Need some advice on re-arranging my tank.

[Discus3anatic]

Hey guys this is a 120g corner tank... Same size as a 92g just taller.

How would you guys re-arrange this tank ? When i first set it up the plants were puny and tiny and the tank was abviously larger in looks and swiming area. Well the plants are grown out, and the current arrangement while it looks nice kinda takes up swiming room, the discus are bigger now and they can only swim in the front of the tank, under my driftwood or up and around the wood. The sides are Jammed with plants. The amazon swords (there are 2 of them) i had put in that corner side by side temporarly to grow them out as they were on the brink of death i cut all the leaves off and planted the roots and they came have def come back. The red lants the telenthara cardinalis have while not quite gotten as tall as they can get.. They have filled in and are bushy. The discus tend to have traffic james on the left and right corners of my tank.

The driftwood is a HUGE stump, which wouldnt fit in any normal 120-90-75g tank due to round it is. Thankfully with my tank being 36 inches deep front to back it fits perfectly in the back corner of the tank leaving the front of the tank open and giving them hiding spots to huddle under. However there are 0 plants in the back.. and on the sides of this wood. Mainly because its near impossible for me to reach back there. Even standing on a chair and leaning in the tank..

What should I do ? Im thinking of taking on of those amazon swords and trying to do the impossible and putting them in the back of the tank even though i wont be able to see it due to the wood, it will give some hiding spots in the back of the tank for my smaller fish and get the plant out of the way in the front.. Then i was thinking of taking the other sword and moving to the very very corner to get it out of the way and open up that side. Then take the telenthara and move them along the whole side of the wall \ instead of bunch in a tight group like they are. This should open the tank up more.. I think.. But im not sure what to do with the other / side of the tank on the left. Should I remove that anubias and just put it in another tank ? I dunno.. sorry for writing so much.. I just want a new look for the tank and to open it up more. I dont want to take the wood out of the tank thats one thing because if i do they will no longer have caves and something to hide under and they use it ALOT specially at night all 12 huddle together under the wood. Should i leave it where it is or move it somewhere ?

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[rickztahone]

Doesn't seem that bad to me actually. What is that black equipment back there? A pump? Can you get rid of that?

[Discus3anatic]

Its a top fin 40 internal filter with a spray bar, i prefer to keep it, it helps alot with cleaning mechanical debris and also water flow, as water flow is hard to do in a tank this shape. The eheim 2217 just doesnt have enough flow or mechanical cleaning (all canisters really dont tbh) compared to a HOB.. So i added a internal 10 on the upper left and internal 40.

Basically the problem i was having was the entire right side and left sides were full of bunched plants and the lava rock under the driftwood.. That the discus couldnt even swim there anymore.. They had to swim over and around or in the front.. and my smaller discus like to swim through the plants but with them being so bushy and crammed they couldnt

I just re-arranged my tank like i said i would.. I took the driftwood and simply turned it around, which free'd up more room in the front of the tank, due to the way the branches are in the front and back.. So i was able tro push it back more.. And it looks different being turned around.. I added one of the amazon swords in the back corner (before it was just empty gravel) along with burying the airstone back there as well.. And i put the other sword in the very very right corner. I took one of the black lava rocks out that was on the left side as well.. Which freed up more space.. Since i did that i split up the 2 crammed groups of red cardinalis plants and spread them more along the whole left and right glass panels instead of just ina bunch. Also took out the anubias on the left where the rock was as it just was taking too much room.

Now my discus can swim through my plants and have more space under the driftwood because the anubias and lava rock was taking up space under the wood. And the bubbles being in the back corner also freed up swiming room on the left side of the tank, as the discus never swam near the airstone bubbles so it kinda just wasted that side of the tank, being in the back corner it still serves its purpose without being in the way

Here are pics, tank is still a tad cloudy from moving everything, even a 90% water change didnt fix it completetly.. But can you see the difference ? You cant really see it unless you sitting in a chair like i am but the sword i can see in the back. Through the tunnles of the wood and the reflection in the glass. I think i might split up the red cardinalis plants on the left a little more, they are still bushy

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[pastry]

May see some plants that won't make it in water over 82. How long have plants been in there? Like the layout but concerned if you you have rotala (sp?) and wisteria in there. Stump is good but think you'd have an easier tank to syphon with hanging root- effect in that corner with java fern growing on it and or Anubis. Switch gravel to sand... Easy to say but pain to do. Regardless, you have a sense of balance.

