Stendker grow out and 150G tank build

[ruudvk]

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.

My name is Ruud from the Netherlands and completely new to keeping discus. Owned some planted tanks in the past and had to give up to the hobby because of college.

The past 5 weeks I have (fishless) cycled a grow out tank for some nice Stendker discus. In a couple of months I plan to start a bigger (150G) tank.

In this tank journal I would like to update you on my progress as a newbie to the hobby and use all the years of experience that SD provides. So, please don’t hesitate to ask questions or comment!

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?

Joined this forum to read as much about discus as I could. Read the book “Back to nature” by Dick Au and learned the PDF info section by Stendker by heart. Now ready to take the plunge!

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.

Tank: Juwel Rio 125, 125L, 81cmx36cmx50cm (31.8"x14.2"x19.7", around 33G).

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

BB grow out tank until the size of 10 cm (5”).

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.

50% water change daily, tap 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.

Filter: Eheim biopower 240 (280-750 Liters per hour, 75-195 Gallons per hour) and a sponge filter.
Heater: Fluval E300 and a 125W backup.

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

- temp: 86F (30C)
- tank ph: 7.5
- Ph of the water straight out of your tap: 7.9
- ammonia reading: 0 ppm
- nitrite reading: 0 ppm
- nitrate reading: 10 ppm
- well water: no
- municipal water: yes


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?

9x Stendker red turquoise juvenile discus. Size: 2.5” (5 cm).

When they reach a size of 5”, they will be transferred to a 150G tank containing:
40x Rummy nose tetras (too much?)
10x Corydoras sterbai
3x German blue ram (electric blue)

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

Stendker original goodheart, 0.5 to 1 blister per day, 3 to 5 feedings per day.

Thinking about some pellets for an automatic feeder when I am at work. Any thoughts?

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?

I would like to keep discus in a (minimal) planted display tank, just for me and my girlfriend to enjoy. :)


Some pictures of the juveniles!
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[ruudvk]

Day 2 update:
All of them are still hiding in the corner of the tank. Fed them for the first time. Dropped the BH in the tank and after a minute or two they started eating. So far so good.

[rickztahone]

Awesome Ruud. Make sure you clean up any uneaten BH after 15-20 minutes

[ruudvk]

Thanks Ricardo, any insight on how much BH I should be feeding? Right now they finish their meal in a couple of minutes, nothing gets left uneaten :p
Some days I am unable to feed them during lunchtime, do you think an autofeeder with pellets is an option? I might grab some pellets at my LFS to see if they like them.

[rickztahone]

Thanks Ricardo, any insight on how much BH I should be feeding? Right now they finish their meal in a couple of minutes, nothing gets left uneaten :p
Some days I am unable to feed them during lunchtime, do you think an autofeeder with pellets is an option? I might grab some pellets at my LFS to see if they like them.

I feed enough BH so that they finish it in about 15 minutes. I turn return pump off for this so it doesn't go all over the place and always either do a quick vac or WC depending what time of the day it is.

As far as pellets are concerned, my discus go crazy over Al's diskusgold pellets as well as Forrests D4 pellets. I like Al's simply because they sink immediately. There is no other pellet that I have seen that does this.

[ruudvk]

Week 1 update:
The group is getting along pretty well! The past week I noticed the pecking order being established while feeding, guess that's done now. They are all eating like monsters and start begging for more when they just finished their BH. It's tempting, but I do not want to overfeed.

Just this morning I noticed one fish with an asymmetrical gill. The right gill is slightly more open (and I think the gill plate is a bit shorter) than the left one and you can see the filaments. Not sure if this is normal, but I am suspicious now. Did not notice any signs of sickness, he is swimming along with his buddies, no scratching or darting, eating a lot, not dark or clamped fins.

I will try to get a picture tonight, see what you guys think.

[ruudvk]

So I tested my water yesterday evening: nitrate: 5-10, nitrite: 0. All good, let’s test ammonia to be sure, I panicked: ammonia 0.7!!!
Did a 100% water change immediately to hopefully wash out all the ammonia and tested the water again (0 ammonia).

Now I am thinking how this could have happened. I fishless cycled my tank in 5 weeks and the bacteria were able to clear 4ppm of ammonia over one night. I do a daily water change of 25-50% depending on the day.

I am cutting back on the feeding for a while and will do large water changes (80%) daily. This must have been the cause of the gill problem I have seen, don’t you guys think?

[rickztahone]

Yes, that may have easily been the cause. Keep doing big daily water changes until you stabilize.

[ruudvk]

Week 2 update:
After last week’s rookie mistake I am feeding a bit less and keeping up with the daily big water changes. The fish with slight irritated gills is doing better, not completely gone yet. Already starting to see some growth and coloration on the fins. Also, there is some growth difference between the fish in the group. 3 of them are the biggest, and there are 2 have not grown that much. Let’s see how that plays out.

Next week I am going to start drawing some sketches of my DIY stand for the 150G tank. First thoughts on the equipment are: two JBL cristalprofi e1500 canister filters and two Fluval E300 heaters.

[dprais1]

I feed enough BH so that they finish it in about 15 minutes. I turn return pump off for this so it doesn't go all over the place and always either do a quick vac or WC depending what time of the day it is.

As far as pellets are concerned, my discus go crazy over Al's diskusgold pellets as well as Forrests D4 pellets. I like Al's simply because they sink immediately. There is no other pellet that I have seen that does this.



I use these pellets. Super cheap. http://www.kensfish.com/aquarium-supplies/fish-food-feeders/kens-high-protein-fry-green-granule-5-mm.html. I put them in a cup with a bit of tank water then swirl them around for 3 seconds...they go straight to the bottom and stay there.

