# Advice for Discus Tank Please



## gklaw (May 31, 2010)

Just sold all my cichild and replacing the 90 gallon with a 150 gallon tall for discus.

If I want to do a planted environment, what would be a suitable substrate and how deep? Since it is a 30" tall tank, root tab will not be a very good option for fertilizing the plants.

Thanks for all you advice - I know there will be a bit to sort through


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## weirdboyrox (Apr 27, 2010)

Get ADA soil from Patrick.


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## Peterchow (Apr 21, 2010)

gklaw said:


> Just sold all my cichild and replacing the 90 gallon with a 150 gallon tall for discus.
> 
> If I want to do a planted environment, what would be a suitable substrate and how deep? Since it is a 30" tall tank, root tab will not be a very good option for fertilizing the plants.
> 
> Thanks for all you advice - I know there will be a bit to sort through


Previously, I ran a 75 gal planted discus tank for about 2 years with some success. I only used regular gravel with fish poos as fertilizer. The plants I used were all low lighting plants such as sunset hygro, moss, etc. I dosed organic Co2 daily with a very small dosage. The tank had woods + rocks. I kept a couple BNPs as a cleaning crew. Ph was at 6.5.

Initially, I put small to medium size discus in there, however, the feeding process was a bit of a challenge for smaller discus. Because discus are lay back & fussy eaters, the samller ones were not aggressive in looking for their foods(frozen bloodworms) once they landed on the gravels. The medium/large discus were more proactive in searching for their foods. Having said that, discus are known to be slow grown and very easily get runted, if not properly raised during their juvenile period. My success ratio of growing a 3" discus to the adult size of 4.5 to 6" is very small. I was doing weekly W/C with 2 eheim classic canisters + a AC110 HOB.

Last year, I decided to start fresh with my discus in a bare bottom 75 gal tank and upgraded to a 108 gal, a few months ago. I started collecting large size discus ( 4.5 to 6") instead of smaller ones, and my casualties + runted ones have greatly reduced. I found my overall costs have reduced in replacing sick or runted small ones. Many discus keepers get burnt within 6 months because of lack of patience + inproper selections. Discus keeping takes a longer process than some other freshwater fish.

Now, I do W/C every second or third day, with lots of filtrations. My discus are quite happy and healthy, however, I still have runted ones from time to time. Discus can very easily catch disaeses + parasites, if frequent W/Cs are not performed. Also they are quite sensitive to the chemicals in the water,especially in a planted environment with E.I. dosing.


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

I think Peter summarized it nicely. I'm not a discus guy (yet) but have been doing lots of research and my conclusion is that for most people a high tech planted discus tank is too much work.

If you're not going to be dosing/CO2, why not gravel and root tabs? Why would a 30" tank preclude from using root tabs? For that matter, what types of plants will you be using? If they are not plants with extensive root systems, why worry about substrate at all? Just get a lot of ephiphytes and allow the discus to fertilize the plants for you. I've seen some spectacular epiphyte only tanks, in particular with Anubias and needle leaf java fern.


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## seanyuki (Apr 22, 2010)

Check out Simply Discus forum and great info there.......from bare bottom to planted tanks.

SimplyDiscus


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## thefishwife (Apr 21, 2010)

I have a 72 gal planted discus. I use florabase as my substrate and have no complaints. 

I don't use pressurized CO2, only flourish excell and flourish trace and at that only once a week when I do the w/c. Just never seem to remember to use it more but my plants thrive in that tank. IT is ONE of my best planted tanks! I swear is b/c of the discus poo!!!

That being said I do take out AT least 50% of the water or more each time I do a w/c. 

My discus are not "show" discus, that doesn't bother me and most of them range from 3.5" - 5". They are an awesome fish, so beautiful, so graceful. 


Peter explained it to the tee - with how it works!!! 

If you want I can email you a pic of my tank, its nothing special but it works for me.


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## April (Apr 21, 2010)

keep the substrate as low as you can..discus dont like bioload..as much wc as you can without upsetting your plants.


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

Water changes don't upset plants, as long as there is balance, so change away.


