Tobi’s contest thread -> 650 gallon build

[Swedgin]

Hi everyone, welcome to my contest thread. It’s going to be about my new tank, a 655 gallon (2480 liter for the old world folks) wild discus biotope. It will replace my current 220 gallon blue discus tank, link can be found in my signature.

Stocking plans are so far:

11 Uatuma/Beruri Semi Royal Discus
(importer and/or exporter seem to have mixed up the locations, so no telling who is who. Doesn’t matter though, they’re all beautiful ;)
Here’s a picture of them in their current setup:
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2 Nhamunda Red
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2 Paraconi Red
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1 Iripixi Red
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1 Iripixi “Ica bar”
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4 Iripixi Semi Royal
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[Swedgin]

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3 Iripixi Royal
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1 L095
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I have to use google pics for the plecos and cories, as they are either not yet in my possession or I don’t have any pictures of the ones I already do own.

1 L091
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3 L239
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2 LDA31
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2 L114
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1 L128
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2 LDA16 red/brown morph

11 Corydoras amapaensis

4 Corydoras serratus

12 Corydoras CW028

1 Corydoras CW049 (sole survivor of a previous group)

2 Ivanacara adoketa

Please see post #8 for the rest of the species pictures.

[LizStreithorst]

We can't hardly find wilds of that quality here in the States. You're fish are drop dead gorgeous and they will have 655 gallons to play in. I'm looking forward to seeing the tank build and seeing the fish in their new home.

What will the dimensions of the 655 gallon be? I can't imagine doing wipe downs on a tank that huge. I wish you great success.

[Second Hand Pat]

What a bang up way to start a thread Tobi with pics of all the wilds and some very nice ones too boot. Any pics of the 650? Like Liz, curious about the dimensions also!
Pat

[Swedgin]

Dimensions will be 310cm x 80cm x 100cm (height) on a 90cm high cabinet. The original plan was a 40 cm longer one, and it would have fit, but would probably have looked awkwardly squeezed into the space.

No pictures yet, they cut the glass yesterday and will start glueing in situ on Monday or Wednesday. Till then I will have moved the 220 somewhere else as that’s the spot for the new one.

The cabinet should be delivered by the 24th latest. Things are a bit slow in the Middle East right now due to Ramadan, othewise it would be going a bit quicker.

I’m glad they are doing the glass work soon, as I need the exact inside dimensions to get a custom background done, which takes about 3 weeks from order to delivery from Serbia. Will post pictures of the background templates that I’m looking at in the coming days.

Tomorrow I’ll order the lights and some other bits, full list etc to follow.

I’m so excited about the whole thing and keep visualizing what it’s going to look like. We’ll all soon find out I suppose.

[Second Hand Pat]

So 310cm x 80cm x 100cm is about 10ft x 2.5ft x 40 inches tall. My 230 is 6ft x 2ft x 32 inch tall. My 230 is tall enough. I hope you have tools Tobi as you will need them. It will be a super tank. :D
Pat

[Swedgin]

It’ll be fine, I’m quite tall myself and the total height including cabinet will be exactly the same as the 325, which I have no trouble cleaning at all. Syphoning with the water change hose is easy enough, there won’t be a whole lot of obstructions in the tank, few rocks and some wood for the plecs to munch on, thats it. For the glass I use a magnet, I know it’s frowned upon by some, but I’ve had zero issues/scratches since the tanks have been running.

[Swedgin]

2 LDA16 red/brown morph
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11 Corydoras amapaensis
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4 Corydoras serratus
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12 Corydoras CW028
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1 Corydoras CW049 (sole survivor of a previous group, DO NOT USE SEACHEM PARAGUARD ON THESE)
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2 Ivanacara adoketa
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Too many fotos for one post, so continued here

[Gabriel13]

Wow! Can't wait to watch this thread grow. Your wilds are hide awesome!

[Pices]

It’s hard to pick a favorite among all those wilds. I just went through this thread oohing over one, then another. Your current set up is stunning. Can’t wait to see the new build.
Patty

[Swedgin]

Almost forgot:

5 P. scalare “Amapá” in QT since yesterday (will do some research on wether they are proper Amapá or not)

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[brewmaster15]

Tobi,
Theres something cool about big tanks of discus.. Yours is sweet! I know you keep multiple ones so be sure to start a different thread for each tank , max 3 threads. Looking forward to reading!

Good luck!

al

[DiscusBR]

I have no words. Beautiful pictures. All fish look amazing, but those royal wilds are to die for.

[Swedgin]

Tobi,
Theres something cool about big tanks of discus.. Yours is sweet! I know you keep multiple ones so be sure to start a different thread for each tank , max 3 threads. Looking forward to reading!

Good luck!

al
Al,
I’ll probably stick to just one thread for now, all other tanks get decent coverage in my homestead. I mainly do this one to be able to go back in some time and look at how it all developed. And for the cash, haha. There’s a lot of street/shelter dogs in Bali that could really use it.

[Swedgin]

I have no words. Beautiful pictures. All fish look amazing, but those royal wilds are to die for.

I’m having a hard time making out any favourites, but the Ica bar and the Nhamunda reds I really like. But all others, too. Looking forward to seeing them in my QT by the end of the month. A few days in there will give me a better idea of their actual looks in person. Of course, pictures will be posted

Except for the 11 Uatuma/Beruri all others are still with the exporter in Germany and are expected here in Dubai on 6/30. So all pics of those are from him, and I based my selection on those fotos (as a non native English speaker, when is it a foto, when is it a picture, find myself using both)

[Swedgin]

It’s hard to pick a favorite among all those wilds. I just went through this thread oohing over one, then another. Your current set up is stunning. Can’t wait to see the new build.
Patty

Same here Patty. I was never much into solid reds, but after seeing those I obviously changed my mind. The Nhamunda are a particular favorite amongst the solid reds for me, I really like their shape.

[Swedgin]

Also, went shopping yesterday, and by that I mean I sat at our Vet Clinic’s reception and ordered through their wholesale supplier. It’s quite amazing to see the markup on some of these items, but average about 50%.

Ordered my lights, 4x 150cm Juwel Helialux 54w LED with matching lid flaps (One of the best aquaristics company in Germany). There are quite a few lights in the US that caught my eye, but voltage is an issue (110v vs 220/240)
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And the matching control units, they are great and have them on 2 of my 3 tanks, countless options, can set a different profile for each day etc, and easy to use
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Then I found some interesting filter media by Maxspect (Bio Sphere). Apparently each sphere has a surface area of 580 sqft. So got 10 kilos of those to stick in my Eheim 2260.
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Also a UV sterilizer from TMC in the UK, 110 watts actually made for ponds.
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I’ll either couple this to the Eheim or an FX6. BTW I chickened out of getting a sump, I just don’t trust them. My fear is that something does go wrong, it goes wrong badly. So I figured I stick to what has worked for me in the past. Rest assured it will be over filtered, as the combined volume of all canisters comes close to that of an actual sump.
But I’ll make a separate post on filtration a bit later

[Swedgin]

Got some bad news from the exporter in Germany, one of my ordered blue moon heckels died today. Shame, it was a stunning fish.
However, silver lining is that I will be replacing it with these 2:

Iripixi Heckel Cross
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And Cuipeua
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[Gabriel13]

Sorry to hear that. The replacement discus are very nice too.

[Swedgin]

Moved the 220 out of the room to it’s temporary location to make room for the aquarium builders, who now tell me they are delayed by a week. Anyway, everyone survived the move, few scratches here and there and a bit skittish, but everyone ate and looks healthy.
I always go heavy on the humin and fulvic after a move just to soothe their slime coat and low light.

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[Second Hand Pat]

Hi Tobi, when you mention humin and fulvic what exactly are these?
Pat

[Swedgin]

Hi Pat,

sorry I meant humic and fulvic acids. The blackwater rivers in the Amazon and elsewhere contain a lot of both. It seems controversial wether it has an actual effect, people are arguing if humic acid is more effective and necessary than fulvic acid and vice versa. There are commercial products made for aquarium use, mainly in Europe as far as I can tell. However I make my own from powders I ordered from the US, fully organic.

Now this is anecdotal evidence, but since I’ve started using it I’ve noticed more activity and better colors, especially the halos on the blues and the general appearance of the heckels. The heckels also are more active and eat better. Even my wife commented on how they changed positively.

I have yet to find unbiased research on tank kept fish or discus, but in my (so far limited) experience it has a positive overall health effect. The same can be achieved with IAL and alder cones, but due to the fact that the humic/fulvic dosage I add is very low, it has less of an effect on actual water chemistry than AIL and alder cones. I do use those in moderation as well though.

[Swedgin]

And the dosage for this tank was 20ml of 5% humic acid concentrate, so extremely low dose. It does fade after a while, especially when using UV.

[Swedgin]

That’s a view I could get used to. If it wasn’t for the chaos the whole tank moving business always brings with it.

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[sanjay21]

Tobi, I've followed your previous threads as well and your tanks are simply Stunning ! Best looking wilds, wish they sell such quality ones here in the US. Sorry to hear about the Heckel, replacement fish are super nice too.