If I don't break the water tension they float so I don't toss them directly in the tank. 3 second swirl does it, unlike colorbits that seem to need a long time to stop from floating and even then there are still some that always float.

Obviously, not ideal for an autofeeder. I like the .5mm for 1" fish and adults get the 1mm or 1.2mm I can't remember which. They seem smaller for the size stated than NLS and other pellets I have tried.

[Mattgrizzlybear]

I have a similar setup to yours with a group of 8 2.5" cobalts from Hans in a bb 55g aquarium with a 250w heater, Fluval 306 and 2 big sponge filters. For feeding I made my own beefheart and various other foods. Once they get big, I have a 125 waiting for them but I'm not sure what else Im going to stock it with but I'm pretty set on the filter. I'd like to know what else you're going to do with your 150 filter-wise or stocking-wise. -Matt

[ruudvk]

I use these pellets. Super cheap. http://www.kensfish.com/aquarium-supplies/fish-food-feeders/kens-high-protein-fry-green-granule-5-mm.html. I put them in a cup with a bit of tank water then swirl them around for 3 seconds...they go straight to the bottom and stay there.

If I don't break the water tension they float so I don't toss them directly in the tank. 3 second swirl does it, unlike colorbits that seem to need a long time to stop from floating and even then there are still some that always float.

Obviously, not ideal for an autofeeder. I like the .5mm for 1" fish and adults get the 1mm or 1.2mm I can't remember which. They seem smaller for the size stated than NLS and other pellets I have tried.

I have bought Tetra Discus pellets and they seem to like it. They are a bit unsure why the food is not as soft as the BH. They will get used to it eventually I guess. There are some floaters in the pellets so I will try your method! Thanks

[ruudvk]

I have a similar setup to yours with a group of 8 2.5" cobalts from Hans in a bb 55g aquarium with a 250w heater, Fluval 306 and 2 big sponge filters. For feeding I made my own beefheart and various other foods. Once they get big, I have a 125 waiting for them but I'm not sure what else Im going to stock it with but I'm pretty set on the filter. I'd like to know what else you're going to do with your 150 filter-wise or stocking-wise. -Matt

Hi Matt, the 150G is going to be a slightly planted tank (some Amazon Swords) with driftwood and pool filter sand. I hope to stock a large school (40x???) of rummy nose tetra’s, corydoras sterbaii (10x) and maybe a pair/trio of apistogramma agassizii.

I think the dual setup of JBL canister filters will be sufficient for the tank. Not completely made up my mind about canister vs sump, still got some time.

At what size are you going to put them in the 125?

[Mattgrizzlybear]

Hi Matt, the 150G is going to be a slightly planted tank (some Amazon Swords) with driftwood and pool filter sand. I hope to stock a large school (40x???) of rummy nose tetra’s, corydoras sterbaii (10x) and maybe a pair/trio of apistogramma agassizii.

I think the dual setup of JBL canister filters will be sufficient for the tank. Not completely made up my mind about canister vs sump, still got some time.

At what size are you going to put them in the 125?

Probably at around 4-5" or whenever I feel like they are getting too crammed in a 55g. It'll take me some time to set up the 125 and get it fish-ready (Drilling, building a sump, cycling, etc.) especially with cycling, they could grow another half inch or so while it is cycling! I am a fan of Canisters but this is my first big tank build and am on a bit of a budget so I don't want to spend $300+ on a FX6 or even more on some Eheims. A sump is just a cheaper but still very effective way of filtering. I love the customization abilities as well. I'm still not too sure on what I'm going to put in the 125 plant or substrate-wise but am hoping to either go bb with planted plants or light sand with driftwood like you mentioned. -Matt

[ruudvk]

Week 3 update:
They are growing FAST, I think around ½ inch. They are doing very well as a group.

Last week I installed a JBL Cristalprofi e1501 since I still have troubles keeping the ammonia down. I think there is simply not enough media for bacteria to grow on, so this must help. My LFS advised me to put these bacteria balls (see link) inside the filter media to increase growth of the biological media. Hopefully this helps. http://evolutionaqua.com/acatalog/PURE_Aquarium.html

Ammonia gets as high as 0.4 ppm when I feed BH three times a day. So I still keep up with the daily 90% WC schedule.

Do you guys think I will flush out any bacteria this way?
Shall I cut down the feeding of BH for a while and give them pellets instead?
How harmful will this level of ammonia be?

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[rickztahone]

Keep up with the 90% Daily or even possibly do 2 a day if you can wing it. It wouldn't be long term.

[ruudvk]

Keep up with the 90% Daily or even possibly do 2 a day if you can wing it. It wouldn't be long term.

Yes I will. I am trying to do a vacuum in the morning (~20% WC) and a 90% in the evening right after they had their BH.

I am hoping that next weekend the bacteria have caught up. Don't know if that's realistic though.

[jmf3460]

Ruud, very nice thread your little fish are very cute. I think you are doing an excellent job growing them out. Keep up with the large daily water changes and you will be fine. Adding more media for beneficial bacteria is a great idea especially if you think you had less than enough to begin with. Some people (me included) just throw bio balls in the tank and let them settle on the bottom for added bacteria coverage. then scoot them around during vacuums.

cant wait to see these little guys all grown up.

[ruudvk]

Thanks Jacklyn, I will try some bio balls in the tank as well. I can always transfer them to my (to be build) 150G tank.