[Discus3anatic]

This tank has been running for like 7 months.. These plants were all babies from petsmart the s.repens i bought like 6 baggies with the gel and they were like little tiny plants you needed tweezers.. same with the red cardinalis. They have clearly grown and carpetted fine. And my temps are 82-85f.. It has varied...

The red water lilly in the middle comes and goes, it sprouts like 12 lilly pads that get the size of my hand but then stops and they die off, then it starts over for lower level bottom leaves and then goes back to lilly pads..

None of my plants are effected by the water temp or water changes from what i can tell.. One thing i dont do is vacuum my gravel, for one its impossible on the carpet to do that and two it takes away nutrients for the plants. I thought about white sand, but im afraid these plants wont grow as well as they are in this floramax vs sand. My two medium sized sword plants were all dead from my 55g tank, i had to cut all the leaves down to the stump and start over and you can see they grew nicely. And that isnt wisteria its watersprite on the log. I found that stump in my reservoir behind my house.. boiled it for 3 hours of course.

I wish i could figure out a better way to rearrange it, pics dont do it justice it looks better in person... Corner tanks are so hard to decorate because they are soooo wide and girthy

[Boyd Luth]

Looking good, glad to see that you took the air wand out. Seems my Discus, enjoy slower water flow, although I am aware that they can take stronger, etc. In time, perhaps, go to a canister filter, eliminating the inside clutter of the devices, and chances for the Discus to swim into them when frightened. I would also adjust my heater to a horizontal ( slanted 45degree angle ), I had read some post, as this is best for heat distribution, and is hide the heater behind, out of sight :-)

[Discus3anatic]

I have a 2217 eheim canister.. It isnt enough by itself to clean this tank or for water flow. If you dont have a 1/4 cylinder tank then you wont understand how how hard it is to light these tanks, decorate them and get good water flow.. For example lighting.. I have 3 lamps over this tank.. 2 24inch power compacts on the left and right side. and one smaller 16 inch in the back corner. And even then the middle of the tank still could use a light.

There are so many dead spots if i dont have the internal filter either especially in the back corner of the tank.. If you look in my pics i have the eheim inlet on the right, and the outlet spray bar horizontal in the left corner, the bar sprays along the bowed section of the front creating a swirling circular motion in the tank and also blows food or whatever towards to inlet and my internal filter next to the inlet. But because of the circular shaped tank the water flow stops once it hits the otherside of the wall. So i have the internal filter with its spray bar cotinuing the circular motion of flow in the tank.

My discus actually like good flow, ive found no flow counter productive, and also causes certain algae to grow on my s.repens

As for the bubbles, they are still in the tank. They are just in the very back corner with the amazon sword i moved back there. If you look at the 2nd picture you can see the bubbles behind the wood stump on the top.


Here is the picture with my amazing windows paint skills.. Explaining how the water flows in my tank, and i test the water direction and flow using crushed to powder flake food.. So i can see and verify the flow and make sure i have no spots in the tank where detrious just sits and doesnt move. You can see without that internal filter and its spray bar i would have inadequate flow in this tank. I love these internal filters, they are better then powerheads, slightly larger yes well for the big version i have but they pick up alot of floating matter in the tank. I have to clean the sponges and polishing pad on mine every 2nd or 3rd water change. I do realize its unsightly though. But another cool thing is being internal its quieter then a canister.. I can still hear the humming of my canister but the internal filters are silent because of the water absorbing the sound.

I kept the airstone (its one of those big round circular flat stones) and just moved in the back corner, because this tank if i dont have surface tention gets that protien layer on top, and also doesnt get enough O2, in another thread ppl suggested i point my spray bars up but the trickling noise bugged me being in my bedroom so i add that air stone and that fixed the protein layer and o2 issue

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[pastry]

Sounds like you're more about the plants than discus. That's coming from someone who knows how hard it is to keep discus happy in planted tank and readily admits to those here who have proven that bb is best in regards to best health. That said, plenty on here who keep discus in planted tanks and do just fine but put discus as top priority. Hell, some even have some nice sized, healthy fish; but that gravel is going to get the better of their health eventually. Just trying to help. Also advise getting rid of air stone. Looks like you'd have enough disturbance... Try just below water surface until you don't hear the ripple yet still see surface disturbance/turbulence.