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## Peterchow (Apr 21, 2010)

One very important element I forgot to mention is Discus dont like large open space. They can get insecured quickly if the tank is bare bottom with hugh swimming area. They rather prefer a very tight community of their own with super clean environment. Large planted tank has an advantage with the plants and woods & rocks filling up the space, and the discus feel very secured. My 108 gal is bare bottom tank but I keep a fairly high population with 24 large discus, and I can add more to create a tight + positive social community. The following is also an example of my previous 35 gal hex tank with 15+ discus, having a great party, only for experienced discus keepers


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## gklaw (May 31, 2010)

Peterchow said:


> One very important element I forgot to mention is Discus dont like large open space. They can get insecured quickly if the tank is bare bottom with hugh swimming area. They rather prefer a very tight community of their own with super clean environment. Large planted tank has an advantage with the plants and woods & rocks filling up the space, and the discus feel very secured. My 108 gal is bare bottom tank but I keep a fairly high population with 24 large discus, and I can add more to create a tight + positive social community. The following is also an example of my previous 35 gal hex tank with 15+ discus, having a great party, only for experienced discus keepers


Wow ! Thanks Peter. Just picked up a 37" column tank. May be I should try that ? 15 disucs at say $80 = $1,200.

April, HELPPPPPPPPPPP


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## bonsai dave (Apr 21, 2010)

Hey Gordon. Hey Gordon.I found this video on simply discus . You should check out the site it has a lot of great information and. When it come to discus you have to find what works for you and your fish. What works for some else will not work for you. Take your time and you will find great deals on great fish.


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## Chappy (Apr 21, 2010)

Peterchow said:


>


A discus gum-ball dispenser!!!! Love all the colors, Peter.


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## Luke78 (Apr 24, 2010)

Personally i would go with sand.Found it easier to clean and sift through.My bottom fish(cories and pleco) also seem to enjoy it too much as they push around to their own liking.I currently run a discus setup and went with a 1-1.5 inch base.As already mentioned by April, discus dont like the bioload.Last thing you want is a bunch of problems with waste collecting and throwing off your water perimeters.A few members have listed some low light plants for you, and personally i would go with those.Here's a pic my setup for you to give you an idea or two.Good luck,have fun setting up,and keep us posted.


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## gklaw (May 31, 2010)

Luke78 said:


> Personally i would go with sand.Found it easier to clean and sift through.My bottom fish(cories and pleco) also seem to enjoy it too much as they push around to their own liking.I currently run a discus setup and went with a 1-1.5 inch base.As already mentioned by April, discus dont like the bioload.Last thing you want is a bunch of problems with waste collecting and throwing off your water perimeters.A few members have listed some low light plants for you, and personally i would go with those.Here's a pic my setup for you to give you an idea or two.Good luck,have fun setting up,and keep us posted.


Thanks. The pictures that you shared in your thread is what inspired me to do a planted discus tank. Where do you get your almond leaves? I saw some Indian almond leaves on eBay.

My only dilemma now is whether to stay with 90 gallon or set up my takk 150 gallon. I can only fit a 4 foot tank between the walls.


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## Luke78 (Apr 24, 2010)

Gklaw,

No problem, you know i kept it simple.Adding more and more i think will be cause for concern.Charles or Pat sponsors here (Canadian Aquatics) sell them and thats where i got them.Just my opinion , i would go with the 150.More stocking options, and larger water levels can be a bit more forgiving , but dont quote me on that last one as you the aquarist play a vital role in all of this.



gklaw said:


> Thanks. The pictures that you shared in your thread is what inspired me to do a planted discus tank. Where do you get your almond leaves? I saw some Indian almond leaves on eBay.
> 
> My only dilemma now is whether to stay with 90 gallon or set up my takk 150 gallon. I can only fit a 4 foot tank between the walls.


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## Smiladon (Apr 23, 2010)

Here are a few tips/advice:
1. Dont use gravel.
2. Buy 5"+ if you can (Peter already mentioned the details of why)
3. You can also do a bare-bottom or a semi-bare bottom planted tank setup. Simply Discus has threads and pics, check it out.
4. Read a lot about Discus if this is your first time.


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## Holyarmor (Apr 29, 2010)

gklaw said:


> Thanks. The pictures that you shared in your thread is what inspired me to do a planted discus tank. Where do you get your almond leaves? I saw some Indian almond leaves on eBay.
> 
> My only dilemma now is whether to stay with 90 gallon or set up my takk 150 gallon. I can only fit a 4 foot tank between the walls.


Depending on your budget, experience on planted tank + discus keeping, 150 gal will give you many many rooms for large discus + landscaping decos.


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## April (Apr 21, 2010)

I carry Indian almond leaves. You don't
Need to spend 80 a discus. I have a big shipment of high quality healthy discus
Coming in and there will be lots for alot less than that. 
For first time discus keepers I wouldn't go more than 10 in a planted tank . Manzanita , plants


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## gklaw (May 31, 2010)

Thanks April. 

Your store is so far form me. In a way, I am glad . You know why.

If you send me pics of what you have coming - may be you can bring them to Port Moody ?

Or let me know when they are in and I can make in out there on a Saturday.

Gordon


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