MattArmstrong
12-12-2015, 09:17 PM
I've got a noob question for the forum that I haven't seen directly answered elsewhere. I'll start with my question, then follow it up with the forum's questionnaire.
Is a 4 foot tank a suitable "lifetime home" for a group of Discus?
I have four feet to work with. So many forum pictures are of people who just got their young fish and, say, have them in their 55 for grow out -- it has hard to judge what full grown discus look like in a 4 foot tank.
If my goal is to raise some large-ish sub-adult or semi-adult discus (at least 4") to adulthood in one tank. Is 7-8 in a 75G really viable? Would going up to a 90G (same tank footprint, 4" taller) be better for that 7-8, and even let me go up to 9 fish? What about a 100G 48" W x 24" D x 20" H or even the standard 120G high?
Going from that 75G all the way to the 120G is a big jump, mainly in terms of the impact it has on our relatively small living area. I'd love first hand accounts of people housing Discus long term in this range of tanks.
If four feet is suboptimal, I'd love to know that now! I can pick a different thing to house in my tank...
Okay, now for that questionnaire....
1) Please Introduce your self
I'm Matt, have had tanks on and off since I was in 6th grade. I've got an art piece on my bathroom wall I did in 6th grade depicting a neon tetra -- it got "Honorable Mention" at the school art show displayed at the local mall. :) A few years later I went on to volunteer at the local fish store, helped people by bagging fish and being that "know it all" kid telling people about how to cycle their tank, etc.
Now I'm in my mid 40s and have kept tanks maybe 5 years total as an adult. I've got a 48G rimless filled with small fish that has been set up one year. I've always kept small tetras, barbs, corydoras, etc. This tank has taught me the quarantine lesson in a big way. Impulse purchases leading to Ich breakouts, etc.
I've always wanted to keep a Discus tank and am figuring out if now is the time!
2) If you have no previous experience with keeping discus, have you done any research to properly prepare yourself
I am reading everything I can here. Lots of great stuff. It is even entertaining to read old flame wars. ;-)
3) Describe your tank
No Discus tank yet. That is the primary question. Shooting for 100-120 gallons.
4) Describe the décor for the tank
Bare bottom, Discus focused. Contents limited to driftwood with stuff like anubias growing on it, but I won't start with that.
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.
I have "Seattle, WA" water, which comes from reservoirs directly fed from snow runoff. It is soft: out of tap hardness is 2 GH and 1 KH, PH settles near 7. Weak chlorine treatment.
This being a "dream" tank, I want to set up some sort of automated water change system to supplement the usual water changes. Honestly, I want this to reduce the damage done by "life happening" and a water changes being skipped. If I don't do that, I want to at least plumb together something that makes water changes significantly easier than with my current tank. I currently drag a 36 gallon trash can on wheels out in front of the tank for 24H to age before my weekly 50% water change -- that won't fly for daily or bi-daily changes.
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.
Undecided. With respect to choosing a tank, I think the only decision I need to make early is sump or no sump.
7) If the tank is already setup and running, include the water parameters;
As stated earlier, my Seattle tap water tends to give me:
PH 6.5-7ish
KH 0-2 dGH
GH 2 dGH
Some people and fish stores around my area throw crushed coral into their tanks even for traditionally "soft water" tropicals. The low KH means PH crash is a common issue for people around here, especially for novices, and especially for planted tanks where the plants consume the carbons in the KH and leave the water with very little buffering. I suspect that with the water changes required for Discus this will not be a problem.
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?
I'd like to fishless cycle then fully stock from one source, Discus only, 4" or larger.
Hans/Stendker fish what I've been considering. I like the more "classic" and "wild-like" strains Stendker sells. If there are other sellers that do this too, I'd like to know!
9) Describe your planned or existing feeding regimen. Include what and how often you are feeding on a daily basis.
No idea. I'll spend $$ on prepared foods before I'll spend time preparing something home brew. Being vegetarian, the idea of chopping up beef heart and shrimp is not appealing.
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?
A stable tank full of beautiful adult Discus fish. I'd like it to look nice. The tank will be in a high traffic area (kitchen, dining room). I'd like them to be okay with that, and even come to activity at their tank in anticipation of food. Not interested in raising fry, showing my fish, etc.