Can't wait to see your project in action !

[Swedgin]

Tobi, I've followed your previous threads as well and your tanks are simply Stunning ! Best looking wilds, wish they sell such quality ones here in the US. Sorry to hear about the Heckel, replacement fish are super nice too.

Can't wait to see your project in action !

Thanks Sanjay, I’m really looking forward to seeing it when it’s done, too.

[Swedgin]

As for the background, I have narrowed it down to these 2, as the guys from aquadecor told me these models are made specifically for larger aquariums.

Any input which of these you would choose and why will be very welcome.

E8
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E15
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[Second Hand Pat]

Hi Tobi, I personally like the first one. The curves in the root structure is more pleasing to the eye. :)
Pat

[prittbotha]

E8 it reminds me of a mud bank with roots. Gives it a very natural feel.

[Swedgin]

Design wise I agree with both of you, I’m not 100% sure if the color would work.

[sanjay21]

I liked the E8 as well. I liked the color too ..

[Swedgin]

Construction of the stand/cabinet

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[Swedgin]

I just realized how to decide on the background.

E8 will be for the new tank
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And E15 will go in the current one which will then house the heckels.
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Also considering there is a small chance that I might be allowed to place both tanks in the same room, it would match nicely. So I’ll order the E15 tonight, that will then give me the opportunity to see the quality first Hand before I order the larger one (which will cost double).
I just need to decide if and how many of those standing logs to add. They complete the picture nicely I think

[Pardal]

Tobi
Your fish and tank are amazing, can't wait to see them with the backgrounds.

Julian

[Swedgin]

Tobi
Your fish and tank are amazing, can't wait to see them with the backgrounds.

Julian

Thank you Julian



Just received the UV unit, sweet baby Jesus. Pug for size reference. This thing will nuke just about anything

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[Swedgin]

Almost forgot:

5 P. scalare “Amapá” in QT since yesterday (will do some research on wether they are proper Amapá or not)

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Liz, in case you see this. What’s your opinion on these? Are these proper red backs? How far removed from f0 do you think these look? The faint middle bar on 2 of them concerns me a bit. From what I’ve seen on google etc they are usually quite prominent, even when younger. How old do you think they are?
Thank you

[Swedgin]

Added a few more to the quarantine today.

Excuse the picture quality, but the lighting is not helping.

3 Hypancistrus inspector
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and a group of 7 Corydoras arcuatus
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[Swedgin]

Also brought out the 120gal out of storage to clean and set up for the ze German arrivals in a couple weeks
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Still have to wash some sand, looking forward to that ��

[Swedgin]

And lastly, quick pic at feeding time of one of the pretties waiting for the new tank. Wonder what location this one is from, looks very unusual and different from the others.
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[Swedgin]

I’ve just confirmed my order with aquadecor for the 220 background. Ended up with the E3 Model as it’s one of the slimmest and I don’t want to loose too much depth as the tank is only 2ft deep.
Also added 3 extra logs which will reach into the center of the tank like roots. Then add a bit of real wood for the plecs and done.


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[Jack L]

E8
less fake looking

but if it protrudes a lot, makes sense going with the slimmer model

[Swedgin]

E8
less fake looking

but if it protrudes a lot, makes sense going with the slimmer model

Thanks for your feedback.

They are scheduled to show up tomorrow to glue the tank in the room. Assuming they finish I’ll have the exact inside measurements by then to place the order. Settled on the E8, also in part thanks to everyone’s feedback. Thanks guys.

Pics of glass work tomorrow then

[Second Hand Pat]

Hi Tobi, they are building the tank in place?
Pat

[Swedgin]

Hi Tobi, they are building the tank in place?
Pat

Hi Pat,

they have to. When we designed the house we didn’t account for large aquaria to be squeezed through the front door.

The cabinet is due a few days later, so once leak testing is done I can start plumbing. In the meantime I have about 500lbs of pool filter sand to wash. Yay...

[Second Hand Pat]

WOW, what an endeavor...now washing 500 pounds on PFS...have fun with that. I think I would wash 100 pounds and see how far that goes.
Pat

[Swedgin]

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It has begun.
Sorry for the bad angle. That room is now more fishtank than office. Had to crop a lot to make the upload fit, but you get the idea

[sanjay21]

Damn! that looks awesome. Can't wait to see this one stocked.

[Swedgin]

Damn! that looks awesome. Can't wait to see this one stocked.

Well don’t hold your breath, both front and back panel were delivered with chipped corners. Bringing new glass tomorrow

[sanjay21]

Well don’t hold your breath, both front and back panel were delivered with chipped corners. Bringing new glass tomorrow

Ahh crap! sorry about that.

[Swedgin]

At least there is progress with the rest of the thing

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[Swedgin]

Just done a 20% wc for the soon to be moved lot, all scratches from netting are healed and they’re back to their former glory and nosyness.

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[Pices]

Love the colors in that top middle one.

[Swedgin]

Glass delivery delayed till Saturday. Welcome to the Middle East

[Swedgin]

ETA 9 days for the newbies, time to get the qt going. I’m adding a small canister for this week with uncycled media just to keep the water in motion and will just before they arrive add one of the 2180 from the blues. Might seem odd to some, but that’s usually how I do it. Every fish that enters the house will eventually have to live in the same environment as the existing stock. I should probably call this “holding” rather than quarantine. I know the source of the fish and know what they have been treated with since their arrival in Germany from Brazil, so infectious diseases are highly unlikely. Since it looks like it will be another month at least until the big move, they might as well get comfortable in here for the time being.
IAL and alder cones just added, will do the usual humic/fulvic addition closer to their arrival.

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[Swedgin]

Love the colors in that top middle one.

Yes, one of my favs as well. Here’s a better picture

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[goldfish]

Yes so bautiful

[Swedgin]

The exporter in Germany just sent me this video. He has separated all my fish into their own tank. Some nice ones in there


http://youtu.be/oIFWeuxT7FU

[Pices]

Be still my heart! :heart2: so beautiful! I bet you can hardly wait to get them and your tank. Shipping delays happen all too frequently here too.
Patty

[Swedgin]

Be still my heart! :heart2: so beautiful! I bet you can hardly wait to get them and your tank. Shipping delays happen all too frequently here too.
Patty

Hardly wait, or sleep. I must have watched that 23 second video 50 times now, no end in sight.

The fish shipment is still on schedule, all paperwork is at the stage it should be at this point.

If one of the mods could maybe embed the video into the post properly I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you

[Swedgin]

Yes so bautiful

Thanks, yes, I got lucky with this one. The more I look at my blues/reds the more I think they really really messed up the collection locations. In my opinion there are at least 4 different ones, yet claimed to be 2. This one and the other few reds look like from the Alenquer region, and the rest is anyone’s guess.

[Swedgin]

Gluing almost done, they’re doing the top bracing right now. At least I have the final measurements to order the background. As long as the background isn’t here there’s hardly anything I can do with the tank, as the background will determine where my plumbing goes exactly.

Because of the extensive top bracing we’ve added another 10 cm to the height, so that we end up with a viewing window of almost 1 meter. This technically brings up the tank volume to 720 gal.

How the hell we’re supposed to get this on the 1 meter high cabinet, I got no idea. There’s only room for so many people in that office.


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[LizStreithorst]

Liz, in case you see this. What’s your opinion on these? Are these proper red backs? How far removed from f0 do you think these look? The faint middle bar on 2 of them concerns me a bit. From what I’ve seen on google etc they are usually quite prominent, even when younger. How old do you think they are?
Thank you

I'm afraid I know nothing about wild Angels. To me they look beautiful.

[LizStreithorst]

Liz, in case you see this. What’s your opinion on these? Are these proper red backs? How far removed from f0 do you think these look? The faint middle bar on 2 of them concerns me a bit. From what I’ve seen on google etc they are usually quite prominent, even when younger. How old do you think they are?
Thank you

I'm afraid I know nothing about wild Angels. To me they look beautiful.

[LizStreithorst]

Glass delivery delayed till Saturday. Welcome to the Middle East

You shouldn't complain about delays. You are very lucky to be able to have all this work done for you by others.

[LizStreithorst]

Your project is amazing. I hope that you are never forced to move and have to leave that huge tank behind.

[Swedgin]

I hope that you are never forced to move and have to leave that huge tank behind.

Haha, exactly what I’m thinking. Before I placed the order I actually asked the boss if he’s planning to sack me anytime soon or if the company is moving to a different location (house is on site).

[Swedgin]

You shouldn't complain about delays. You are very lucky to be able to have all this work done for you by others.

But then I wouldn’t have anything to complain about. I’m German, it’s what we do...

[Swedgin]

This is what it looks like now with the bracing. Will leak test in 4-5 days.

I’ve calculated the weight, 600kg (560 without bracing). So 10 reasonably physically able people should get it onto the cabinet.


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[LizStreithorst]

But then I wouldn’t have anything to complain about. I’m German, it’s what we do...

