis healthier plants less nitrates.
- Attach my Anubias to rocks so the roots can catch debris, I noticed my discus are always near my anubias roots. I think they do that in the wild also.
- My 2 Emperor 350 Filters ( Threw out the refills and DIYed it.  ( at the bottom ) Roughly 700 g / H
- UV Filter 120 g / H

 

[Psytron]

Got my water tested came out with great results.
 
15 ppm Nitrates,
0 Nitrites
0 Ammonia
50 gH 
6.4 pH

 

[CSnyder00]

Nice! Looking good.

 

[Psytron]

And got my 110 gallon tank just now, Worn out from moving it since it's plate glass my gosh >.< vs my 75 wish I picked up and walked to my car by myself. Also since I was in a certain area picked up 2 new discus from a shop "Fishy Business" that had an order of discus come in from discus hans. Picked out the largest most aggressive ones. I'll make sure to post pictures of my progress.

 

[CSnyder00]

And of the fish....right?!

 

[Psytron]

Yeah of the discus. So that they'll fight for their spot in the pecking order. here's an update on my progress with the tank.