# Sharkbait's Planted Discus Tank



## Sharkbait (Jun 15, 2010)

So here it is. Finally.

It's been a long journey so far - this crazy hobby that I've taken on. I started when I was a kid with a 20 gallon tank. My parents filled it full of cheap fish from a local fish store to keep me happy. I was too young and my father had to do most of the upkeep because I wasn't really ready yet - the tank is now back at my aunt/uncle's place (the people who gave it to me as a gift)

Started keeping fish again when I reached university. I don't know why, really. Perhaps something was 'missing.' I had a 33 gallon tank for a while that I really decked out with plants and really took on the hobby. Things went really well, but not after I lost many battles to an imbalanced ecosystem - algae, I loathe thee.

Finally, this is the tank I've been working with for the past 2 years. I did most of my learning here - getting C02 setup, learning about proper water chemistry. I never really could sit still with an aquascape. I'll post some of the earlier photos, then lead up to what it is today. I find it interesting to see how people grow in their hobby and their talents - it's the most important part to see, I feel.

Very first pictures of the tank:



















Those rotala wallichii didn't last long with that lighting. lol.










Later on, I wanted to add sand....and the guy at the store sold me crushed coral. Yeah. That didn't go too well...










That background was a Marina background...that I would not recommend. It got covered in algae and when scraping it off, the background went with it.



















When I moved, my landlord accidentally threw that piece of driftwood onto a burn pile. lol. Loved that riccia, but I never got the hang of tying it down properly.










This is when I was starting to prep for discus...goodness knows how long ago. I removed my angels and a few other of the larger fish and started to let the plants take over the tank to make up the negative space.










Glosso got torn out after fish just kept pecking at it. Kribs actually made a cave out of it at one point!










A major overhaul on the tank - To add pool filter sand (again, for discus). Also wanted to create more space for the fish.










Plants started growing, different types came in (probably not a good idea, but I wanted to experiment. I never did successfully grow A.Reinecki)










Smaller fish and plants started taking over the tank. Switched the background to plant to make the plants pop. Added another piece of driftwood.










The last picture before the last big change...


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## Sharkbait (Jun 15, 2010)

And now...finally...2 years later...the discus tank.

3 Red Turquoise
2 Blue Diamonds
1 Classic Leopard
1 Albino Pearl Pigeon
1 Albino Turquoise (?)

I started picking more discus friendly plants, so it's a lot greener than normal.





































These are the youngest of the group - need to put some meat on them bones!














































Obviously it was a great decision which strains to put in after waiting so long. I had thought so hard about doing a single strain tank, especially since it's planted. But, I wanted to try a bunch to see which I liked, especially since it's my first go around it. While I never thought pigeons would look good in a planted tank, they really do brighten it up and stand out the most!

When I got them I went 'grocery shopping' for them - mysis shrimp, NLS Thera A pellet...they still aren't eating yet (after all that), but I guess it's not an issue because they're new - what is it, 8 days sometimes before they start eating?

My only possible concern is the darkness of the turqs. I assume it's the black background, and the fact that their colours really haven't come in yet. If there is anything I should worry about, let me know.

Thanks again to all the threads that I have read in the past, and from the advice of everyone. I hope now I can share in your experiences.

Updates to follow - Photos of setup (filtration, C02, and hopefully I can dig up a picture of me as a kid with that 20 gallon)

***Special thanks to April and Forrest for providing such excellent discus***


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## Peterchow (Apr 21, 2010)

Congrats to your new planted discus tank !!!!!

They look gorgeous !!!!!


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## discuspaul (Jul 2, 2010)

Great job, sharkbait !

Don't you just love the Osaka ? !! I'm certainly thrilled with mine.

Your recent plantings (for the discus) look superb.
Oh, and April's Forrest fish are fabulous as well, aren't they ?

When are you going to add your discus win to the tank, or have you already done so - you were one of the draw winners, weren't you, or have I got it wrong ?
Saw the winning fish at April's today - outstanding specimens - great size & shape !
Keep up the good work.
Paul


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## Sharkbait (Jun 15, 2010)

Hi Paul!

The osaka is a very nice tank - although I had issues with it when I first got it. There were air bubbles in the glass, then the brace decided to fall off...3 tanks later this is the one I have, and it still has an air bubble right in the middle of it - thank goodness for warranties. It's got some scratches now from goodness knows where. One day I will want to upgrade, and the tank will go, but I'll keep the gear.

Yeah, the leopard is in there. I can't believe the blue colouration. Amazing. 