I get it. It's genetic. We can't help it. My paternal grand parents were German and my mother was Irish. That's why I'm the Mama Bear. ;) BTW, If I had a tank like that I'd have fresh water Rays. I fell in love with them the first time I saw them but their space requirements make them impossible for me.

[Swedgin]

Rays are tempting, but for a fully grown one I don’t think the footprint will be enough, it’s quite narrow. I’m more of a pleco guy anyway, and once the 2 L114 are grown out there won’t be much room for a lot of bottom dwellers. But yes, if there was a species that stayed around a 4-5 inch diameter I’d have some in a heartbeat.

[Discluv]

The discus are, of course, stunning.
But, Im a pleco girl myself and that Orange Cheek ( l095) has been on my wish list for awhile. Love its gracefulness in the water, that almost prehistoric look, and the color.

[Swedgin]

The discus are, of course, stunning.
But, Im a pleco girl myself and that Orange Cheek ( l095) has been on my wish list for awhile. Love its gracefulness in the water, that almost prehistoric look, and the color.

Absolutely. The L095 is one of the 3 off my pleco bucket list. They’ crazy cool when they go up to the surface and skim floating food.

Up:
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Down:
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Shame I couldn’t get the blue eyed panaque into this shipment, that would have been number 2. Third is the L025, absolutely stunning animals. I’ll get there, and so will you with the L095

[Pices]

Oh my gosh those fish are to die for and that pleco. Now I know what you and discluv are talking about. Wow to everything. If you need someone to feed and take care of that tank, sign me up. I’ll also be the office drooler cleaner upper for no extra charge. That will probably be a full time job in itself. Wow
Patty

[goldfish]

Impressive display

[Swedgin]

Oh my gosh those fish are to die for and that pleco. Now I know what you and discluv are talking about. Wow to everything. If you need someone to feed and take care of that tank, sign me up. I’ll also be the office drooler cleaner upper for no extra charge. That will probably be a full time job in itself. Wow
Patty

Haha, I'll keep you in mind, thanks.

Funnily enough, whenever my wife and I go on a vacation for longer than 3 or 4 days we have to get a house sitter to take care of all the finned, winged and 4 legged kids. Usually my Mom or brother, they don't complain about a free holiday in Dubai in the Autumn when the weather is nice and you can actually go outside and not be burned from the heat or soaked from the humidity.


Impressive display

Thanks very much




Just placed the order for the background from AquaDecor, went with the E8 as previously discussed, and added 5 of their standing logs as well. Have a look on their social media, there is one tank which only has the logs and virtually nothing else and it still looks awesome. I guess by the time it gets here for installation will be the end of July. My ultimate aim here time wise is to be able to show a proper, settled picture of the whole setup to finish off this thread. fingers crossed

[Swedgin]

Quite the contrast. Blue tank vs blue discus

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[Swedgin]

Let’s talk plants for a minute. I’ve never been a fan of planted tanks, just a personal preference. However I always use some sort of floater or emerged plants with their roots in the water for water quality.

So this tank will be no different, there will be a ton of pothos all the way in the back, left to right. I’ve been trying for ages to get some Ceratophyllum as floaters for the blues, but no luck here.

I’m also contemplating adding one or 2 big submerged plants, suspects here are Lotus and Echinodorus. I’m a bit worried though that it will change the look of the tank too much, drawing too much attention to the huge bright green, or in the case of lotus reddish, brute of a plant. The idea of a lotus growing all the way above the water column though intrigues me.

What to do?

[sanjay21]

Quite the contrast. Blue tank vs blue discus

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I got no words here... simply stunning ! :D

[Jack L]

if chipped corners weren't structural issue... i'd be tempted to negotiate a discount, you could then use that savings towards stocking.

[Swedgin]

if chipped corners weren't structural issue... i'd be tempted to negotiate a discount, you could then use that savings towards stocking.

They would have been, the way they were chipped. Even if not obviously, in my opinion a tank that size has to be built perfectly. Else I wouldn’t be able to sleep. Last thing I want is to worry wether it’s gonna hold or not. Same for the stand. I had them build it for at least double the tonnage.

[Swedgin]

New lot coming tomorrow night, am really excited. Hope all goes well, but they’ll only be in the boxes for about 24hrs.

Qt is ready, waiting for inhabitants:

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[Swedgin]

Ready to go to the airport

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[Pices]

That looks like a lot of fish Tobi! How many you got there?
Patty

[Swedgin]

That looks like a lot of fish Tobi! How many you got there?
Patty

Only 3 boxes are mine, the fourth belongs to my co conspirator here. There’s 20 discus and 7 L plecos for me and 5 discus for him.
15 of those 20 are for the new tank, plus 4 heckels and one green for the other setups.

[Discluv]

Im just as excited to see those pleco's as the discus :)

[Swedgin]

Im just as excited to see those pleco's as the discus :)

Me, too. I’ll post some pics once they’ve settled a bit

[Pices]

Fingers crossed for you today Tobi. Hope all your fish have a good flight and make it safe and sound.
Patty

[Swedgin]

Sneak peek, more later
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[Swedgin]

One of the Paraconi

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[Swedgin]

And one of the Iripixi, some are already looking for food, pecking at the alder cones. Will start them off with some blood worms in the afternoon, then higher quality food once they’re a bit more acclimated.

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[Discluv]

gorgeous fish!

[Swedgin]

Prepare for about a hundred random shots in the next couple days. Probably all I’m gonna do in my spare time. I’m over the moon with the way this went and how they are doing. One of the blue moon heckels is beyond gorgeous, but since not relevant to this thread, it’ll show up elsewhere.


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[Swedgin]

First round of bloodworms went down a treat

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[Swedgin]

I’m sorry, but you’ll have to make me stop
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[Swedgin]

Here’s the LDA31, all others are hiding.

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[goldfish]

The best looking discus that money can buy! Excellent colorful discus.

[Pices]

I’m sorry, but you’ll have to make me stop
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Don’t stop-keep them coming! Beautiful-can’t wait to see more. Glad everything went as planned. What shipping company did you use?
Patty

[Swedgin]

Don’t stop-keep them coming! Beautiful-can’t wait to see more. Glad everything went as planned. What shipping company did you use?
Patty

Don’t worry I won’t stop. Until I get kicked out for taking up too much storage space on Al’s server.

The flight was with Lufthansa, and the other guy I got them in with organized the actual import, so I was just piggybacking.

I’ve got a nice video of them feeding and doing stuff, but I posted one here less than a week ago, so would be against the rules to post it today I guess. If it’s allowed I’ll share my instagram handle, the vid can be found there

[LizStreithorst]

The fish and the tank set-up is stunning.

[Swedgin]

Second day, still everything perfect. I’ve restrained myself from sitting in front of them for too long, but still manages to get some decent shots. The 190 Heckel tank is directly opposite, so unfortunately there is some reflection here and there

Who’s bright idea was it to include plecos in this shipment ??
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FTS of the day
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The only Cuipeua in the group. Still got a lot of growing to do, one of the smallest in there
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Young royal, expecting a lot of color from this one in the future
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Another royal, already bigger than the other one, but still young with lots of potential
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The third royal, with a nice thick center bar
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[Swedgin]

And some of the Semi Royals

This one is always in the thick of it, nosiest one in there
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This one has an awesome shape, very round
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Nice centre bar (you may have noticed, I’ve got a bit of a centre bar fetish)
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When I first saw pictures of this one during the selection I thought he was much smaller than he actually is, pleasantly surprised.
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[Pices]

I love them all, but what is the first one? The nosy one? He/she is awesome.
Patty

[Swedgin]

I love them all, but what is the first one? The nosy one? He/she is awesome.
Patty

That’s also one of the Iripixi. It seems they have a wide range of phenotypes. Some look very close to Cuipeuas, some more like “Alenquers”, and then the Ica and Heckel crosses. All over the place. At least I can tell everyone apart that way very easily

[sanjay21]

I will never be bored to watch updates on these guys :D Thank you for taking time and posting all these awesome updates man !

[Swedgin]

I will never be bored to watch updates on these guys :D Thank you for taking time and posting all these awesome updates man !

I’ll keep them coming, don’t you worry ��

The reds are getting redder, this is one of the Nhamunda. Love the shape
116470


This one surprised me right out of the box, real dark horse. Didn’t expect much when I chose him but really getting into this one. Shame he’s showing a bit of bar on the picture, without me doodling around in front of the tank only the 3rd and 4th are pronounced, will catch that eventually.
116471


This shot shows the contrast between the reds and the rest quite nicely. No filters etc, just lucky with the light in that second
116472

[Swedgin]

FTS for the day:

116473

[Swedgin]

Just got this during feeding. The other Nhamunda Red. They’re starting to like the Blackworms, so I can stop feeding those candy apple bloodworms. First feed of the day the Blackworms are enriched with some fish vitamins.

116474

[Pices]

Oooh la la! I keep coming back to see more of these. Are you going to deworm and treat them once they’ve recovered from the trip?

[Swedgin]

Oooh la la! I keep coming back to see more of these. Are you going to deworm and treat them once they’ve recovered from the trip?