[ruudvk]

Week 4 update:
So, still battling a high ammonia (~0.4ppm) with daily 80-90% WC. The kiddos do not seem to mind though, eating and growing great. They even start to colour!

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[rickztahone]

Week 4 update:
So, still battling a high ammonia (~0.4ppm) with daily 80-90% WC. The kiddos do not seem to mind though, eating and growing great. They even start to colour!

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Are you sure your test kit is accurate?

[Kyla]

is it possible food is somehow getting sucked in the filter and rotting?

ive also heard of false-positives on ammonia tests due to the conditioners used during wc, but i dont know much about this concept

[CrazyAngels]

Ruud, just caught your thread for the first time. You are thinking of growing this group in a 33 gallon tank until they are about 5 inches?. I really don't believe you can pull this off and you'll need a bigger tank soon. At a minimum you need 75 gallons. Ricardo can attest to growing a large group in a 75, even so he did bring down the number as soon as they were getting too big to handle the load. May want to chat with him about it.

[ruudvk]

Hey guys, thanks for the replies.
I was thinking if my test kit might be inaccurate. It’s a JBL testlab case containing several test, including NH4. However, when I measure my tap water NH4 readings are zero… I will go to my LFS this week to test my water there.

I checked my filters multiple times and made sure no food or debris is sucked into it. No pockets of rotting debris were found.

I agree that a 33G is too small to grow out this group until they are 5”. Reading information on this forum made me realise this is not possible. Therefore my 150G is getting here sooner then I planned, hopefully in 3 weeks. Add another month of cycling the tank and the group will be swimming in their new home in 2 months. They are about 2.5” now, so I will transfer them at 4” I guess… Hope this will work out, everything about discus is still new to me.


EDIT: I guess I got the whole inches thing messed up in my head. They were ~5cm (2") when I bought them, now reaching 2.5" (estimated guess).

[Kyla]

I agree that a 33G is too small to grow out this group until they are 5”. Reading information on this forum made me realise this is not possible. Therefore my 150G is getting here sooner then I planned, hopefully in 3 weeks. Add another month of cycling the tank and the group will be swimming in their new home in 2 months. They are about 2.5” now, so I will transfer them at 4” I guess… Hope this will work out, everything about discus is still new to me.

if u transfer ur small tank's filter & media to the 150g with the fish u can skip the cycling process in the larger tank because the transplanted BB located in the filter will work instantly to convert ammonia > nitrite > nitrate. no need to cycle the new tank for month that way

[ruudvk]

if u transfer ur small tank's filter & media to the 150g with the fish u can skip the cycling process in the larger tank because the transplanted BB located in the filter will work instantly to convert ammonia > nitrite > nitrate. no need to cycle the new tank for month that way

I didn't think about that, thank you. The "problem" is that the 150G is going to be a show tank with sand substrate, wood and some plants. So I thought about cycling the 150G parallel to the grow out. I have to rethink my options here.

[ruudvk]

Week 5 update:

Ordered my 150G! Hopefully it will be here in 3-4 weeks!

Got a second JBL Cristalprofi canister filter cycling in a bucket now to speed up the process. Adding this filter to my growout tank will cause a whirlpool I’m afraid.

Now I will look around to find some white pool filter sand. Not too white, I will think it will reflect the light too much and will annoy the fish.

Yesterday I went to a local stone supplier to find some nice rock for my 150G. Found a type of stone called “black beauty” that will look awesome with the white sand and a black background. I brought some vinegar to test the stones for calcium, no bubbles so I think the white lines are some sort of quarts. I don’t know the exact type of rock, anyone has a guess?

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[pavlos]

Indeed, they do seem to color up. Nice work! I would like to ask, how many days you have them and jaw much have they grown?

[ruudvk]

Indeed, they do seem to color up. Nice work! I would like to ask, how many days you have them and jaw much have they grown?

Hey Paul, thanks!
I went to my LFS where I bought my fish 5 weeks ago. It was really funny to see how small they were when I got them (felt like I’ve forgot how small they were). They were 2 months old at the time reaching 5 cm (2”). I think the biggest is 7.5 cm (3”) and the smallest 6.5 cm (2.5”) at the moment.

[ruudvk]

Week 6 update:

Another week had flown by and the group is still doing great! They seem to get hungrier by the week, haha. The daily big water changes are a routine now and I am thinking about my WC schedule and method for the 150G tank.

I am having some problems with microbubbles when filling the tank. The main reason is my tap creates a pressure gradient causing my tank to cloud up (and effect the fish, heavy breathing and bubbles on the skin). Right now, the solution is a garden nozzle. Works great in a BB tank, any ideas on avoiding microbubbles in a sand bottom tank without disturbing the substrate?

Also, added some Amazon swords:
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[DomiDiscus]

Lovely discus! They're growing out just fine!

[rickztahone]

I think aging is your solution here. Short of that, getting a prefilter and micron sock helps greatly.

[ruudvk]

Thanks Dominic, just a bit worried about the growth difference. They are all eating well so hopefully they will catch up eventually.

Yes Ricardo, I think I will have to. I will start looking for an aging barrel.


Week 7 update:

So, I finally have a delivery date for my new 150G tank! Scheduled for the 17th of May. I can’t wait to get them in there, it’s about time. By doing the daily big water changes I can keep the ammonia down, but they need their new home.

I bought some pieces of driftwood last week. I might plant some java fern on it. Now I have to go find some pool filter sand.