Cheers!
-Aaron


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## discuspaul (Jul 2, 2010)

Hi back to you, Aaron,
Yes, love the Osaka, but I also have a couple of little scratches right in the middle of the front glass - from 'goodness knows where' is right - it was still packed in the original box when I got it at the Petcetera sale. (And I didn't put those scratches in, I know that !)
Anyway, now that the Osakas are discontinued, replaced by the Fluval "Profile" series line, these Osakas may well become collectors' items !
April has the 84 gal. as a show tank in the front of her store - I told her today they were discontinued, and I think she too believes they may well be sought after in future.
Good luck with your great looking discus.
Paul


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## Fishkeeper (Apr 21, 2010)

Beautiful, very nice way to go...


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## target (Apr 21, 2010)

Very nice looking tank. Beautiful fish, love those leopards. Congrats on winning one.


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## Luke78 (Apr 24, 2010)

Quite the transition from start to finish.Nicely planted and a colourful group of discus.Thanks for sharing !


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## Justin.14 (Apr 23, 2010)

I agree it was quite a nice transition, its nice to see the full process and gain some inspiration rather than seeing all the final photos like usual, Hopefully discus are in my future too! Looks great!


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## Sharkbait (Jun 15, 2010)

Just goes to show that anything is possible in time 

Glad you all like it!


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## bonsai dave (Apr 21, 2010)

great job with the tank. The fish look great.. How does the wife like the tank now you have add the discus?


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## Sharkbait (Jun 15, 2010)

She's slowly adjusting...  She likes them though. Almost more worried about them than I am. lol. 

It's just so nice to have a centerpiece fish finally. Tank looked so empty without it for so long.


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## Sharkbait (Jun 15, 2010)

Update:

One week in and everyone's doing great! All discus are eating, and the younger ones have coloured up.










So, here are some more fun facts about the setup:

Tank: 90 gallon Hagen Osaka

Lighting: 48inch Aquatic Life 4x54watt T5HO fixture (2x 6400k, 2x 10000k bulbs)










Photo Period: 6400k - Start: 8am, End 7:30pm; 10000k - Start: 9am, End 7pm; Moonlights: Start: 7:15pm, End 11pm

Filtration: Fluval FX5 (don't think you guys need a picture of this  )
Media: 3 trays of biomax, foam, purigen
Substrate: Pool filter sand, Fluorite Dark

Pressurized C02: 10lb canister, 3 bps










Fertilizers: Aquaflora Nursery's dry ferts - KN03, K2P04, CSM+B (3 times a week); Also dose metricide14 to compliment C02

Reactor: Aquamedic 1000










This is the T pipe I use to split the outflow from the FX5 to the Aquamedic 1000. The open/close portion is to control how much flow I want to go where.










Inhabitants:
18 Cardinal Tetras
16 Rummynose Tetras
1 Albino Bushynose Pleco
1 Bushynose Pleco
2 Kribensis
3 Clown Loaches
8 Discus

Plants:
Amazon Sword
Dwarf Hairgrass
Philipine Java Fern
Anubias Barteri
Anubias var. Nana
Jungle Valliseneria
Sag. Subulata
Ech. Tenellus
Rotala Indica
Java Moss
Red Lotus


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## seanyuki (Apr 22, 2010)

nice setup........welcome to the discus world


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## katienaha (May 9, 2010)

I am slowly falling in love with discus, little bit by little bit.


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## April (Apr 21, 2010)

it looks great aaron!! glad they have adjusted well. bear in mind they have never seen plants etc before. just be sure your ph doesnt slide..they dont like ph slides. it could if your bioload changes fast fromn adding 8 discus. if they get skittish at all..test the ph and buffer if need be. first signs of ph sliding is skittishness.


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## Sharkbait (Jun 15, 2010)

aprils aquarium said:


> it looks great aaron!! glad they have adjusted well. bear in mind they have never seen plants etc before. just be sure your ph doesnt slide..they dont like ph slides. it could if your bioload changes fast fromn adding 8 discus. if they get skittish at all..test the ph and buffer if need be. first signs of ph sliding is skittishness.


Thanks April!

No worries about PH slides here! My C02 and Controller keep things pretty stable at 6.3-6.4.

I'm surprised how mellow they are - I thought they were supposed to be skittish, but even in the dark when I watch them they don't dart at all.

I will keep an eye on it though just in case


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## Sharkbait (Jun 15, 2010)

katienaha said:


> I am slowly falling in love with discus, little bit by little bit.