Only when I see something wrong with them. They have been treated more than enough in the previous facilities, first in Brazil and then in Germany. Flukes, Flagellates and worms have been taken care of, anything else comes in the future I’ll have to deal with it then

[Pices]

Thanks. I was just wondering if it’s the same here. I’m not sure, maybe it depends on the seller, but I think people in US deworm and treat for those nasties. Great then, we’ll get to see them in the big tank sooner. :)

[Swedgin]

Well on this platform I can admit that I’m looking at their poop very carefully. Try bringing that up in a normal conversation. So far all looks good, color and consistency just the way we like it, and breathing properly with both sides.

Unfortunately I don’t think it would have had an impact time wise. They just finished gluing yesterday. They said they’re coming on Thursday to clean the silicone up and leak test it, then Saturday the cabinet is due. We’ll see.

So by Sunday if everything goes well I should be able to start playing around with the plumbing, but can’t fix anything properly as I have to wait for the background to get here. Earliest that gets here is end of July, which is me being optimistic. They said they should finish production on the 11th, then 2-3 weeks shipping. Apparently it’s too big and heavy to get it couriered, unless I want to spend a fortune on shipping alone. Then I’d rather wait.

My hands are basically tied at the moment, but that at least gives me the chance to look after the new imports even more extensively than I would otherwise. Sitting in front of them for literally hours, but always have to wait till it gets dark outside to take some pictures.

[Swedgin]

Today’s FTS

116496

[Swedgin]

Meet Blondie (bright yellow eyes depending on mood), looking good tonight.

116497

[Pices]

That’s a good name. She’s a beauty! I hope all goes well with the test leak and cabinet. I’m getting excited to see it. I can’t imagine your own excitement (and worry). These fish are a great distraction though.:o
Patty

[Swedgin]

That’s a good name. She’s a beauty! I hope all goes well with the test leak and cabinet. I’m getting excited to see it. I can’t imagine your own excitement (and worry). These fish are a great distraction though.:o
Patty

If the leak test goes well we’re halfway there. Not much that can go wrong after that, unless we drop the tank whilst trying to get it on the cabinet.

My wife flew to Germany for the weekend, and as soon as I knew I bombarded her with online orders to bring back. Liquids are a pain to have shipped due to cost and leakage potential. So I stocked up on some things, mostly minerals, vitamins, bit of food and some other health boosters. I think most of these are pretty much “endemic” to Germany or Europe. Got some Catappa bark tubes as well, using them as pleco caves. They’ve got a great natural look.

All of these, except the minerals of course, are added to the food, so the supply should last a good while.

116506

[Swedgin]

This is what they look like with some daylight in the room. More reflection, but also better colors.

116507

If you look at the bottom right, by the air stone, you can see blondie’s psycho yellow eye.

The tube light in the tank is just a cheap generic one from the hardware store, just wanted light in there, didn’t care about color temperature etc just for a holding tank.

And also, we have reached the hand feeding stage. Thank you, freeze dried Blackworms...

[thomaswal]

I love your tanks and your fish!
If possible, I'd be interested in knowing how you prepare your food with all these ingredients and if there's a specific reason for each of them ;)

:)

[Swedgin]

I love your tanks and your fish!
If possible, I'd be interested in knowing how you prepare your food with all these ingredients and if there's a specific reason for each of them ;)

:)

Thank you Thomas ��

Out of the supplements shown I have so far only been using the Aquakraut and the JBL vitamins. The reason I started using these 2 was that the diet I was feeding at the time basically only consisted of FDBW.
Once they were hooked it was almost impossible to get them to eat pellets, flakes and even frozen foods. So to avoid deficiencies I started adding those.
The Aquakraut is a mixture of a load of natural herbs with different synergistic properties, I’ll pop the German text into a translator in a bit to show what’s in it as I don’t know half the English names for most of the plants.
I use it once a day usually on the second or third feed, letting whatever food I use at the time pickle in it for 10 mins. Subjectively it has helped the fish accepting non blackworm foods, especially granules.
The vitamins go on the first feed daily, just a couple drops on the blackworm cubes, and as soon as it’s soaked up they go in the tank.

The other stuff I bought is also new to me, but all can be used as food additives as well as into the water. Same goes for the vitamins and kraut, but with the water volume in my tanks it wouldn’t make sense economically.

The small orange bottle is Preis V-Power, less of a vitamin supplement but contains omega 3, ginger, propolis, gingko, ginseng and garlic.

Another one new to me is the lacto vital which contains several grain extracts, trace elements and vitamins and is supposed to aid in digestion.

The main reason for putting it on the food rather than in the water though is the fact that wild discus in their natural habitats get virtually all their macro and micro nutrients through their food and very little if any at all through the water, which has basically no or little solids dissolved.

However I am not planning to use every product every day, too much is probably just as bad as too little. they have started taking the granules better now so the lobsided nutrition is coming to an end and since I’m mixing about 10 different types of granules they will be able to get more out of those than just plain blackworms.

[Swedgin]

Another pic, just because

Love his pearl spots

116510

[Swedgin]

Here’s the translation for the Aquakraut, too much to type, used google translate, so some funny grammar in there probably


Aqua Herb

A natural care product for ornamental fish, suitable for freshwater aquariums and ponds

1. ingredients

Aqua-herb consists of specially selected and gently won essences of herbs, leaves and fruits (including almond leaves, yarrow, marigold, ginkgo, garlic, aloe vera, raspberry leaves, basil, lady's mantle, St. John's wort, dandelion, oranges, onions, rose hips, hawthorn, Parsley, stinging nettle leaves, walnut leaves, lemon balm leaves, grapevine, chamomile flowers, plantain, elderberry, borage, lime blossom, peppermint, verbena, rosemary, thyme, hyssop, lovage), which are mixed and filtered in a special process

2nd mode of action

Some components of Aqua herb (e.g., garlic, aloe vera, or almond leaves) have been known for some time for their antibacterial and mucosal protective effects (see publications in the Discus Brief, DWR Publishing, or Discus Annuals).
So we find the garlic now almost in every feed mixture, aloe vera in water conditioners and almond leaves in their purest form and as granules similar to teabags in antifungal agents.
Other ingredients such as sheep, onions or dandelions are new in the aquarium area, but have been used successfully in other species for some time and help the immune system.
So Lovage, yarrow, dandelion, rose hips, oranges, thyme, rosemary soothes digestive problems, inflammation of the digestive tract and stimulate the appetite. The role played by ingredients such as flavonoids and coumarins has long been known in human medicine and is also used successfully there. Just think of the "famous" chamomile tea!
The anti-inflammatory effects of nettle leaves, marigolds or St. John's wort are also known, as are the beneficial effects of tannins in lady's mantle, walnut leaf or peppermint.
All of these properties have been combined in aqua-weed and have a positive effect on the fish organism, the immune system and thus also on the well-being of the fish, irrespective of whether those components are consumed by water or food, with ingestion via the diet in most cases probably the more effective option.

3. Applications

Aqua-cabbage can be fed to the fish both via water and via food. The applications should be preventive weekly. For water application, add 20 ml per week to 100 liters of aquarium water. Are the animals very stressed z.b. by turf fights or brood care you give 30 ml to 100 liters, as well as you should choose this dosage in adolescent juveniles. When feeding through the diet, the impregnation of dry food, especially Tubifex FD and Artemia FD, but also of flake food, with two drops of Aqua herb twice a week has been proven. Fish that already show faeces in the gastrointestinal tract due to their white faeces should be treated daily with a processed feed until the faeces have a normal color and consistency again.
Applications via the water and via the feed can be easily combined.
In the test phase, which lasted over a year, it was shown that, in addition to the above-mentioned effects, there was another positive effect that was not explicitly intended: feed, which had previously been taken rather hesitantly or not at all, was eaten without problems after adding a few drops of aqua herb.

[Swedgin]

If you don’t hear from me tomorrow I’ll be busy wiping up 650 gallons of water.

116518

[Swedgin]

Meanwhile..... 5th feed today

116521

[Pices]

Well that’s a cliff hanger! Sleep well tonight. Ha ha
Patty

[thomaswal]

Thank you Thomas ��

Out of the supplements shown I have so far only been using the Aquakraut and the JBL vitamins. [...Some interesting information...] just plain blackworms.

Thanks for the info!

[Swedgin]

Rock solid. Thank god, no drama as with the last one. A

[Swedgin]

Meh, celebrated too early. Got some moisture enclosed between front and bottom panel. So tomorrow front panel is coming off and gets redone. Same thing happened with my 325, in the end it took 5 months from order to setting it up. Hope this time round it won’t take as long.

On a positive note, it seems there is already a pair forming in the qt, one of the Iripixi and one Nhamunda red are hitting it off, defending a whole third of the tank. Not so fun for the others, but hey, gotta find a silver lining somewhere.