Is a 4 foot tank a suitable "lifetime home" for a group of Discus?
I have four feet to work with. So many forum pictures are of people who just got their young fish and, say, have them in their 55 for grow out -- it has hard to judge what full grown discus look like in a 4 foot tank.
If my goal is to raise some large-ish sub-adult or semi-adult discus (at least 4") to adulthood in one tank. Is 7-8 in a 75G really viable? Would going up to a 90G (same tank footprint, 4" taller) be better for that 7-8, and even let me go up to 9 fish? What about a 100G 48" W x 24" D x 20" H or even the standard 120G high?
Going from that 75G all the way to the 120G is a big jump, mainly in terms of the impact it has on our relatively small living area. I'd love first hand accounts of people housing Discus long term in this range of tanks.
If four feet is suboptimal, I'd love to know that now! I can pick a different thing to house in my tank...
Okay, now for that questionnaire....
1) Please Introduce your self
I'm Matt, have had tanks on and off since I was in 6th grade. I've got an art piece on my bathroom wall I did in 6th grade depicting a neon tetra -- it got "Honorable Mention" at the school art show displayed at the local mall. :) A few years later I went on to volunteer at the local fish store, helped people by bagging fish and being that "know it all" kid telling people about how to cycle their tank, etc.
Now I'm in my mid 40s and have kept tanks maybe 5 years total as an adult. I've got a 48G rimless filled with small fish that has been set up one year. I've always kept small tetras, barbs, corydoras, etc. This tank has taught me the quarantine lesson in a big way. Impulse purchases leading to Ich breakouts, etc.
I've always wanted to keep a Discus tank and am figuring out if now is the time!
2) If you have no previous experience with keeping discus, have you done any research to properly prepare yourself
I am reading everything I can here. Lots of great stuff. It is even entertaining to read old flame wars. ;-)
3) Describe your tank
No Discus tank yet. That is the primary question. Shooting for 100-120 gallons.
4) Describe the décor for the tank
Bare bottom, Discus focused. Contents limited to driftwood with stuff like anubias growing on it, but I won't start with that.
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.
I have "Seattle, WA" water, which comes from reservoirs directly fed from snow runoff. It is soft: out of tap hardness is 2 GH and 1 KH, PH settles near 7. Weak chlorine treatment.
This being a "dream" tank, I want to set up some sort of automated water change system to supplement the usual water changes. Honestly, I want this to reduce the damage done by "life happening" and a water changes being skipped. If I don't do that, I want to at least plumb together something that makes water changes significantly easier than with my current tank. I currently drag a 36 gallon trash can on wheels out in front of the tank for 24H to age before my weekly 50% water change -- that won't fly for daily or bi-daily changes.
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.
Undecided. With respect to choosing a tank, I think the only decision I need to make early is sump or no sump.
7) If the tank is already setup and running, include the water parameters;
As stated earlier, my Seattle tap water tends to give me:
PH 6.5-7ish
KH 0-2 dGH
GH 2 dGH
Some people and fish stores around my area throw crushed coral into their tanks even for traditionally "soft water" tropicals. The low KH means PH crash is a common issue for people around here, especially for novices, and especially for planted tanks where the plants consume the carbons in the KH and leave the water with very little buffering. I suspect that with the water changes required for Discus this will not be a problem.
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?
I'd like to fishless cycle then fully stock from one source, Discus only, 4" or larger.
Hans/Stendker fish what I've been considering. I like the more "classic" and "wild-like" strains Stendker sells. If there are other sellers that do this too, I'd like to know!
9) Describe your planned or existing feeding regimen. Include what and how often you are feeding on a daily basis.
No idea. I'll spend $$ on prepared foods before I'll spend time preparing something home brew. Being vegetarian, the idea of chopping up beef heart and shrimp is not appealing.
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?
A stable tank full of beautiful adult Discus fish. I'd like it to look nice. The tank will be in a high traffic area (kitchen, dining room). I'd like them to be okay with that, and even come to activity at their tank in anticipation of food. Not interested in raising fry, showing my fish, etc.