Also, had a bit of a screw up this week. After the WC, I forgot to plug in the power of the inner filter pump and heater… Next morning I was amazed about the poop all scattered around the tank when I realised my mistake. Tank dropped to 25C (77F), luckily my discus seemed fine. My worry was the filter, I didn’t know if the bacteria have died or toxins may be released if I switched it back on. So, I did a couple of water changes throughout the day…

Some pics below, can you believe I asked the guy at a LFS if they sold driftwood? LOL :p

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[DomiDiscus]

Personally, I would wait until they're full grown adults until I add the sand.

[rickztahone]

Personally, I would wait until they're full grown adults until I add the sand.

or driftwood

[Darcon]

It's amazing warehouse with driftwood! Paradise for nature aquascaping :)

[ruudvk]

Week 8 update:

So, my 150G tank just arrived! Frame will be here on Saturday. Hopefully this weekend I can start building the cabinet and canopy with LED lighting. Will probably take me a couple of weekends.

Now I have to really start thinking about my hardscape. Especially about the amount of stone, wood and sand to put in.

I really appreciate the advice and thoughts from people on SD, provides lifelong learning for the hobby. I know BB tank is the optimal way to go for grow out. However, I am going to take the plunge and raise them in a sand substrate tank. Cleaning will be more difficult, but I think I can pull it off.

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[DomiDiscus]

Love this driftwood, I hope the process goes nicely! Excited to see how they're gonna grow.

[Dhavalsp]

Wow, that tank and wood both look nice..Thanks for sharing.

By the time you get it gets cycled and everything has stabilized it will be week 12...with your WC and feeding they will be touching 4 inch +/-...rave up the feeding if need be...

General question to everyone who is following this thread... if you see few discus from group falling back on growth, do you increase the amount of feeding so that bigger (aggressive ones) get full and runts get to eat peacefully (provided you can siphon remaining food after an hour or so...)...the only concern I see, is that fish will be over fed, appear darker, and less lively...plus excitement about food will go down...what are your thoughts?

[rickztahone]

That is one gorgeous tank. Did you mention where you bought it from?

[ruudvk]

Thanks guys, I am also very pleased with the tank! An aquarium builder built it for me to match the dimensions of my kitchen.

I am cycling a second canister filter in a bucket. So this will speed up the process. When I get my plumbing done I can start right away with enough beneficial bacteria.

Plumbing will be something like I sketched below. I would like 2 inlets (one high, one low) and 2 spraybars/outlets in my tank. Using 4 ball valves allows me to do easy water changes.

Scenario 1: Tank is running normal: Ballvalve 1 open, 2 open, 3 closed, 4 closed.
Scenario 2: Drain tank using pump: ballvalve 1 open, 2 closed, 3 open, 4 closed.
Scenario 3: Fill tank: ballvalve 1 closed, 2 open, 3 closed, 4 open.
Scenario 4: Emergency drain tank: ballvalve 1 open, 2 closed, 3 open, 4 open (siphon effect).

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Yesterday, I thought about the placement of the driftwood in the tank. Thoughts? (I like number 1 the most)
1.
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2.
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3.
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[Darcon]

I like number 3 :)

[Dhavalsp]

Ruud, I like number 3 too.

Quick question, why are you combining 2 filters when they are individually taking and releasing water directly from tank? I may be missing something here but you combine those 2 inlets and separate them out prior to hitting your 2 filters...if the it is not serving any greater purpose, you are just making your filter dependent on each other and failure of one will result in stopping both...

If the purpose was just WC, then why not keep that system completely separate from filtration?

Thanks,

Dhaval

[ruudvk]

Ruud, I like number 3 too.

Quick question, why are you combining 2 filters when they are individually taking and releasing water directly from tank? I may be missing something here but you combine those 2 inlets and separate them out prior to hitting your 2 filters...if the it is not serving any greater purpose, you are just making your filter dependent on each other and failure of one will result in stopping both...

If the purpose was just WC, then why not keep that system completely separate from filtration?

Thanks,

Dhaval

My thought here was by linking the filters in parallel, I can save plumbing and 4 ball valves. Because they are linked in parallel, when one shuts down, the system will still be in operation only with a lower flow... Or am I wrong here?

[rickztahone]

My thought here was by linking the filters in parallel, I can save plumbing and 4 ball valves. Because they are linked in parallel, when one shuts down, the system will still be in operation only with a lower flow... Or am I wrong here?

I personally wouldn't do that. Keep them as separate systems. I will ask the obvious question though, did you ever consider going with a sump for this setup? You could have had the tank drilled and made everything a whole lot easier.

[Dhavalsp]

I agree with Ricardo over here, keep them separate...this way you can clean them alternate week.....sump would have been cheaper and easier to maintain..

[ruudvk]

I have considered a sump. The thing is, I am not really comfortable with a sump because I’m used to the canister filters I’ve had in the past… I know, not all changes are bad and maybe I would’ve been better off with a sump.

Plumbing wise, I will rethink my options here before I do my plumbing.

Thanks for your thoughts guys! Really appreciate it.

[ruudvk]

General question to everyone who is following this thread... if you see few discus from group falling back on growth, do you increase the amount of feeding so that bigger (aggressive ones) get full and runts get to eat peacefully (provided you can siphon remaining food after an hour or so...)...the only concern I see, is that fish will be over fed, appear darker, and less lively...plus excitement about food will go down...what are your thoughts?

I have noticed growth difference within my group. First, I thought it was because the bigger more aggressive fish eats more than some others. However, when I started observing more closely, the smaller ones are eating really good… Is there be a genetic explanation as well?

[ruudvk]

Week 9 update:
Placed my tank on the stand this weekend. Also made the choice to paint the background black. Going to do the hardscape this week(end), so hopefully I can transfer the fish soon!