[Swedgin]

I don’t think I have given this one a proper feature yet, Iripixi solid. Very nice shape

116587
116588

And just for fun: I can only imagine the colours photographed with a decent camera
116589

[Swedgin]

The elusive Ica, really hard to get a proper picture of this one, always in the wrong place at the wrong time
116590

And more blue:
116591

[Swedgin]

Sorry about the reflection, but here is one of the Panaquolus albomaculatus (LDA31)
116592

Unfortunately all the other plecos are still in hiding during the day. But they’ll get there eventually

[Swedgin]

Quite the size difference between the Nhamunda on the left and the Cuipeua. Both stunners in their own right
116593

I was supposed to get a workout in today, but instead “wasted” my time looking at fish. Well done Tobi

[Swedgin]

Last one for today, I promise. Part of the cleanup crew, C. arcuatus (Skunk Cory)
116594

[Jack L]

looks great

[Swedgin]

Of course I’m not forgetting about the old crew, but it’s virtually impossible to get a proper picture, they’re always begging
116602

[Swedgin]

So we’ve resealed the front of the tank, letting it cure for a week, means leak testing again coming Sunday. To bridge the time I might get into what I have in mind for filtration in the coming days. Spoiler alert, it’s gonna be canisters again


In the meantime please admire my inability to take decent pictures of one of my favorite fish. Enjoy:
116652

[Pices]

Wow! I think that’s also my favorite, but I admit I’m fickle. Definitely a prize fish.
Patty

[Swedgin]

Wow! I think that’s also my favorite, but I admit I’m fickle. Definitely a prize fish.
Patty

Haha, same here, too many nice ones to choose from.

Anyway, Aquadecor finished the background for this tank, should get shipped soon.

116658

116659

[Swedgin]

Got the bugger after all. Both sides even

116663
116664

[Swedgin]

Another one of my “special” ones from the older stock. Got lucky with this one, too.
116665


Can’t wait to finally mix all the blues and reds together in the new setup.

[Swedgin]

Been a while, unfortunately nothing new to report, we’re Still letting the silicone cure until tomorrow, a whole 2 weeks to be safe. Hopefully we can test again in a few days and start getting serious after that. I estimate the background to arrive some time around the 30th, and then we’ll get onto the home stretch. The longer it takes the more cramped the fish look in holding (they’re not, just my perception), but I hope to be able to move them into the new tank within the next 3 weeks. Will be using all their cycled media in the filters, so no waiting on that front at least. I’ll get some pics to keep this halfway interesting for anyone following.

[Swedgin]

Progress.
Cabined has been delivered. Need some touch ups here and there, but looks solid.

Tank is filled and hopefully nothing nasty comes up in the next few days. It’s virtually impossible to get everything on camera, as the room is too small. I tried to do a size comparison picture with a fully grown, 6’3 240lbs Tobi, but it’s not working, will have to wait until the tank is on the cabinet.

116914
116915
116916

[Disgirl]

Wow, that is a huge tank! How long did it take to fill with 2 hoses? Which room is it going into when all finished? I will keep my eyes on this thread to see how it goes. Thanks for the pics!
Barb

[Second Hand Pat]

WOW...what a beast that tank is Tobi. It will be amazing once setup. How it is lifted off the floor?
Pat

[fljones3]

I have loved the progress! Love the tank. However, as a book lover -- the shelving is amazing. :)

[sanjay21]

What a beast of a tank that is ! I can't wait to see fish swimming in that massive space. Wilds deserve that space :)

[jeep]

I've been trying to catch up on all these contest posts. So far, I really enjoy watching your progression with this build!

[Pices]

Tobi, this is such a huge undertaking, but you are so cool and calm throughout this process. How long have you been keeping discus? Wilds? I have a hundred other questions, but at the risk of being nosy, I’ll just ask those 2 now. This is an amazing and exciting thread to say the least. Where did you acquire your knowledge on this hobby?
Patty

[snxtif]

I tried to do a size comparison picture with a fully grown, 6’3 240lbs Tobi, but it’s not working, will have to wait until the tank is on the cabinet.


AWESOME!, no sign of stunting at all.
Must have been kept in pristine condition I presume!

Joking aside, my dream tank would look exactly like this!

[Swedgin]

Wow, that is a huge tank! How long did it take to fill with 2 hoses? Which room is it going into when all finished? I will keep my eyes on this thread to see how it goes. Thanks for the pics!
Barb

Hi Barb,

it will stay in the room it's currently in, just need to get it on the cabinet. Cabinet is already in the right spot, bit of tweaking a few inches but that's it. We'll move the book cases further up, so the last one doesn't get hidden behind the tank

It filled up fairly quickly. 30 mins maybe. this was just tap water, from 2 independent supply pumps

WOW...what a beast that tank is Tobi. It will be amazing once setup. How it is lifted off the floor?
Pat


I have loved the progress! Love the tank. However, as a book lover -- the shelving is amazing. :)

Yes thanks, we love them, too. If I got this right the fronts are made out of old Indian door frames. When we got here 13 years ago the shops were full of these, but these days you can hardly find any, the furniture style here has changed dramatically, much more modern.


What a beast of a tank that is ! I can't wait to see fish swimming in that massive space. Wilds deserve that space :)

100% with you Sanjay. Proper work will start this week end, hopefully by next weekend it should be ready for the fish.


I've been trying to catch up on all these contest posts. So far, I really enjoy watching your progression with this build!

Thanks Brian, there's quite a few great threads in the contest, I hope people keep them going till the end.


Tobi, this is such a huge undertaking, but you are so cool and calm throughout this process. How long have you been keeping discus? Wilds? I have a hundred other questions, but at the risk of being nosy, I’ll just ask those 2 now. This is an amazing and exciting thread to say the least. Where did you acquire your knowledge on this hobby?
Patty

Fire away Patty, I don't mind any questions at all. After all that's what the forum is about.

Honestly I'm not that cool and calm at all, I just try to contain myself on the forum. My wife's ears are bleeding from my constant fish talk. I literally warn her by now when I'm about to start so she can brace herself and cancel the next few hours in her schedule. She's the luckiest woman alive :) :)

I've been keeping discus on and off for 20 years, so started at 16. At 18 I moved abroad and didn't have a chance to set something up until I moved back to Germany. We had a discus tank then, which we closed down when we moved out here.

Then I tried to start a tank back up (we brought 2 190gal with us from Ger when we moved), but it was impossible to find halfway decent discus. So I stuck to oscars, as I m a huge SA cichlid fan, not just discus.

The wilds came beginning of last year, by sheer luck the local pet shop imported their first direct shipment from Brazil, which contained 12 green and 12 heckels. They arrived in a horrible state and I didn't think many would make it. So after a week of intensive treatments they had 6 greens and 8 heckels left and I bought them all. A few months later they got more in, blues and greens, and all my stock had been made up from those 2 imports until I got my own shipment a few weeks ago.

My knowledge? I've said this before somewhere I think, but whatever I know comes from either trial and error, making things up as I go along, and READING as much as I can. I can hand on heart honestly say that if it had not been for Simply I likely would not have dared take on wilds at all. Also Heiko Blehers books are invaluable in my opinion, wether you like him or not, but the knowledge he has compiled in his books and magazines is amazing. I highly recommend his literature.


AWESOME!, no sign of stunting at all.
Must have been kept in pristine condition I presume!

Joking aside, my dream tank would look exactly like this!

Bit of an iffy start but caught up eventually, once the growout diet was changed from vegetables to pizza.

Thanks though, I just hope it all works out and it will be my actual dream tank as planned

[Swedgin]

WOW...what a beast that tank is Tobi. It will be amazing once setup. How it is lifted off the floor?
Pat

Sorry Pat,

missed to answer this. We’re doing it in an hour. There’s 14 of us. We’ll try to get it off the floor onto 4x4s and then with belts a bit further up. Then we’ll see....

Picture of finished placing, broken backs or broken tank to come soon...

[Swedgin]

We did it. The most difficult part was actually not the lifting, but getting the rubber mat into place. Will post more latr, but the major work has been done, now the fun begins...

116991

[plecocicho]

My knowledge? I've said this before somewhere I think, but whatever I know comes from either trial and error, making things up as I go along, and READING as much as I can. I can hand on heart honestly say that if it had not been for Simply I likely would not have dared take on wilds at all. Also Heiko Blehers books are invaluable in my opinion, wether you like him or not, but the knowledge he has compiled in his books and magazines is amazing. I highly recommend his literature.





And probably Mayland books and espcially german Diskus Brief, the best magazine on discus in the world. The tank is a bomb. And a nightmare if you get some disease in it. But so far your discu seem quite healthy.

[Pices]

Thanks for answering my questions Tobi. Looking at all your fish I would never have guessed that any of them ever had a bad day. Incredible what you’ve done. I don’t know about your wife,(she sounds like a saint) but I’d definitely say your fish are the luckiest in the world. I’m excited and I’m an ocean away, you must be off the Richter Scale with excitement!
Waiting with “baited” breath,
Patty

[Pices]

And probably Mayland books and espcially german Diskus Brief, the best magazine on discus in the world. The tank is a bomb. And a nightmare if you get some disease in it. But so far your discu seem quite healthy.
Thanks for the info both of you. I’m going to check into these books/ mags. Like any hobby (obsession might be a better word) the more I learn, the more I want to learn. So thanks again.
Patty
Patty

[snxtif]

Picture of finished placing, broken backs or broken tank to come soon...


