Filtration / Other Questions for Discus Tank

[kiwdahc]

Hey guys my name is Chad. I have been in the hobby for about a year now and have recently purchased a 90 gallon corner aquarium and a stand after looking for many weeks. I was told to get a taller tank for discus so I figured a corner aquarium would be a good fit for discus you can see the picture here.

89917

It is going to be a while until I get my tank set up with fish because I want to make sure I have everything right to give the discus the best home possible. I was hoping you guys could help me with a couple of questions. I plan on picking up 5 juvenile 3" discus from a couple of local hobbyists.

- The first question I have is about filtration. I have a read a lot that a sump filtration system is probably the best because it covers all 3 types of filtration. Through my research I have found that with an adult discus tank you want about 4x the GPH as the size of the tank. This is what confuses me, most factory prebuilt sumps that I see that are recommended for a 90 gallon aquarium pump 1,500+ Gallons per hour. As you can see in the graph for this Aqueon Proflex Sump it recommends much more per gallon then the guides I have found for discus.

89918

Would I be best off getting the Model 1 Sump (http://www.amazon.com/Aqueon-34500-ProFlex-Model-44-55-Gallon/dp/B0036S1FQG/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1442429611&sr=1-1-fkmr1&keywords=Aqueon+34503+ProFlex+Sump+Model+1)? If I got this sump would I need a sponge filter as well?

- The second question I have is related too 3d backgrounds. I like the look of them but am concerned if they will mess with the water quality. Would a 3d background like this (https://www.universalrocks.com/aquarium-reptile-pet/backgrounds/custom-backgrounds/malawi-rock-background.htm) effect the water quality or make it harder to maintain high water quality within the tank?

Thank you guys for all of your time and thanks ahead of time for any responses. I am going to be taking pictures and documenting every step of the way of this tank and will keep you guys updated.

[kiwdahc]

Well my other thread dissappeared so here I am going to repost it.

Hey guys my name is Chad. I have been in the hobby for about a year now and have recently purchased a 90 gallon corner aquarium and a stand after looking for many weeks. I was told to get a taller tank for discus so I figured a corner aquarium would be a good fit for discus you can see the picture here.

89917

It is going to be a while until I get my tank set up with fish because I want to make sure I have everything right to give the discus the best home possible. I was hoping you guys could help me with a couple of questions. I plan on picking up 3" discus from a couple of local hobbyists.

- The first question I have is about filtration. I have a read a lot that a sump filtration system is probably the best because it covers all 3 types of filtration. Through my research I have found that with an adult discus tank you want about 4x the GPH as the size of the tank. This is what confuses me, most factory prebuilt sumps that I see that are recommended for a 90 gallon aquarium pump 1,500+ Gallons per hour. As you can see in the graph for this Aqueon Proflex Sump it recommends much more per gallon then the guides I have found for discus.

89918

Would I be best off getting the Model 1 Sump (http://www.amazon.com/Aqueon-34500-ProFlex-Model-44-55-Gallon/dp/B0036S1FQG/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1442429611&sr=1-1-fkmr1&keywords=Aqueon+34503+ProFlex+Sump+Model+1)? If I got this sump would I need a sponge filter as well?

- The second question I have is related too 3d backgrounds. I like the look of them but am concerned if they will mess with the water quality. Would a 3d background like this (https://www.universalrocks.com/aquarium-reptile-pet/backgrounds/custom-backgrounds/malawi-rock-background.htm) effect the water quality or make it harder to maintain high water quality within the tank?

Thank you guys for all of your time and thanks ahead of time for any responses. I am going to be taking pictures and documenting every step of the way of this tank and will keep you guys updated.

[rickztahone]

I merged your threads Chad.

First, I would say that this may not have been the best option tank for discus. I know it is tough to hear that after you have spent a considerable amount of money on the tank/stand, but that is the truth. However, it isn't completely unworkable. I know of a few members who have done it and have had somewhat success with this setup. With all this being said, it is probably too late to go return it, so we will work with what you have here.

5 discus will be nice, but seeing as you will have 90g in the DT+sump volume, you can easily do 6 IMHO. Once again, a big however, the problem down the line may be that the discus do not have enough space because of the tank being a corner tank to be able to get away from each other. Discus in general, just for future reference, prefer longer tanks than they do taller. Angels DO prefer taller tanks however.