Some pictures:
Tank and stand
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First coat of paint (what have I done!)
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After three coats, everything is fine and looking great :p
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[rickztahone]

Looking great. Just avoid PB's and you should be fine.

[Las Vegas]

Is that stand made of wood or steel? Is it gonna be strong enough to support the weight?

[ruudvk]

Is that stand made of wood or steel? Is it gonna be strong enough to support the weight?

Stainless steel, 1.5" square beams.

[Las Vegas]

I like that!

[Las Vegas]

Also, I think you should turn the stand around. I see a middle support in the front but not the back against the wall. You would want more access under the tank in the front since the back is against the wall. Also, just my opinion but that stand is so close to becoming fancy enough for display. I can see some easy additions for a metal design front gate/doors with stained glass front and sides with fish on them. Ha. Nice.

[ruudvk]

Also, I think you should turn the stand around. I see a middle support in the front but not the back against the wall. You would want more access under the tank in the front since the back is against the wall. Also, just my opinion but that stand is so close to becoming fancy enough for display. I can see some easy additions for a metal design front gate/doors with stained glass front and sides with fish on them. Ha. Nice.

Haha, I am sorry Mark. I took the picture exactly in front of the tank. So it hides the middle support in the back. Will be covering the frame with a white cabinet.

[Dhavalsp]

tank looks nice...cant wait to see it all done..not sure if you have decided on lighting yet, but on tank that tall get a good one...and do research on your plants as they wont be getting much nutrients from water you would want to steer away from plants who absorb nutrients predominantly from water..



I have noticed growth difference within my group. First, I thought it was because the bigger more aggressive fish eats more than some others. However, when I started observing more closely, the smaller ones are eating really good… Is there be a genetic explanation as well?
In this case since they are stendkers, I am sure they were bred using nice big round parents... probably they belong to different batches and a difference of a week can also make a huge difference at this age...They catch up eventually as long as you follow all the basic rules.... I was observing my fish more closely today and my discus look more similar in size now then 2 weeks ago...

[Dave-UK]

Week 9 update:
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Is it just the way it's sat or does the tank overhang the stand slightly? I'd be worried if it does

[ruudvk]

Is it just the way it's sat or does the tank overhang the stand slightly? I'd be worried if it does

You are right Dave, in this picture the tank overhangs the stand. This is because I needed to paint this side of the tank. After painting, I turned the tank around and placed it properly on its stand.

[ruudvk]

Update week 10/11:

Well, a lot has happened the past 2.5 weeks! New tank was set up and running and after monitoring for a while I transferred my discus to their new home. No signs of mini cycles or anything strange, they love their new space!

Still working on the lighting. Hopefully I can build the canopy this weekend.

Some sad news also. Bought a group of 25 rummy nose tetras and 10 corydoras trilineatus and placed them in my quarantine tank. Sadly, only a few rummynose survived the night. I don’t understand why, acclimated them properly and they were happy for 5 hours or so. Went to bed and the next morning I lost 15 of them. The cories are fine. Tested the water before placement and after this mishap, everything was fine. I think it is stress related, but 15!!!!

A picture of the tank (sorry for the potato quality):

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[kira ken]

rummynose tetras are very sensitive, i read that the red color on their head washout if the water parameters are not goot. Did you use new water ? maybe you had a ph swing

[ruudvk]

rummynose tetras are very sensitive, i read that the red color on their head washout if the water parameters are not goot. Did you use new water ? maybe you had a ph swing

I did a 50% WC the day before, so might be pH related. Still, after acclimation they should be fine right?
Went to my LFS yesterday and they told me that rummy nose are always on the edge of a nervous breakdown. Brought home another 25 and they are doing great!! Don't know what happened to the first batch...

[ruudvk]

Week 12 update:

So after last week’s failure with the rummy nose tetra’s I had to try again. This time to be super careful and try avoiding as much stress as possible. Lights out, towel around the tank and drip acclamation did the trick, all are well. Now I have a school of 40 swimming happy in my QT tank.

This weekend I started wrapping the stand. I am trying it to match the kitchen. See picture below!
Maybe next week the lighting is done.

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[rickztahone]

Very nice. Love that finish Ruud. Did you paint the wood or did you get pieces that were already fabricated?

[ruudvk]

Very nice. Love that finish Ruud. Did you paint the wood or did you get pieces that were already fabricated?

Thanks Ricardo. Got some white veneer sheets cut at a local hardware store. Only had to veneer the sides.
Hoping to find the same door handles as my kitchen! Trying to build a canopy with the minimum height as possible.

[rickztahone]

Thanks Ricardo. Got some white veneer sheets cut at a local hardware store. Only had to veneer the sides.
Hoping to find the same door handles as my kitchen! Trying to build a canopy with the minimum height as possible.

Well it looks really good. Way to go.

[Dhavalsp]

rudd, this is looking really nice.

It will be nice to see some closeups of your discus?

thanks,

dhaval

[ruudvk]

rudd, this is looking really nice.

It will be nice to see some closeups of your discus?

thanks,

dhaval


Thanks Dhaval,

Made a crappy phone shot this morning. I really need to read about aquarium photography, don't know how the SD masters do it, haha.

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[rickztahone]

Thanks Dhaval,

Made a crappy phone shot this morning. I really need to read about aquarium photography, don't know how the SD masters do it, haha.