Excited audiences!



We did it.


Disappointed audiences!

lol, good job though

[Swedgin]

And probably Mayland books and espcially german Diskus Brief, the best magazine on discus in the world. The tank is a bomb. And a nightmare if you get some disease in it. But so far your discu seem quite healthy.

Yes, all good literature.

What’s this “disease” you are talking about? :)


Thanks for answering my questions Tobi. Looking at all your fish I would never have guessed that any of them ever had a bad day. Incredible what you’ve done. I don’t know about your wife,(she sounds like a saint) but I’d definitely say your fish are the luckiest in the world. I’m excited and I’m an ocean away, you must be off the Richter Scale with excitement!
Waiting with “baited” breath,
Patty

She is, Patty. Not just regarding the fish. I’ve been told once or twice I’m not easy to live with. I agree


Excited audiences!



Disappointed audiences!

lol, good job though

Sorry to disappoint. It’s amazing what a few good friends can achieve when baited with burgers and beer.

But man, this is a lot of work, I should be able to finish all the silicone inside the tank today, then have to let it cure for a good 3 days. In the meantime I’m almost there with filtration, pipes are all cut and glued, just need to connect the hoses. Tank needs a good cleaning inside though, my silicone game is NOT on point. Just hope it won’t show in the end.

Will update tonight with some pics

[Swedgin]

Still chipping away at it. The worst part is getting in and out of the tank, and I bet if someone took a video it would go viral....

117195
117196

[Swedgin]

Should be able to finish the plumbing tomorrow and get back up in there to clean up excess silicone etc. the standing kogs are places, just the thickest one in the middle not yet as I’m unsure where to put it. If it doesn’t fit I’ll leave it out. Any suggestions welcome.
117223

[Second Hand Pat]

Tobi, first it is going to look awesome. :D On the straight logs, I suggest you place them at a slant so they merge in with the background...just a thought!!
Pat

[Swedgin]

Tobi, first it is going to look awesome. :D On the straight logs, I suggest you place them at a slant so they merge in with the background...just a thought!!
Pat

Thanks Pat. We tried that, but it looked too “forced” or obvious. The 4 thinner ones are already glued down and will stay there, they hide a lot of the piping etc.

The tick log I think I found a solution and it is actually slanted like you said, but have to see what it looks like under water. Which will be tonight, just cleaning up the rest of the silicone.

I hope my pipe work holds up on the pond filter, lots of union joints.

Will update later or go to bed crying....

117246

[Pices]

This is so exciting! I can hardly wait for updates. I think it’s looking really good so far, even the straight ones to the right look natural. I’m reminded of Jenene’s quote by W.C. Fields, “You can’t trust water, even a straight stick looks bent in it.” I probably misquoted him, but you get the idea anyway. Try not to worry and maybe take your wife out for a nice dinner. You both earned it!
Patty

[Swedgin]

Try not to worry and maybe take your wife out for a nice dinner.
Patty

Nah, she got flowers a couple months ago. She’s good

[Second Hand Pat]

Hope you didn't go to bed crying Tobi :)
Pat

[sanjay21]

Though I'm not replying much here, just want to say this thread is so much fun to follow. Enjoyed every updates on the tank :) Can't wait to see it completed. Love the 3d background !
I always wondered how to circulate the water trapped behind the background, do you use anything for circulating the water ?

[Swedgin]

Sorry, been working stiff. Will answer and update properly in a few hours.
Teaser pic for now:
117353

[Swedgin]

Sorry guys,

work got in the middle of it. Anyway, the Discus are moving in today, a group of 25 Corydoras trilineatus are already swimming around in there.

So hopefully proper update tonight.

[Swedgin]

Hope you didn't go to bed crying Tobi :)
Pat

I did, almost. But from exhaustion rather than anything else. As fun as it is, it took more out of me than I expected.


Though I'm not replying much here, just want to say this thread is so much fun to follow. Enjoyed every updates on the tank :) Can't wait to see it completed. Love the 3d background !
I always wondered how to circulate the water trapped behind the background, do you use anything for circulating the water ?

Thanks Sanjay, appreciate that.

As for circulation behind the background, 2 of the filters have their outlets turned half into the tank and half into the background. I also have an extra pump I can turn on to move anything behind in the direction of the filter intakes, should any nasty bits accumulate.

Like expected with a newly set up tank, cloudy water and less than happy fish. Tomorrow is a new day and they will be a lot happier

117365

The angels are already back to their usual bullying, seems the dominant pair can’t help themselves.

117366

The cories don’t seem to care much, either.

117367

I’ll update tomorrow with some less cloudy water and less sulky fish.

[Spidy]

A pic with you in front might help give us a sense of scale also.

[Swedgin]

A pic with you in front might help give us a sense of scale also.

I’m too shy. I’ll stick someone else in front of it. Place is still a mess, and I’ve got 2 more tanks to finish

[megatrev62]

Dream tank.

[Swedgin]

Still far from what I’m envisioning, but at least the fish are more active, some still bruised from the catching unfortunately. I way overdid the alder cones and IAL, so the water is a lot darker than I ever wanted. Everything and everyone is brown.

I did however get lucky and my lfs got some interesting fish in, so I’ve reserved a few, mostly Corydoras (davidsandsi, duplicareus, weitzmani, CW010 and really happy about the CW124), also one L264 and 2 L333 “Xingu”.

I’m still debating wether to add tetras, only choice here would be cardinals, and they got a load of large ones in, as well. I think I’ll go for them, they should add a nice contrast.

As mentioned, way darker than it should be and will be:
117408

[Second Hand Pat]

I think it is perfect Tobi and well worth the effort :D
Pat

[sanjay21]

This is worth the wait !! I love the tank! so much room for the fish :)

[Pices]

Oh my! It is everything I imagined it would be and more! I’ll be watching for more of this unveiling.
Patty

[Filip]

Great biotope tank Tobi. It was well worthed the effort

[Swedgin]

This is worth the wait !! I love the tank! so much room for the fish :)


Oh my! It is everything I imagined it would be and more! I’ll be watching for more of this unveiling.
Patty


Great biotope tank Tobi. It was well worthed the effort


Thanks guys, appreciate the kind words. But as mentioned, nowhere near where it’s supposed to be at some point.
I’m having a hard time finding the right plants, everyone is out of stock.

However, I’ve just come home with some new fish which will go in there after some preemptive treatment and qt:

120 Cardinal Tetras
20 Corydoras davidsandsi
20 Corydoras duplicareus
9 C124
2 L333
1 L264

Also 10 CW010 for the greens tank

[fljones3]

Thanks guys, appreciate the kind words. But as mentioned, nowhere near where it’s supposed to be at some point.
I’m having a hard time finding the right plants, everyone is out of stock.

However, I’ve just come home with some new fish which will go in there after some preemptive treatment and qt:

120 Cardinal Tetras
20 Corydoras davidsandsi
20 Corydoras duplicareus
9 CW124
2 L333
1 L264

Also 10 CW010 for the greens tank

Seeing this brought up a question. With so many new fish, do you QT all in one tank or do you separate by fish type?
BTW, I look forward to your posts. Beautiful tanks and design.

[Swedgin]

Seeing this brought up a question. With so many new fish, do you QT all in one tank or do you separate by fish type?
BTW, I look forward to your posts. Beautiful tanks and design.

Hi Frank,

yes, they are all in the same tank. I removed the heckels from their 190g yesterday, which still has a few cycled filters running. My way of quarantine in this case and most others is that I expose the new fish to my existing environment, but make sure once in they stay separated from all other established stock, i.e. different hoses, nets etc.

When it’s not discus but small dithers like this I like to strike preemptively and treat them with a broad spectrum medication, in this case Esha 2000, to be safe. Once they finished treatment and look fine a week after that, they can go into their destination tank(s).

“Quarantine “ looks like this in my house:

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[fljones3]

I love it. Even the QT looks fantastic. Thanks Swedgin!

[Swedgin]

Some of the fish in the qt right now

L091
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C124
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C. duplicareus on the left, CW010 on the right
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C. davidsandsi on the right
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[JamesW]

Not many tanks make discus look undersized for their environment! Holy cow that is a big tank!!!

[Spidy]

So, are you saying you wouldn't use Esha 2000 with Discus?

[Swedgin]

So, are you saying you wouldn't use Esha 2000 with Discus?

I have never used Esha 2000 on Discus (yet), but simply because when I had issues with the discus it was usually a specific infection/parasite which I would deal with using the specific medication for that.

To be honest if I was thinking of using 2000 with discus I would check as many reviews and forum reports etc to see if there are potential issues.

I have had excellent results with Esha Hexamita in my discus though.