[Discus3anatic]

How is water flow ABOUT THE PLANTS lol, dead spots in a tank can kill fish are you nuts ?

[pastry]

If that's in regards to my posts then guess you know all. Just trying to help. Good luck to ya. Not trying to put anyone down.

[Filip]

How is water flow ABOUT THE PLANTS lol, dead spots in a tank can kill fish are you nuts ?

I haven't heard this one so far in my experience.
Old school tanks from the 80thies thrived with less than 3 tanks per hour waterflow.
And I will take my risk of being nuts too :), but in every literature and experiences written on net, discus thrive in still waters,but can Accommodate eventually to high flows.Same with the light,and many other parameters.

[Woodduck]

Only you know what you like. If it was my tank, I would put a sump underneath and get rid all that plumbing. And heater. And air. Hide down below. Just my thoughts.

[Discus3anatic]

I haven't heard this one so far in my experience.
Old school tanks from the 80thies thrived with less than 3 tanks per hour waterflow.
And I will take my risk of being nuts too :), but in every literature and experiences written on net, discus thrive in still waters,but can Accommodate eventually to high flows.Same with the light,and many other parameters.



No water flow at all= dead spots, less oxygen in that spot and toxic levels of everything can build up. Im sure you all know deadspots in a aquarium can be bad.

[Discus3anatic]

Only you know what you like. If it was my tank, I would put a sump underneath and get rid all that plumbing. And heater. And air. Hide down below. Just my thoughts.

Yea i wanted to do a sump, but i deff do not want to risk drilling in this rare tank. And i just dont have the funds or time to get into that right now so i have to use what I have

[cellingson]

Couple of my thoughts, for what it is worth:
Overall I like the tank and the colors you have chosen.
For the aquascaping: I like the fluorite and use it myself. I think you would do better to try and plant with a end product in mind. There is a lot of spacing between each plant and everything is arranged symmetrically, which is a bit unnatural and I am sure you are saying in your mind give it time to grow. But I think it needs more then just some time.
- Try moving the stump to one side, it may be useful to hide eye sores like equipment. I would plant the sword within the stump roots so that as the sword grows it will conceal portions of the stump. The stump will no longer look like it is sitting on gravel but rather part of the gravel. You could also partially burry the stump so it again looks like it is part of the tank not put in the tank.
-I would divide up your plants into even smaller clumps. I have found a hand full of small plants spread faster then one large clump of plants.
-I would move the lily to the back of the tank, it will sprout lots of tall growing lily pads that will be distracting in the front. Perhaps even behind the stump. If you don't like the sprouting lily pads move it into a shaded area.
-Remove the small black rock, very distracting.
- Do you really need the thermometer in the front of the tank? I get checking the temp daily, but after having your hands in your tank every day you can tell when it is too cold or too hot.
-Either add more wood or add more rocks of the same style and color to create vertical depth. You can stack rocks and use attaching plants in between the rocks to create a more natural look. You can also add additional wood. If this is a tall tank then this will help create a more natural depth. Getting this vertical depth can be really challenging. Think outside the box of traditional place wood here, place plant here, and rock here to cover the surface are of the floor of the tank. The tank is 3 dimensions so treat all dimensions.

As for dead spots. Sure no bueno. But let's be realistic. Do you really think that one portion of the tank will develop toxins so high that they don't diffuse to the nearby portion? And just because you don't see the water swirling doesn't mean that there isn't flow. Also there is a lot of movement in the tank that is not really appreciated. In my current set up I have plenty of dead spots, and you will to as your plants grow. Think of the giant dead spots around the stems of your plants and under your stump. There are plenty of dead spots in nature. So I wouldn't be too worried about those. I will say that having a single dead spot where all poop settles is quite advantageous for water changes, especially in the heavily planted tank. And those daily or biweekly water changes will certainly remove any toxins from dead spots.