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dkeef
05-02-2013, 03:02 AM
Tank Setup Questionaire
This questionnaire may be used to either help you to describe your new tank setup for discus or
be a “food for thought” checklist while you consider what your goals are with your new discus tank setup.

1) Please Introduce your self and tell us what your experience is with fishkeeping, give us as much information as possible as to how long in the hobby, what you have kept in the past and what you currently are working with.

Im david from oc, california. I have kept every type of fish including angels, tropical fish, african cichlids, saltwater fo, reef. Been in hobby since 1988. Current tank is 265gal hightech planted aquarium.

2) If you have no previous experience with keeping discus, have you done any research to properly prepare yourself, e.g. have you read any Stickies in this section of SimplyDiscus, or other material?

Doing research currently. Read all the stickies here and been asking questions to discuspaul and others.

3) Describe your tank, its size and dimensions, breeding or display. Include how long it has been setup or if it is still being cycled.

265gal show display tank. Dimension is 7'l x 30" wide x 24" tall. Previously custom made for reef tank and was reef and african malawi hap tank. Was empty for 2 yrs and now just set up heavy planted tank 2 weeks ago. Currently almost done fishless cycling. No fish in it except snails and shrimps.

4) Describe the décor for the tank; type of substrate or bare bottom (BB), whether the tank will be planted or a biotope.

Substrate is for plants safetsorb 4-8" and 30lbs of pool filter sand in mid section. Heavy planted.

5) Describe your water changes planned or practiced, percentage and how often. Include if you age your water and use of tap/RO or mix.

Plan on weekly 50% WC. Using aged(primed added) water.

6) Describe the type of filtration planned/used for the tank; sponge, HOB and/or sump. Also include the other equipment you are, or will be, using in your tank, e.g. heater, lighting, etc.

Has center overflow that drains to 120gal sump with poret filter and 50gal of bioballs in midsectiom and then sponge filter at end section with 18w uv sterilizer. Return pump is 3600gph sequence dart but i reduced flow to around 1000gph due to plants uprooting. Has 450w jager heater(300 + 150w)

7) If the tank is already setup and running, include the water parameters;

- temp _____78 (plan to up to 82 slowly before discus arrival)

- tank ph _____ 6.8 with co2 and lights on and 7-7.2 without co2, lights

- Ph of the water straight out of your tap _____8.4

- ammonia reading ____0

- nitrite reading _0.25___

- nitrate reading ____10

- well water __NA__

- municipal water ____NA


8) Describe your current or planned stocking levels; number/size of discus and number/type of dither fish. Where did you get your discus from or do you have a proposed source for getting your discus?

No fish now.
Plan: 100 cardinals, 60 rummynose, 20-30 corys, 20 preacox rainbow, 7 roseline sharks, 6 Ottos, 4-6 rams.
6-8 adult discus. From kennys discus or inland empire discus.

9) Describe your planned or existing feeding regimen. Include what and how often you are feeding on a daily basis.

Plan to feed once a day. Various food, flakes, pellets, beef heart, etc

10) What are your goals in this hobby? For example are you looking to keep discus in a planted community tank, or do you hope to become a hobby breeder of Discus? Do you want to raise Discus with the hopes of competing in shows?

Keep discus in planted community tank.

Sandy Clay
05-02-2013, 11:25 AM
Welcome! I am not an expert but, I'm thinking any kind of shark is not going to work with the Discus. Some one will come along and help you soon~

Skip
05-02-2013, 11:52 AM
WELCOME!! this is the best place for your Discus Venture!!

ps.. sandy.. roseline sharks are a BARB.. not a shark :)

Sandy Clay
05-02-2013, 12:00 PM
Oops...see that there is EXACTLY why I come here!!! I have lot's to learn :o

Skip
05-02-2013, 12:06 PM
Oops...see that there is EXACTLY why I come here!!! I have lot's to learn :o

LOL

here you go..

Roseline Shark (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denison's_barb)

Second Hand Pat
05-02-2013, 12:06 PM
Hi david and welcome to simply. Your basic plan sounds good however I know nothing about planted tanks with co2. I would suggest doing a little research on the compatibility of roseline sharks and ottos with discus. Another suggestion is if a planted tank and discus are both new to you. You might want to start with one or the other vs trying to wrap your head around both. My last suggestion is to start with adults, especially with a planted tank and only feeding once a day.
Pat

Second Hand Pat
05-02-2013, 12:10 PM
LOL

here you go..

Roseline Shark (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denison's_barb)

...and note their preferred temperture 15 to 25 °C (59 to 77 °F). Not exactly discus temps.

Skip
05-02-2013, 12:11 PM
Hi david and welcome to simply.

Pat.. i brought him over from The Planted Tank :) :)

they don't have discus people over there that can give advice.. OY VEY!!

Second Hand Pat
05-02-2013, 12:39 PM
Skip, so Dave is well versed in planted tanks. :)

Skip
05-02-2013, 01:27 PM
Skip, so Dave is well versed in planted tanks. :)

idk.. but he was getting some crazy advice on discus! LOL

Second Hand Pat
05-02-2013, 01:31 PM
idk.. but he was getting some crazy advice on discus! LOL

Hmmm...best he is here :D

strawberryblonde
05-02-2013, 02:45 PM
Hi David and welcome to the forums! =)

Since you've got SO danged much water volume (yes, that's pea green jealousy you hear in my typing LOL) I think I'd go with a group of at least 10 adult discus if it was me. The reasoning behind it is that, with all that space to cover, fewer than 10 are gonna get lost in there.