[Swedgin]

Little feeding video. Hope the quality is alright, I’m doing all this with my phone and half the time I have no clue.

http://youtu.be/t53bUMqlg6w

And some pics
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And this :)
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[Second Hand Pat]

Well, that didn't take long lol :D Fish and tank look fantastic!!
Pat

[Swedgin]

Eggs are from the angels, I’m not THAT lucky

[jeep]

Eggs are from the angels, I’m not THAT lucky

LOl, only means the discus will follow! Awesome tank!

[Second Hand Pat]

Eggs are from the angels, I’m not THAT lucky

What is one to think when you post a pic of eggs after a bunch of wild discus pics lol
Pat

[Spidy]

I have never used Esha 2000 on Discus (yet), but simply because when I had issues with the discus it was usually a specific infection/parasite which I would deal with using the specific medication for that.

To be honest if I was thinking of using 2000 with discus I would check as many reviews and forum reports etc to see if there are potential issues.

I have had excellent results with Esha Hexamita in my discus though.

Thanks for the info.

[Swedgin]

Few more pics to round it off. Everyone seems to be getting really comfortable now, colors are starting to pop more
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[Swedgin]

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[Second Hand Pat]

Can only say WOW Tobi, killer tank and the fish look great! :D
Pat

[Pices]

I could look at this all day. Everything-the tank, the background, the fish, so beautiful!
Patty

[megatrev62]

Awesome.

[DiscusBR]

I have no words. Stunning fish and setup.

[fljones3]

I could look at this all day. Everything-the tank, the background, the fish, so beautiful!
Patty

That's what I was thinking. How do you get anything else done! :D

[LizStreithorst]

I have no words. Stunning fish and setup.

Neither do I have words. It's breath taking.

[prittbotha]

Well done!!! It looks amazing!

[Swedgin]

Can only say WOW Tobi, killer tank and the fish look great! :D
Pat

Thank you Pat, still slowly chipping away at it


I could look at this all day. Everything-the tank, the background, the fish, so beautiful!
Patty

Thanks Patty, we’re just putting all the furniture back into the room, so the all day watching shall commence henceforth.


Awesome.

Thank you :)


I have no words. Stunning fish and setup.

Thank you Mauro


That's what I was thinking. How do you get anything else done! :D

Place is still messy, so not very comfortable sitting in front of it yet, but in a few days my wife will know where to find me, everytime should she be looking for me


Neither do I have words. It's breath taking.

Thanks Liz


Well done!!! It looks amazing!

Thank you. As stated, still incomplete, but today I added the dithers from the quarantine, and decided to throw all tetras in there. Originally the Pristella were supposed to go with the heckels, but once I started catching them up I couldn’t be bothered to separate all of them. Also got some rummynoses, but they suffered heavy losses during quarantine, my guess is due to poor condition and nutritional deficiencies. The ones that survived look healthy.

So the current stocking is as follows:

Discus:
11 Uatuma/Beruri blue
10 Iripixi red/semi/royal
2 Nhamunda Guariba red
2 Paraconi red
1 Cuipeua semi

Cichlids:
4 P. scalare “Amapá Red Back”
2 Ivanacara adoketa

Plecos:
4 L270
3 L239
2 L128
2 LDA16
1 L333
1 L142
1 LDA31
1 L114
1 L091
1 L264

Corydoras:
25 C. trilineatus
20 C. duplicareus
20 C. davidsandsi
10 C. metae
9 CW124
7 C. oiapoquensis
6 C. similis
6 C. aeneus
6 CW028
6 C. venezuelanus
2 C. kanei
1 C. amapaensis
1 CW049

Tetras (rough numbers):
110 Cardinals
40 Rummy nose
30 Pristella maxillaris

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[Swedgin]

Some bottom feeder action during dusk:

http://youtu.be/sdUrHD1UexE

[Swedgin]

Finally found some plants to float. Went with water sprite and water hyacinths. I had no idea they have purple roots. Will take me a day or 2 to get used to it, but it looks kinda cool (different)

Just did a water change with syphoning, so the stars of the show are a bit ticked off. Got vitamined blood worms ready though to get on their good side soon enough.


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[RogueDiscus]

I'm enjoying your tank thread. Beautiful. Those purple roots are strange!

[snxtif]

One simple question and I need a clear answer,
Is "Swimming with my discus" thread coming soon? :evilgrin:

[Swedgin]

One simple question and I need a clear answer,
Is "Swimming with my discus" thread coming soon? :evilgrin:

Definitely maybe

[Jack L]

Never saw purple roots before, have they stayed purple?

[LizStreithorst]

Never saw purple roots before, have they stayed purple?

I wondered about that too, Jack. The dither fish are having a ball, but it looks like the Discus need a little more time to become comfortable in that huge tank.

[Swedgin]

I wondered about that too, Jack. The dither fish are having a ball, but it looks like the Discus need a little more time to become comfortable in that huge tank.

Well I had just been poking around with a pipe for half an hour trying to syphon, they didn’t appreciate it much ;)

Here’s a water change pic from today, the UV got rid of all the tannins. Makes their colors pop like crazy, better than in the picture, but the overall look is not for me. Just put a load of fulvic acid concentrate in there, we’ll see how long the brown tinge lasts.

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[Swedgin]

Never saw purple roots before, have they stayed purple?

They have and will, Jack. It’s the purple rooted water hyacinth, so I’m going by that :)

It’s actually a pest in most countries, but there are some good studies proving their efficiency at (of/with? me no englishing) pulling all kinds of toxins and heavy metals out of the water. Which is tbe main reason for me to use floaters and pothos roots in the first place.

[Swedgin]

Just a few things to report which I also hope to get some pictures of in the next few days, right now I’m busy finishing off the heckel tank. Should be done with that in a couple days though, lot less hassle than this one.

So, got some hitch hikers when I got the rummy noses, 3 Iriatherina werneri (threadfin rainbow fish). Not exactly biotope correct, as they are from Asia, but these little dudes are so much fun to watch, chasing each other and flashing their fins at each other. Stunningly beautiful fish, too. Looking at pics online I guess I have subadults, not fully colored out but fins starting to get darker.

I seem to have a pair forming, the Cuipeua and the larger of tbe Paraconi are claiming the complete right quarter of the tank, any other discus gets chased away immediately. Should be cool to see what’s going to happen. I think the Cuipeua is quite young, smallest fish in there and not stunted as far as I would say.

Also, filtration seems to be on point, the water is crystal clear and I can alter the tinge at will, currently using my 5% homemade fulvic acid concentrate and a few new IAL here and there.

I have also decided not to move the large L095 over, he’s so comfortable in the greens tank with his favorite spot etc, and looks as fat and healthy as can be. No point ripping him out of there.

Further I have noticed my fish prefer flakes over granules and even over frozen krill and brine shrimp. The only thing they go proper nuts for are FDBW and frozen blood worms.

That’s it for now, hope to document this in pics soon.

[Swedgin]

Quick FTS from tonight. Did a WC and added some humin, hence the dark water..

What bothers me with this picture and most others is that I can’t seem to get rid of that really bright spot top left where the plant gets a lot of light. Any iPhone pros here with some tips? I’d rather not use a photoshop type of program but take a good picture straight off.

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[Second Hand Pat]

Hey Tobi, Just remove the floating plants along the front edge prior to taking your picture. I think that will remove your hotspots!!
Pat

[Tshethar]

Well, whatever the limits may be as far as the photography goes, the tank is awesome! Keep the fish pics coming--like the two starting to pair! :thumbsup:

[Swedgin]

Well, whatever the limits may be as far as the photography goes, the tank is awesome! Keep the fish pics coming--like the two starting to pair! :thumbsup:

Will do, Bill. Problem is they start begging as soon as I move an inch, so their behavior gets interrupted.

But stumbled across some older pics and quite cool the development these 2 took, though the second one was in fairly good shape to begin with.

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[Swedgin]

And a little post WC action.
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Meet “Cocky”, the Cuipeua:
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“Fabio”, always photogenic:
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Corydoras metae
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Corydoras oiapoquensis
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And let’s not forget the water change assistants. They’re spent
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[RogueDiscus]

You've probably told us before, but what are you using for tannins, dark look?

[Swedgin]

You've probably told us before, but what are you using for tannins, dark look?

4 different things:
Indian Almond Leaves
Alder cones
Humic acid
Fulvic acid

The IAL and the fulvic when used alone only give a very slight hint of brown. The alder cones leach a lot for quite some time, gets quite dark.
With the humic you can black out the whole tank if you want to, and you don’t need much.
These are a couple of pictures of the first test run, just to see what it looks like. 700 gallons of water vs 100ml 5% humic Acid concentrate

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The actual setup with added fish is done with IAL and Alder cones. Didn’t count at the time, but only maybe 20 large leaves and a good handful of cones. Took ages to get lighter, even with 160 watt uv running 24/7, due to the cones leaching for a while

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[Pices]

I was looking back and noticed it didn’t take them long to own that tank. They are front and center and seem very happy in their new fish mansion. I hope you keep posting pics of your tank after the contest ends as I’ve become a big fan of these beauties. Your photo skills are also excellent.
Patty

[Swedgin]

I was looking back and noticed it didn’t take them long to own that tank. They are front and center and seem very happy in their new fish mansion. I hope you keep posting pics of your tank after the contest ends

Yes they bave, and it’s incredibly interesting what’s going on there. The 11 old residents all had their fixed spots in the old 220, and for the most part they are occupying the same spots as before. I think it has to do also with the fact that the new tank is in the exact same spot as the old one, so when they look out they see the same environment they are used to. Except for the 2 that used to own the right quarter of the old tank, which is now kingdom of the Paraconi/Cuipeua couple. So the displaced ones are more in the back, staring at the wood.