With regards to the sump, the rule of thumb for sumps is to stick the biggest sump under the tank that can be accomodated in the stand. If you click on my signature, you will see that my 75g tank has a 40g sump under it. It was a standard 40g breeder, but I DIY'd the baffles and everything else in it. If you are somewhat handy with tools, I recommend trying to make one on your own. What determines the GPH of a sump/DT is of course the pump. Discus do not need very high flow rates, in fact, when there is too much turbulance, they get stressed. For example, I am using an Eheim 1260 and that is 635gph in my 75 tank. Considering the headloss and turns in pvc, we are probably closer to 500gph. So my tank is being turned over more than 10x, but the flow isn't over the top really. In fact, I am thinking of modifying my pump to give me a little more flow.

Lastly, with regards to the background, again, if you check out my signature, you will see that I ALSO have a 3D background and it is also from universalrocks. It does not impact any of the parameters, and I love the way it looks.

I hope some of this helps you. Let us know if you have any additional questions.

Please browse over some of the following to get more of an understanding as to the needs of discus, just in case you are not clear on it now. Pay special attention to the video in section 4. Very helpful:


1. Intro to Discus


The following link will help to introduce you to the basics of discus keeping and is a nice guide written by one of our moderators.

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

There are many threads at the top of the Discus Basics for Beginners section as stickies Discus Basics for Beginners (http://forum.simplydiscus.com/forumdisplay.php?48-Discus-Basics-for-Beginners) and can be read at any time.

2. Setting Up Your First Discus Tank


Now that you have a little foundation this next thread will introduce you to setting up a discus tank. While this thread recommends a 55 gallon, many here feel that a 75 is a better starting size when the discus are adults

How do I set up my first discus tank (http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?28937-How-do-I-set-up-my-first-discus-tank)

If you feel that you want to do something different tank wise this list of questions in this thread will give you food for thought.

Tank Setup Questionnaire (http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?94348-Tank-Setup-Questionaire)

Here are some useful links on tank maintenance.

The ease of cleaning bare bottom tanks (http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?35043-The ease of cleaning bare bottom tanks)
Prefilter Sponge (http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?27064-Prefilter-Sponge)

3. Selecting and Buying Discus


What not to buy (http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?46982-What-not-to-buy)
Selecting Discus (http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?33300-Selecting-Discus)
Strain List for Beginners (http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?71055-Strain-List-for-Beginners-%28pictures%29)

If you are looking for quality discus please consider browsing our sponsors SimplyDiscus-Sponsors (http://forum.simplydiscus.com/forumdisplay.php?42-SimplyDiscus-Sponsors)



4. Helpful videos:


Watch "How to keep discus" (http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?120715-How-to-keep-discus) A video showcasing our site owner Al Sabetta at the American Cichlid Association meeting in Springfield Mass

[kiwdahc]

The tank is 4FT in length from corner to corner is that too small? That was part of the reason I went with the 90 gallon instead of a smaller. I actually got it off craigslist for a fairly reasonable price so I still do have the possibility of reselling it if possible. So are you saying I should either build my own or go ahead and get that model 3 sump? Which do you think would be better?

It also seems that you have the same rocky background that I want too get, I am not sure I was getting a straight answer from the people that own that company, if I were to order a 66" length one and cut it in half for each side of my corner aquarium do you think it would fit together nicely with no gaping holes? Or would it look like trash.

Thanks,

Chad

[rickztahone]

I think it would look nice, but I will say that the crease will be evident. The way these backgrounds are made, they are really bumpy in some areas and flat on others. You aren't going to get an even fit at the corners and it will be somewhat noticeable. Not overly so in my opinion, but to someone that is super critical, it might. With that said, you can always place something back there, like a tall plant, a tall driftwood and lessen the effect immensely.

As far as the filter goes, I was saying to buy a regular tank, off CL is a good option, and make your own baffles. This way, you save a lot of money, and it is custom made for your specific needs. Again, check out my build thread, just in case you can't navigate to it:
http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?117743-75g-Acrylic-tank-w-40g-sump-(Journal-build-thread)

That is the journal of my build. The one in my signature is the build done already.

I hope that helps a bit.