Taking suggestions, decisions for my 120g Planted discus tank

[ArsenalOfColor]

Hi all so I took the plunge. This year I decided I was gonna take my aquarium hobby into it's final stage, discus keeping, grab my first tank over 55g, knowing that I'd need the extra gallons to do this right, the goal I set this year is to have a gorgeous planted discus display tank. Then a 120g with dual overflows showed up on Craig's List, 300 bucks for EVERYTHING HE HAD, the whole system, stand sump lights everything, just had to rehome the two Oscars and common pleco that were housed in it.

I've been doing my research, like any good hobbyist should. And I've come to a cross roads about how to drain into the sump. I've got a handle on what goes into a durso (what the overflows currently have), herbie, and bean animal. Right now the dual overflows have a durso in each and a return line from the sump. I'm thinking of having around 400gph move through the system and I want a fail safe system. I'm fine with taking the return line through the back and over the top and using all 4 holes for draining if I have to, but really that wouldn't be ideal at all.

So I'm looking for input on how best to design the drain and return lines to my tank. My thought is to take the two return lines and make them into full siphons that join before hitting the ball valve and then use the current dursos to have the light trickle down into the sump like bean animals second return line with the airline. So that if my full siphons ever clogs the two converted dursos can DEFINITELY still handle the flow. Is this over kill? Is there an easier way to achieve a safe setup and still use one of the return lines as a return?

Also I'm completely lost as to what to do with my background color. Currently the tank is unpainted. I know I can't go black even though that would match the overflow boxes, going with another color I feel like would call more attention to the black overflows though. I'm thinking about going with a light tan to match my pool filter sand substrate and then planting the hell out of the back with some medium size Vals.

Thoughts? Strong opinions? Straight up advice? All appreciated here.

Oh and I'm strongly considering Super Penang Eruptions as my strain of choice. Here's the full stocking list
6-8 Discus
20 Cardinal tetras
20 rummynose tetras
10 false Julii Corydoras
2 Bristlenose Plecos
Painted Red Cherry Shrimp (expensive snack I know but they'll have a full 6 months to establish themselves before fish get added and I already have a colony started)

[Fish Tank Travis]

What size are the holes in the overflows?

[ArsenalOfColor]

What size are the holes in the overflows?

Not 100% sure, haven't had a tank this large. It was once a SW tank and I know he had some serious flow going through it at the time. I'm assuming the drain holes are 2" with 1.5" bulk heads, the measurement I just took said the bulk head hole that drains out is an 1.5". The return line bulkhead hole looks like its an inch wide, maybe 1.25"

[Pardal]

Arsenal
This is my opinion and my humble experience. I have tried several times the plant display set up with Discus. They are two opposite requirements Discus needs Daily WC and plants do better with the less WC as possible, plus the food from the fish will get lodge between leaves etc. I have a 150 gal display. The best I have kept it is for just a few weeks but always go bad for the plants , since my priority of course are the Discus. I found a compromise. I do have a 29 gal with plants and red sherry shrimps only. it rarely sees a WC and as with know red cherry shrimps are excellent algae eaters.This planted shrimp tank is of course beautiful and all the plants are thriving. So my display tank is a bare bottom with potted plants in faux rock with amazon ADA. I rotate my plants every couple of weeks, every time the plants start to get ugly and algae nasty looking they go to their cleaning and recovering station is amazing how clean they look just after 24 hr and of course in a few weeks they are gorgeous.
Again this is my humble experience many have tried with less fish too reduce the impact of too many WC with some success. but I think someone have to paid for the compromise at the end . I always go for the side of the Discus.
I wish you good luck, no mean to discourage you , just to give you a few things to consider. Also there is not equipment no matter how big or powerful that can reduce the waste produce by bio-load the way a WC does.
One more thing . You will see many pictures and videos on the internet of awesome land scape planted tanks with Discus in it, but this people the majority of them have a mature planted tank that have little or no fish at all and then later one day the add the Discus of course they will look fantastic for a couple weeks , but one can only imagine how bad will go if you take care of the Discus properly.
Julian

[ArsenalOfColor]

Pardal, thank you so much for the input on your experience! I'm really looking forward to this project and have been reading these forums and others for about 6 months trying to prep for this project, but honestly nothing beats hearing about first hand experience. Especially by someone so close to me! (I'm in Gainesville FL)

Though I really should share my full plans here for this tank rather than asking specific questions, so my entire plan can be critiqued. The 120 is currently at my house but not set up. I need to move some tanks around before it can be placed into where its going to stay permanently. This project is likely going to take me a year to complete from start (tank not even set up) to finished (grown out discus in a mature planted tank). My plan is to get the tank set up with driftwood plants and shrimp ASAP, strong lights and light dosing of ferts to kick start the plants and get them established, the tank will stay like that for at least 6 months allowing the plants to establish themselves and the shrimp colony to thrive.

Meanwhile I'm going to acquire my discus at bare minimum 5", 6" if available. Probably going to grab 8 of them and grow them out in a 75g with daily WCs of 60% with aged water. I'll wait 10-12 months before they are put into the display tank.

After 6 months of the display tank being set up with shrimp and plants I'll add the other stock, after a proper 4 week QT in 40g of course. Then after another 4-6 months I'll add the discus. WC schedule is going to be twice a week of 50% on the 120g once discus are in it.

This is my current plan of attack. I also plan to upgrade my sump size and play with the design a little bit to make it quieter and retain more C02.

ALL of this is completely subject to change based on the input I receive for this plan. Pics will follow this weekend of the tank, current sump and plumbing. But from my research this plan seems sound, but again I'm totally open to critique. I really want this to be a success, and my goal is to have this done by Dec 31st of this year for my New Years party.

[William1]

I am starting to believe Pardal as I have been relatively unsuccessful once again at having a planted discus tank. The daily water change for the discus is not conducive to a planted tank. I am down to three swords and fighting to keep a smattering of Vals and Cabomba to grow and thrive. I haven't thrown in the towel completely, but what Pardal said makes a lot of sense. I have tried to keep my plants South American based, but may have to venture into some easy Crypts and a different type of sword if this is to remain viable. Good advice and taken.

[Neptune]

I'm a pretty successful planted tank person and a rookie discus person.
I have done a lot of planted tanks all the way from hi-tech co2 injected to dirted walstad tanks. In all cases, a timeline is tough to meet! My best/easiest tanks to maintain have taken about a year to really settle in where the plants grow properly and no algae issues. I may be dumb but it takes me about that long to dial in a tank to autopilot.

That said, I have some plants in my discus tank. I went with extremely easy low light plants...java fern and anubius hastifolia.
They are struggling a bit but I have added some root tabs to the sand under the hastifilia and it is helping.

You walk a fine line when you combine the discus and lush planted tanks. It can be done as there is obvious results on the internet, but you really gotta be patient!

Also, having adult discus is a big plus if you are going planted.

[ArsenalOfColor]

Any thoughts on background color and sump design?

I'm definitely going to growout then add adult discus to the tank for sure. I've also experienced the timeline of a tank to settle in properly and I agree about a year is what it takes sometimes less depending on lighting and WC schedule.