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Go to NADA and you will learn everything you need to know about photographing discus/fish :)

If you can't go, then we have a photo section to help:
http://forum.simplydiscus.com/forumdisplay.php?326-Photo-Centre

Excellent looking group BTW

[ruudvk]

Go to NADA and you will learn everything you need to know about photographing discus/fish :)

If you can't go, then we have a photo section to help:
http://forum.simplydiscus.com/forumdisplay.php?326-Photo-Centre

Excellent looking group BTW

Thanks Ricardo, would be a nice trip, but I am located in Europe... So I will read the photo centre here on SD.

[ruudvk]

Took some pictures again this night. Thanks for pointing out the photo section Ricardo!!

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[rickztahone]

Excellent pictures. For a minute there I had to do a double take, many of these look like a group of discus I used to have. Beautiful discus you have there.

[Dhavalsp]

Beautiful... Nice pattern on them...and they are growing very well...

[FischAutoTechGarten]

Cool. I just love seeing a group of like colored discus together.... personal preference for sure.. others might think it boring...

[rickztahone]

Cool. I just love seeing a group of like colored discus together.... personal preference for sure.. others might think it boring...

Not I says I :)

I love single strained tanks.

[ruudvk]

Thanks guys,

Lately I've been super busy, so I fell behind in the updates.
Will do an update soon, pictures and maybe an video.
And the story about how tollerant my discus are to their new tankmates, sigh.

Have fun at NADA!

[ruudvk]

Update!

So, a while back I bought a group of rummy nose tetra’s and corydora trilineatus. Finished my quarantine period and slowly got them used to my show tank parameters. The whole QT was without problems, now it was time to place them in the discus tank.

I guess my discus are used to me feeding them, and the new fish were food… A couple of rummies got killed in a couple of minutes. I wrapped the whole tank with a blanket and turned off the lights. Built extra hiding spots for the tetra’s and hoped for the best. And with result! After a couple of days, the hunting was gone and I guess they accepted their new tankmates into their territory.

Shot a small video today with the new DIY LED lighting with TC420 controller for sunrise and sunset simulation!


https://youtu.be/7HAICMiYAD0

(How do you guys embed videos....?)

[Dhavalsp]

wow, looking good, they have colored up so well....

[ruudvk]

Picture update!
So yesterday after cleaning the tank they were a bit spooked, but photogenic!
In the second picture you can see the growth difference very well.

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[jmf3460]

beautiful fish, beautiful tank and beautiful plants Ruud. I prefer a species specific tank. Your fish are perfection.

[Ryan925]

Wow very nice!! Great work

[ruudvk]

beautiful fish, beautiful tank and beautiful plants Ruud. I prefer a species specific tank. Your fish are perfection.

Thanks Jacklyn, I am really happy how they grow. Even the smaller two are showing a nice pattern, I don't believe they are stunted.
Battling a bit of brown algae now. Covering my plants as well. Maybe I will try some snails to cover that problem.

[Ryan925]

Thanks Jacklyn, I am really happy how they grow. Even the smaller two are showing a nice pattern, I don't believe they are stunted.
Battling a bit of brown algae now. Covering my plants as well. Maybe I will try some snails to cover that problem.

Brown algae is normal for a new tank. Once it's established it pretty much goes away.

Otos love the stuff though

[Dhavalsp]

wow!! this is just amazing...they look so beautiful!

[ruudvk]

Thanks for the kind words! I will wait a while for the algae to go away then. Rather not try Otos, since the experiences with these guys are not always good.

Tomorrow I might (hopefully!!) have a couple of apistogramma agassizzi double red in QT.

[axl10]

Hey,
beautiful discus mate and how long did it take for them to get to that size?

[Filip]

Beautiful group Ruud .
What kind of lights do you have in the canopy ?

[ruudvk]

Hey,
beautiful discus mate and how long did it take for them to get to that size?

Thanks. I bought them at 2 months age, so that makes them 6 months old by now.

[ruudvk]

Beautiful group Ruud .
What kind of lights do you have in the canopy ?

Well, the canopy is still a ongoing project. I bought 5050SMD RGB and warm white LED strips from China in combination with a TC420 LED controler.
Will post details of the canopy when I get it done.

[Kyla]

tank and fish look awesome. and great photos too. are they still trying to eat the tetras? are the apisots getting along in the tank?

[ruudvk]

tank and fish look awesome. and great photos too. are they still trying to eat the tetras? are the apisots getting along in the tank?

Thanks! No, luckily that storm is over! Took them about a week to get used to the Tetra's. I guess it was a territory issue.

The apistos are doing great in the quarantine tank. I will keep them a few weeks in there to observe.

[Kyla]

Thanks! No, luckily that storm is over! Took them about a week to get used to the Tetra's. I guess it was a territory issue.

The apistos are doing great in the quarantine tank. I will keep them a few weeks in there to observe.

good news. i saw some sweet apistos yesterday and im regretting not bringing them home lol, ill just have to live vicariously thru ur pics ;)

[ruudvk]

Measured my SiO2 last weekend, way too high >6.0 mg/L (ppm). Checked the water report from the water company, 5.5 mg/L SiO2.
So, this might explain the brown algae I've encountered in the tank.

Any thoughts on dealing with high SiO2 and algae?


And here you go, some pictures of the apisto and my new poop machine (I was told it is an ancistrus spec., thoughts?)!


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[Dhavalsp]

look at those apistos! I need to get me some...

I am not too knowledgeable about the water chemistry-plant interaction...but may be something like purigen or Charcoal might help with eliminating trace elements....

[ruudvk]

Just a quick picture update! Full tank shot:

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[Dhavalsp]

looking great!

but this is just a teaser...we need more pics!