I wouldn't go for the roselines or the otto's. Roseline's won't like the higher temps and will die off prematurely, and otto's get addicted to Discus slime and once they do, they're like little leaches or remora's, just hanging off the sides of the discus and leaving big bruises on them.

The plan for Cardinals, Rummynose and Rainbows along with the Rams sounds fine. If you can, either go all female on the Rams or be sure to get pairs of them. If it's pairs, give each pair a cozy area that they can stake out as their own...or they WILL fight to the death.

Also, be sure that you purchase cory's who can handle the temps. Sterbai's and a few other strains are very hardy and don't mind the high protein, high temp. environment.

Ok, on to feedings 'n such. =)

Even with adults you'll want to feed twice a day. Morning feeding can be flakes and then in the evening they can have a more substantial protein meal like Freeze Dried Blackworms, Beefheart flakes, Discus Pellets, etc.

I'm surprised at just how much food my adult discus manage to consume in one feeding, so take time to figure out how much they'll eat in 30 minutes and then feed that portion twice a day. They are grazers and take their time to hunt their food off the bottom of the tank.

And that brings me to the Rams. They feed a lot like Discus and LOVE high protein foods, but that much protein isn't good for their health, so be sure to offer something green a couple of times a week. My rams like spirulina, algae flakes and frozen peas (warm them up, remove the skins and break or mash them up).

On to the Rainbows. Those suckers are FAST eaters...very flightly and active during feeding time and will compete with the discus and rams for food. I had rainbows in my discus tank for about a minute, then decided to give them their own tank because I had sub-adult discus who needed to be able to get enough food to grow. You won't have as many worries since your discus will be adults, but you'll still want to feed smaller flake food on one side, which will draw the rainbows over to it, then feed the larger flake, pellet, etc in the center of the tank where the rams and discus can get to it.

Can't wait to see pics of your tank!

discuspaul
05-02-2013, 03:01 PM
Pat.. i brought him over from The Planted Tank :) :)

they don't have discus people over there that can give advice.. OY VEY!!

Ah c'mon, Skip - you and I, as members pf TPT, are not exactly newcomers to discus - lol

Planted Tank has a lot of members that know a lot about plants, ferts & lighting.... but unfortunately it's just that some of them , who know nothing about discus, persist in piping up when anyone asks about keeping discus.

However, dkreef, you're getting some real good advice here - please take note.

I see you're already planning on getting adult discus, good, and Pat & others have already mentioned that Roselines & Otos may not be particularly good discus tankmates. I also believe I've already cautioned you about starting off with discus while also using pressurized CO2 ... best to get your feet wet without it, until you become well familiar with discus traits & behaviors.

Skip
05-02-2013, 03:11 PM
Ah c'mon, Skip - you and I, as members pf TPT, are not exactly newcomers to discus - lol
. but unfortunately it's just that some of them , who know nothing about discus, persist in piping up when anyone asks about keeping discus..

BINGO!!

dkeef
05-02-2013, 04:48 PM
thank u all. im getting the hang of plant tank. even with co2.

still studying discus and how to go about it.
ill eliminate roseline and ottos then. any other good algae eaters for me then?

i plan to order 8 discus from kenny this month.

i need some good read on QT discus or any other fish.

Skip
05-02-2013, 05:00 PM
Bristlenose plecos work with discus

discuspaul
05-02-2013, 05:23 PM
Yes, BNP's are good, and you could consider SAE's too (Siamese algae eaters) - But get them fairly young & keep an eye on them as they grow older, larger and lazier, as SOME MAY occasionally take a liking to discus' slime coats as part of theit diet, as Otos may do too.
As for quarantine, if you haven't already done so, it may help you to read through the QT section in my Beginner's Guide to Discus, located here in the Discus Basics section.

Oh & btw - Algae Eaters: Large, mature Amano shrimps may also be kept with discus.

dkeef
05-04-2013, 07:34 PM
this is day 3 with cloudy water.

http://i1283.photobucket.com/albums/a547/dkreef/planttankday3_zps2bdf8cf9.jpg

dkeef
05-04-2013, 07:35 PM
Day 15 now...
http://i1283.photobucket.com/albums/a547/dkreef/Planttankday14_zpse18d5d1e.jpg

discuspaul
05-04-2013, 08:16 PM
Looking real good, my man! Excellent job - and it's going to look even better in a couple more weeks.

dkeef
05-06-2013, 01:16 AM
i Became Homesteader!

kenny still honored the discount! wish someone wouldve told me about it. just found LOL...

Second Hand Pat
05-06-2013, 09:40 AM
On your QT question; Page 6 in this guide

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?86009-Beginner-s-Guide-to-Getting-Started-with-Discus

This is an index which point to many threads including four thread on QT. Reading some of the other stickies might be a good idea.

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?27180-Beginners-Information-Index