Careful...that's dangerous thinking


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## katienaha (May 9, 2010)

Very. my 55g is about as big as my livingroom fits..


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## Bien Lim (Apr 21, 2010)

your tank looks great, and the water is crystal clear...just wondering what is your water parameters,thanks


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

That's a great light. I didn't know they came with their own timer? (I think that's what it is?)


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## Sharkbait (Jun 15, 2010)

Bien Lim said:


> your tank looks great, and the water is crystal clear...just wondering what is your water parameters,thanks


PH: 6.3-6.4
Nitrate: 10ppm
Phosphate: 5ppm
Nitrite/Amm: 0
KH: 3

The water is clear, but I'm still trying to get rid of some particles floating around.


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## Sharkbait (Jun 15, 2010)

2wheelsx2 said:


> That's a great light. I didn't know they came with their own timer? (I think that's what it is?)


Oh yeah...it's amazing.

It's a saltwater light, but I just replaced the actinics for two 6400s.

It has three separate timers for the 6400s, 10ks, and moonlights. No more timers  Less clutter! The moonlights have excellent coverage too. A nice deep blue. Also very simple to operate.


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

Who sells these fixtures? Did you mail order it? I wouldn't mind seeing one in person, but since you're in Victoria, I won't be checking them out at your house any time soon.


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## Sharkbait (Jun 15, 2010)

I got mine from Progressive Reef here in Victoria. Blue World Aquariums also sells them (Victoria), but were more expensive.

Both have websites that you can order from!

Progressive Reef Marine Aquatic Supply

Buy Marine Aquarium Supplies Online, Saltwater Fish Tanks, Reef Aquarium Lighting, Protein Skimmers, Reef Aquatics

This is the light that was taking forever to come in because it was coming from the States - and the people at Pro Reef wanted to save me some money on shipping, so they wanted it to be with an order that they already made.

I've never seen them setup anywhere though - go to the aquaticlife website: AquaticLife LLC | Premium Marine Aquarium Products and you can see how they work. I think they have some YouTube videos which are pretty informative. If you're ever on the island, feel free to stop by 

I'm really happy with it - and it's worth the money!


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

They do look nice, but at those prices I can get a 4 bulb Tek at J&L and a Digital Aquatics Lite Controller (which I have) which will operate not only the lights, but the pumps (custom feed cycle) and the heater and the CO2 solenoid. Although I guess it kind of breaks even since it's integrated with moonlights. I'll have to take a hard look at these when it's time to update my 125 gallon. Thanks for the info, Aaron.

Oh, and I just realized that I've seen one at Anthony's place I think, but I never realized the timers were built in.


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## Sharkbait (Jun 15, 2010)

Yeah, if you're selling a light like I was to upgrade it, it at least takes care of some of the cost. Most lighting I find, if you're buying it initially, is pretty steep - but for planted tanks, reefs, etc...it's the most important investment. 

wait...

Did I just refer to an aquarium as an investment? ...

That setup you mentioned sounds pretty sweet. I'm all about condensing the amount of cords. If I can have one thing that takes care of three, I'm open to it. Keep things simple.


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## ncutler (Apr 26, 2010)

I'm just curious how you're finding the water. I know I've heard from a lot of people that Victoria water seems to be higher ph. In my CO2 injected tank, here in Nanaimo, i can't seem to get my ph below 6.8 even with ph decreasers with sodium bisulphate.


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

Sharkbait said:


> That setup you mentioned sounds pretty sweet. I'm all about condensing the amount of cords. If I can have one thing that takes care of three, I'm open to it. Keep things simple.


I'm going to have it running in my cube tank with 2 PC4's for a total of 8 outlets so I can control everything separately. I'll take some pics when I get it up. Davej is already running one in his 90 gallon pleco tank. He's the one who made me decide to do it (Target and I both actually).


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## Sharkbait (Jun 15, 2010)

2wheelsx2 said:


> I'm going to have it running in my cube tank with 2 PC4's for a total of 8 outlets so I can control everything separately. I'll take some pics when I get it up. Davej is already running one in his 90 gallon pleco tank. He's the one who made me decide to do it (Target and I both actually).


Nice! Looking forward to it!


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## Sharkbait (Jun 15, 2010)

ncutler said:


> I'm just curious how you're finding the water. I know I've heard from a lot of people that Victoria water seems to be higher ph. In my CO2 injected tank, here in Nanaimo, i can't seem to get my ph below 6.8 even with ph decreasers with sodium bisulphate.


