Jnotjane
07-20-2013, 12:48 PM
I'm new to discus, but not new to the aquarium hobby. I like to do my research before diving into something new and welcome any advice ya'll can give me, so here goes.
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:
I've kept tanks since I was a child, but in the last ten years I have kept planted tanks with angelfish and a couple of saltwater reef tanks. I recently relocated from the Phoenix area to North Carolina, which meant all tanks were taken down and 3 were sold. This gives me the opportunity to start something new, and I've decided to finally give discus a try. My ultimate dream tank would be to turn my 90 gallon into a planted discus show tank, but after reading some of the threads on planted discus tanks, I'm rethinking what scape I really want to do.
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?
No previous experience, just talking with very experienced breeders and researching on the internet, which led me here (wonderful site!)
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.
Standard 90 gallon, for display only. Its currently still in Phoenix waiting to be shipped along with all our other stuff. Once it arrives, I'll start cycling it.
4) Describe the décor for the tank; type of substrate or bare bottom (BB), whether the tank will be planted or a biotope.
My original plan was a fully planted tank. After reading the threads on the planted tanks, I am now leaning towards starting out with a couple of potted swords and vals and a large piece of manzanita with java fern as the focal point and keeping the bottom bare at first. Eventually I will add PFS as a substrate.
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.
25% WC's every day to start, then go from there depending on how things go. I'd like to eventually scale back to large WC's (40-50% or more) once or twice a week, but again that all depends on how the fish do. I have an RO unit I can set up to mix RO with tap, but after talking with a couple of people here who keep fish, I may not need to do that. The water here isn't nearly as hard as Phoenix water is.
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.
2 eheim 2217 canister filters, in-line CO2 (if I do plants), UV that I can set up if needed, T5HO lights -4 x4ft bulbs on timers, at 54W per bulb, 6700 and 10K mix, 2 heaters
7) If the tank is already setup and running, include the water parameters; NA - tank not up yet
- temp _____
- tank ph _____
- Ph of the water straight out of your tap _____
- ammonia reading ____
- nitrite reading ____
- nitrate reading ____
- well water ____
- municipal water ____
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?
6 discus with a mixed school of 15 cardinal tetras and 15 rummy nose tetras and a clean-up crew of 3-5 sterbai cories. I am currently planning on getting my discus from Hans and I'd like to start with his 3"-4" fish. I have lots of questions on fish that size and if they are still considered juvies at 3.5"-4", or if they are young adults? At what size are they considered "adult"? I've looked for that answer on the site, but can't seem to find it.
9) Describe your planned or existing feeding regimen. Include what and how often you are feeding on a daily basis. I need advice on this point. How often should 3"-4" discus be fed? I'd have to set up an auto-feeder for the day, then feed beef heart, blood worms, or black worms in the evening when I'm home.
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?
Show tank for my personal enjoyment that will hopefully be planted, although I am starting to like the more sparsely scaped tanks - less is more, and such.
Please feel free to throw any advice my way, I really want this to be successful. I've learned how not to do planted tanks and what does work, and they are such a source of beauty and pride when a tank's system is in balance. And I just love the challenge.
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:
I've kept tanks since I was a child, but in the last ten years I have kept planted tanks with angelfish and a couple of saltwater reef tanks. I recently relocated from the Phoenix area to North Carolina, which meant all tanks were taken down and 3 were sold. This gives me the opportunity to start something new, and I've decided to finally give discus a try. My ultimate dream tank would be to turn my 90 gallon into a planted discus show tank, but after reading some of the threads on planted discus tanks, I'm rethinking what scape I really want to do.
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?
No previous experience, just talking with very experienced breeders and researching on the internet, which led me here (wonderful site!)
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.
Standard 90 gallon, for display only. Its currently still in Phoenix waiting to be shipped along with all our other stuff. Once it arrives, I'll start cycling it.
4) Describe the décor for the tank; type of substrate or bare bottom (BB), whether the tank will be planted or a biotope.
My original plan was a fully planted tank. After reading the threads on the planted tanks, I am now leaning towards starting out with a couple of potted swords and vals and a large piece of manzanita with java fern as the focal point and keeping the bottom bare at first. Eventually I will add PFS as a substrate.
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.
25% WC's every day to start, then go from there depending on how things go. I'd like to eventually scale back to large WC's (40-50% or more) once or twice a week, but again that all depends on how the fish do. I have an RO unit I can set up to mix RO with tap, but after talking with a couple of people here who keep fish, I may not need to do that. The water here isn't nearly as hard as Phoenix water is.
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.
2 eheim 2217 canister filters, in-line CO2 (if I do plants), UV that I can set up if needed, T5HO lights -4 x4ft bulbs on timers, at 54W per bulb, 6700 and 10K mix, 2 heaters
7) If the tank is already setup and running, include the water parameters; NA - tank not up yet
- temp _____
- tank ph _____
- Ph of the water straight out of your tap _____
- ammonia reading ____
- nitrite reading ____
- nitrate reading ____
- well water ____
- municipal water ____
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?
6 discus with a mixed school of 15 cardinal tetras and 15 rummy nose tetras and a clean-up crew of 3-5 sterbai cories. I am currently planning on getting my discus from Hans and I'd like to start with his 3"-4" fish. I have lots of questions on fish that size and if they are still considered juvies at 3.5"-4", or if they are young adults? At what size are they considered "adult"? I've looked for that answer on the site, but can't seem to find it.
9) Describe your planned or existing feeding regimen. Include what and how often you are feeding on a daily basis. I need advice on this point. How often should 3"-4" discus be fed? I'd have to set up an auto-feeder for the day, then feed beef heart, blood worms, or black worms in the evening when I'm home.
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?
Show tank for my personal enjoyment that will hopefully be planted, although I am starting to like the more sparsely scaped tanks - less is more, and such.
Please feel free to throw any advice my way, I really want this to be successful. I've learned how not to do planted tanks and what does work, and they are such a source of beauty and pride when a tank's system is in balance. And I just love the challenge.