[rsawest@yahoo.com]

Nice tank and Stendkers. You can't go wrong with Stendker Red Turqs.

[ruudvk]

Wanted to add more plants for a while now, this is the result :)

Got some nerite snails to battle diatoms, WOW those guys work fast!

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[jmf3460]

looking great Ruud. Your pleco looks indeed like a regular ancistrus pleco. I cant tell how big it is from the picture but if it is over a couple inches and doesn't have the bristles yet, it is likely she is female. The males have the big bristles on their noses starting at quite a small size. love the apistogramma as well. I have a trio of females (I think) in a 20L in the basement and they are quite the interesting little fish. pic above is awesome, I like the surface leaves of your lily. what is this floating plant near the center of the tank, right where the reflection is??

[DanDiscus]

Wanted to add more plants for a while now, this is the result :)

Got some nerite snails to battle diatoms, WOW those guys work fast!

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I had the idea of using some lily in my tank. But wasn't sure if it will work. Now I have the answer.

Nice tank !!!!

Daniel

[ruudvk]

Thanks guys, the plant is actually not a lily but a echinodorus "ozelot green". I bought them with really long stems, wondering if the new leaves will also grow these long stems.
This one: http://tropica.com/en/plants/plantdetails/Echinodorus'OzelotGreen'(073G)/4522

The floating part in the middle is actually the runner with new plants of the Ozelot green.

[ruudvk]

Hi guys, it has been a while since my last update.

Went on a 9 day holiday, first time away from my discus. All went well, applied methods from SD. In short: upped the feeding and water changes 1 week prior to my holiday, stopped feeding 1 day before leaving and did a large water change the day before and on the day I left.

So when I came back, two discus are cleaning the intake and heater in the corner of my tank. I think they are pairing up since I noticed more and more agression in the tank the last weeks. Now, the two are on the left side and the rest is on the right side of the tank all the time.

Don't you guys think it is a bit early for them to pair up? They are 9 months old now I guess.

[ruudvk]

Here are some pictures of the two pairing up:

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[Dhavalsp]

They do seem a little young for any action...they all look colorful and round...have measured them on the scale yet?

[ruudvk]

They do seem a little young for any action...they all look colorful and round...have measured them on the scale yet?

Yes, thought so too Dhaval. Though they are cleaning, shaking to each other and defending the territory...
I am not really comfortable with taking them out and placing them on a ruler, but I know for sure they are both 5 inch. (biggest two in the tank)

We will see how it goes I guess.

[ruudvk]

So it has been a while since my last update here on SD. There has been a lot going on in the tank for the last few weeks.
There are several (2 or 3) pairs forming and one pair in particular has been fighting (tail slapping, shivering, mouth locking, circling) a LOT.
Yesterday I came home from work and I thought I saw leftover food lying on a rock, I was wrong:


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[ruudvk]

And the eggs are gone :p Wasn't expecting anything from it. Don't know if the rummy's had a good snack or the parents ate them.
But, still a good sign right?

[jmf3460]

Ruud, those eggs looked viable too. Perhaps you should get the pair their own honeymoon suite??? Great looking fish in your pic above BTW.

[Dhavalsp]

Awesome...you had these for like 6-7 months, correct and got them at 2.5 inches? that's quick, what kind of love potion have you been dropping in there??

[Dhavalsp]

Just checked, you have had them for almost 9 months so this is happening at the right time...all the best!

[rickztahone]

It happens. Do you have more pics of that beauty?

[ruudvk]

Yes, I have them for about 9 months now. Bougth them at 5 cm (2 inch), 2 months old (?) at the time. I have red somewhere female discus start maturing at 9 months and male at 11 months of age, making this spot on for me. I first saw mating behaviour about two months ago after I came back from a one week vacation. Good to see they are doing good :)

As for caretaking, I just try to keep up with my water schedule and quality food (Stendker BH in the morning and Tetra discus pellets in the evening). Sometimes it is difficult to keep a clean tank since it's planted. Couple of months ago I wanted to get rid of the plants and go for a more minimalistic look of the tank. Happy I pulled throught though.

Unfortunattely, I do not have room for a honeymoon sweet in my 2 room appartement :( I will just see how it goes and when I move, I need to get myself a garage :)

Will do a picture update soon!

[BmoreBraap]

Fantastic thread, love all the updates. The fish really turned out great, cant believe how much color they put on in the first 6 months. Great job on the 150. During your 9 day holiday...did you have anyone feed them at all? Or lower the temp and let them fast?

[ruudvk]

Fantastic thread, love all the updates. The fish really turned out great, cant believe how much color they put on in the first 6 months. Great job on the 150. During your 9 day holiday...did you have anyone feed them at all? Or lower the temp and let them fast?

Thanks Matt! I am really glad I bought them as juveniles and got to see them color up, just amazing.
About a day before I left I stopped feeding them and did a large (60%) WC. On the day I left I did the same WC again.
Lowered the temp to 27C (81F) and came back to a couple of hungry fish :p

[Candydiscus]

Looks just like mine who died from discus plague a few months.. I miss him... he was so friendly he let me actually pet him..


http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j385/enclave12/20160319_200543_zpswnim9icw.jpg

[ruudvk]

Beautifull fish Candydiscus, sorry you lost him..

Here are some pics I took today. You guys have to look through the glare, it's sunny in the Netherlands!
Merry Christmas everyone!!!!

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[ruudvk]

Quick picture during the WC!

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[Phillydubs]

Just awesome! What a cool gorgeous group!!