I have no problem with the water...comes out of the tap at 7.0, but with my C02 and driftwood, I keep it stable at 6.3-6.4.

I don't like the idea of messing too much with the water parameters as long as they are stable. Adding too much stuff to make it lower/higher can create huge swings which can cause death pretty quickly.

If you really want to lower PH, have you tried peat? It's a natural way of lowering it instead of chemicals. What is the PH of your water from the tap?


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## April (Apr 21, 2010)

just whatever ph comes out of the tap works just fine..even is all you need. 
sounds like you have it all running smooth aaron.


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## ncutler (Apr 26, 2010)

I forgot to mention I also have peat, comes out of the tap at 7, but CO2 + Peat + Driftwood seems to only bring it down a bit. For me it's more about trying to understand the water chemistry, everything I try seems to defy the theory - it should be having a great difference. I'm going to be trying rain water next since my tap water KH is around 4-5 and that might be keeping it up.


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## Sharkbait (Jun 15, 2010)

My tank's KH is around 3 or 4, so I doubt that's your issue.

I don't know much about rainwater...so I can't help you there...I just had an odd picture of you holding a bucket out your window to do water changes...lol. 

Are you on well water in Nanaimo?

Have you double checked everything? C02 setup correctly, test kits not expired? How old is the tank? Do you have a buffer (like crushed coral) in your tank? The chemistry is pretty solid, so I'm sure there's something going on that we're not catching.


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

You might want to start a different thread on this, ncutler, but with regards to water chemistry, what is you GH? With the injection of CO2, your pH should be coming down, otherwise pH monitors would never work. The fact that with peat/wood/CO2 in the tank and your pH staying around neutral tells me you have a buffering agent in your tank. Do you have rocks in the tank? What type are they? What's your substrate? What are you using for filter media?

The injection of CO2 will actually buffer your water towards neutral. I run crushed coral in my canister filters in my CO2 injected tanks and the pH is around 6.8 - 7. Prior to doing that my pH was hovering or below 6.

Edit: Just realized I missed a key point. CO2 will buffer your water towards neutral only if you have soluble buffers in the system. Otherwise your pH should just go down.


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## Sharkbait (Jun 15, 2010)

2wheelsx2 said:


> The injection of CO2 will actually buffer your water towards neutral. I run crushed coral in my canister filters in my CO2 injected tanks and the pH is around 6.8 - 7. Prior to doing that my pH was hovering or below 6.


I had to add some crushed coral too - I mixed it in with my sand to blend it. Had to slowly add it over time to get the right mix. Otherwise, my PH would be around 6, even lower.


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## tang daddy (Apr 21, 2010)

nice tank, the discus look happy too! no peppering on some of the pigeons...

what are you feeding them?


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## Sharkbait (Jun 15, 2010)

I'm feeding them PE Mysis Shrimp, Frozen Bloodworms, NLS Thera +A, and ONF1 Flake.

The pigeons are albinos...they don't pepper


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## MadgicBug (Apr 22, 2010)

Nice...I like the evolution of the tank.


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## Mferko (Jun 8, 2010)

looks great, i like seeing all the steps up to it too


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## tang daddy (Apr 21, 2010)

Sharkbait said:


> I'm feeding them PE Mysis Shrimp, Frozen Bloodworms, NLS Thera +A, and ONF1 Flake.
> 
> The pigeons are albinos...they don't pepper


Dang that's why they are so clean, I knew albinos didnt pepper but didnt know yours were...

Nice discus you should put some reds in there!!


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## Jondis21 (Sep 7, 2010)

3 thumbs up=)!!!for your beautiful planted tank.


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## Sharkbait (Jun 15, 2010)

Thanks guys!

I was thinking about reds, but couldn't settle on a strain. I Like the striations a lot - adds a lot to the boldness I think. I like a good alenquer...

One day when I do my wild tank (well, maybe just 'wild-ish') I'll throw in Santerems or Alenquers. But I'll get a bigger setup. 

As it is, it's pretty tight in there. I'm gonna chop back on the plants in a few weeks when I move and change the scape yet again. I'm going to make it more left focused and make a lot more room for them to eat. I find them picking at the hairgrass and tearing it up. So, I'll have the right side of the tank mainly sand, a nice eating zone. Also, the way the filter output blows, I can direct most of the food in that area.


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## zooolara (May 22, 2010)

Congrats to another planted discus tank.


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