[Dhavalsp]

this is such a nice group...just love how that red is popping out on them...what is their TL..6 inch + already?!?

[rickztahone]

Gorgeous discus. My weak spot in this discus hobby...turqs :)

[pavlos]

Fantastic group... You have done a really great job! What is their size now?

[ruudvk]

Thanks guys! They are doing great :)
The biggest have reached 6 inch (measuered by eyeballing, not really comfortable to get them out and meassure..), the smallest is about 5 inch.

Soon, I am going on a vacation for 5 weeks. My dad is willing to do some water changes and feeding in that time.
Hopefully the group will be okay!

[ruudvk]

They laid eggs again!
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[ruudvk]

The eggs are gone again, I think the parents ate them. The eggs always disappear the night after I did a vacuum/cleaning/WC. Bet they feel insecure and eat them. Would it be something to place a tank divider in to see if I can get them to another phase of breeding? I really do not have the room for an extra tank... I have to consider moving I guess :p

[jmf3460]

if you are not prepared to breed, I would continue letting nature run its course.

[Rosskeegan24]

Beautiful discus, any chance of an update on them / breeding ?

[ruudvk]

I am currently in Patagonia, so I don't know :p my dad keeps an eye on them and he didn't mention eggs or anything. I am going to let nature run its course for now until I have room to breed.

[ruudvk]

Well this has been a while.... I moved from my apartment to a house! So that kept me quite busy I guess. Unfortunately, I lost one of my corydoras in the process. Other than that, the move of the tank and fish went pretty smooth.

Learned some things though: 1) angry discus splash. 2) The dorsal fin of discus are sharp and cut through plastic bags. I was happy I bought double. Next time I use boxes for sure. Luckily, It was warm outside and I had to drive 25 minutes.

I bought one of those pallet boxes and hooked up my filtration. This is a picture of my setup during acclimation:

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The next weeks I am going to build a new cabinet for the tank. Will keep you guys updated throughout the build. Can't wait to get those guys back into the house! Cheers!

PS. Does anyone have corydora trilineatus? Mine are super shy and I think they are doing better now that they are separated from my discus… Are other, slightly bigger corydoras maybe a better option?

[ruudvk]

This is where the tank sits now. Hopefully I will finish plumbing this week.

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[ruudvk]

Plumbing is done! Scaping and filtration next.
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[ruudvk]

So I have been busy! Rummynose tetra's are in and doing great.
Plants: Echinodorus Bleheri, Argentinensis, Magdalenensis and Tenellus; Anubias Nana gold on the driftwood.

Hopefully I can put my discus in tonight, can't wait!

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[jmf3460]

oh man this is really beautiful. excellent job with the scape being slightly off center, it looks so natural.

[ruudvk]

Thanks Jacklyn! I am happy how the scape turned out. The fish are in, a bit shaken up but alright.

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[Filip]

Nice looking scape Ruud.
Put some more pics when the discus come together after the shock and show off their colours .

[CoasterCyrus]

This was a fun thread to read. Really beautiful discus and aquascape. Really like your set up!

[Phillydubs]

Well done! Love the new scape! It is gonna look amazing when your dudes settle in and get to moving around! They look big fat round and healthy I am sure they will bounce back with ease

[ruudvk]

Thanks guys! The fish are still adjusting to their new environment. They have been hiding in the corners for the weekend. This morning I tried something with the lid of the BH box:

Pavlov :p
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[ruudvk]

Quick update; they've settled in :)

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[Phillydubs]

Wow... LOVE IT

Striking!

[rickztahone]

Beautiful tank and group. Tfs

[ruudvk]

Thanks guys!

[kalawai]

I’m loving this thread and you are a inspiration to me...to design a aquarium. I’m currently looking at a 150 gallon to purchase in a few days. Hopefully the person posting it to a local Classifieds and it’s a great price. I was originally going to get a 120 but I like the bigger tank.
Your Discus look fantastic and the layout is very beautiful.

[ruudvk]

Thanks kalawai, that means a lot to me. :)

[ruudvk]

First time eggs in the new scape! Love how protective they are :)
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[Phillydubs]

Talk about a fast adjustment Rudd.... they must be comfy!!!

I must unfortunately unsubscribe and never read this thread again! Cause now I want a gorgeous school like yours!!! LOL

AWESOME!

[HappyFace]

Quick update; they've settled in :)

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Wow they look beautiful! I love your tank and scape.




As far as pellets are concerned, my discus go crazy over Al's diskusgold pellets as well as Forrests D4 pellets. I like Al's simply because they sink immediately. There is no other pellet that I have seen that does this.

Thank you for the recommendation Rick. I'm going to try the Al's diskusgold pellets.

[ruudvk]

It’s been a while since my last post, so here’s an update!

My 150G tank is doing great, discus are doing fine and seem happy in their tank. Have a bit of algae on the plants, trying to work that out.
Other than that, I’ve been struggling a bit with my quarantine tank currently stocked with sterbai corydoras. (“problem’ here: http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?131076-Quarantine-question-corydoras) My strategy is probably going to be a hero discus fish from my main tank in the QT, and see how it goes. Let you guys know!

Some pictures I snapped the past weeks:

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[goldfish]

Your discus are so beautiful, nice and thick. You doing an excellent job.

[lastflea]

So far, the best journal I've read for a first effort. And I've read a lot of them. Amazing success, and your discus are stunning. So cool to see how your photography skills have grown as well as your discus have. Thanks for sharing....

[MickO'S]

The thread is brilliant,

The success with the fish is such a rarity on this forum. I hope i can emulate some of this success

Mick