I guess after the contest, depending on what Al has in mind, I will move or copy this into my homestead and keep going in there.


Your photo skills are also excellent.


My iPhone clicking skills, yes. I wish I could take credit for that, but the phone has such a good camera by now it’s ridiculous. Also you don’t get to see the 30 bad shots for each good one.

Case in point:

West coast still sunny, east coast going to sleep. Need to fix the timers.
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And the kids playing in the dirt:
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[plecocicho]

Gorgeous tank and fish, my dream tank (only i would go with true biotop). Care to share recipe for your homemade tanin/fulvic concentrate?

[Swedgin]

Gorgeous tank and fish, my dream tank (only i would go with true biotop). Care to share recipe for your homemade tanin/fulvic concentrate?

Thanks. True biotope would be nice, but species wise over here I take what I can get. And I got greedy with the plecos. Neither of my 3 groups qualify for B1 or even B2 due to the dithers, but I don’t mind.

The humic acid concentrate is made from TeraVita’s 90% humic acid powder

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The fulvic acid concentrate is made from a 90% powder as well, sold by customhydronutrients.com

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I use these instead of the ready made aquarium varieties due to cost. With my water volume combined it would cost me an arm and a leg to keep the tanks saturated with the commercial stuff. So this is the next best thing.

The humic clouds the water for a few days, the fulvic barely has a visual impact. I have been reading up on both compounds a lot recently, there’s a bit of controversy. Some say humic is indispensable to keep wild discus successfully, others say humic is useless as it does not dissolve properly. Fulvic as a stand-alone seems fairly new. Solubility is better, and from what I know SO FAR, it can replace the humic compounds 100%.
It’s virtually impossible to find hard data on what works best, so I am experimenting quite a bit.
Subjectively both have an equally positive impact on the fish. Their colors are more vibrant and they are more active when I use either these 2 or the alder/almond combo. It seems that as long as there are either of those substances in the water, it doesn’t matter which.
But I’m still learning about it and can’t give any qualified facts. What is fsct is that shortly after I started adding the humic concentrate to the greens tank, they started spawning, which they have never done before.

[sanjay21]

What an amazing setup Tobi !! right from Page 1 this thread has always had so much going on. Tank turned out beyond what I could have pictured !

I don't think I can ever get bored watching this tank :D Great job !!

[Jody]

Very impressive tank - I am just getting into the hobby with my first discus showing up next week.

This post has been very inspiring! How have the cories been doing in the warmer water?

[Swedgin]

What an amazing setup Tobi !! right from Page 1 this thread has always had so much going on. Tank turned out beyond what I could have pictured !

I don't think I can ever get bored watching this tank :D Great job !!

Hi Sanjay, thanks.
Yeah it turned out quite alright, still thinking of ways to improve things. I’m not 100% happy with the water flow, need to adjust some of the filter in- and outflows. I’ve just moved the Hyacinths to the back of the tank, the roots are too distracting to me, especially when the tannins are low.
But I am in fact spending a lot of time in front of it, always something going on.


Very impressive tank - I am just getting into the hobby with my first discus showing up next week.

This post has been very inspiring! How have the cories been doing in the warmer water?

Hi Jody, welcome to the forum. You found the right place, tons of knowledge for newbs and veterans alike on here.
Looking forward to seeing your new fish and tank, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.

The cories are doing great, but as I might have mentioned before, my temps are at the low end of the discus spectrum, barely going over 28 Celsius.

[Paul Sabucchi]

My compliments again Tobi and thank you for mentioning what you are using for humic and fulvic acid (watched a video some time ago by some chap who is an amateur fish trader, he was waxing lyrical about it). If you ever want any oak leaves let me know (possibly in autumn when there are readily available on my land), plenty of tannins there. I also have plenty of almond trees but unfortunately just the regular variety, not Catappa

[Swedgin]

My compliments again Tobi and thank you for mentioning what you are using for humic and fulvic acid (watched a video some time ago by some chap who is an amateur fish trader, he was waxing lyrical about it). If you ever want any oak leaves let me know (possibly in autumn when there are readily available on my land), plenty of tannins there. I also have plenty of almond trees but unfortunately just the regular variety, not Catappa

Wow, thanks Paul, appreciate the offer. We actually have Catappa growing in our garden and at my wife’s place of work, so we’re covered for now. Never tried oak, but I just might at some point.

Yes, the whole fulvic/humic thing is really intriguing, I guess there wil be more good info in the coming years. To be fair though, there are plenty of people who know what they are doing (breeding wilds etc) without using it. But as said, anecdotal evidence in my case is favorable

[Swedgin]

Some interesting material on fulvic acids:

https://discuswildlife.dk/gb/content/whyfulvic

http://www.fulvicacidminerals.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/About-Humic-Fulvic-Substances-pt-1.pdf

Interesting, but to be taken with a grain of salt as this is posted by the Danish company selling their commercial fulvic acid product.

[LizStreithorst]

Thanks. True biotope would be nice, but species wise over here I take what I can get. And I got greedy with the plecos. Neither of my 3 groups qualify for B1 or even B2 due to the dithers, but I don’t mind.

The humic acid concentrate is made from TeraVita’s 90% humic acid powder

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The fulvic acid concentrate is made from a 90% powder as well, sold by customhydronutrients.com

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I use these instead of the ready made aquarium varieties due to cost. With my water volume combined it would cost me an arm and a leg to keep the tanks saturated with the commercial stuff. So this is the next best thing.

The humic clouds the water for a few days, the fulvic barely has a visual impact. I have been reading up on both compounds a lot recently, there’s a bit of controversy. Some say humic is indispensable to keep wild discus successfully, others say humic is useless as it does not dissolve properly. Fulvic as a stand-alone seems fairly new. Solubility is better, and from what I know SO FAR, it can replace the humic compounds 100%.
It’s virtually impossible to find hard data on what works best, so I am experimenting quite a bit.
Subjectively both have an equally positive impact on the fish. Their colors are more vibrant and they are more active when I use either these 2 or the alder/almond combo. It seems that as long as there are either of those substances in the water, it doesn’t matter which.
But I’m still learning about it and can’t give any qualified facts. What is fsct is that shortly after I started adding the humic concentrate to the greens tank, they started spawning, which they have never done before.

I have been using Pat's Roobios tea and have been pleased with the results but I'm going to give I'll give your humic concentrate a try. Thanks for the info.

[plecocicho]

Do either of them (being fulvic anf huminic acids) change your water parameters like pH, hardness, conductivity?

[Swedgin]

Not in the slightest. The concentration is so minimal it does not have an impact. The powder itself is actually slightly alkaline.
I just worked out the concentration I’m using: it’s 0.002 grams/liter (.2 for 100, 2 grams per 1000 liters). And that is my absolute max dose, otherwise I don’t see any fish, just brown on brown

[Paul Sabucchi]

Kind of what I was reading about them, particularly when they are sold in liquid form they can be in a distinctly alcaline solution (otherwise they themselves to precipitate into solids), fulvic acid should stay more soluble but humic tends to solidify as the pH goes down. I might start using some in my planted tanks to see if it helps the greenery

[Swedgin]

It’s cricket day (no, not the boring “sport”)


http://youtu.be/QPHX-5RySCE

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[LizStreithorst]

Tobi, what do you think of this stuff? https://www.amazon.com/Pound-Organic-Soluble-Humic-Powder/dp/B01JDJ3SW0/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1536508948&sr=8-2-fkmr1&keywords=organic+approach+humate+powder I found it an outrage that shipping on a 1 lb. of humic from Organic Approach was twice the cost of the 1 lb. bag of the product. I'm all for spending money on my fish but getting screwed on shipping rubs me the wrong way

[Swedgin]

Tobi, what do you think of this stuff? https://www.amazon.com/Pound-Organic-Soluble-Humic-Powder/dp/B01JDJ3SW0/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1536508948&sr=8-2-fkmr1&keywords=organic+approach+humate+powder I found it an outrage that shipping on a 1 lb. of humic from Organic Approach was twice the cost of the 1 lb. bag of the product. I'm all for spending money on my fish but getting screwed on shipping rubs me the wrong way

Oh you’d have a stroke living in the Middle East having stuff shipped. I think the shipping on the 4lb fulvic was 5 times what the actual bucket cost. Still cheaper than any alternative for me though.

Not sure about the stuff you linked, seems to be 80%, but no idea how much “worse” that actually makes it.

But these guys ship the same I’m using for free:

http://www.rootnaturally.com/store/

[Swedgin]

So to summarize as per Al’s and Pat’s instructions:

A lot of water

A lot of work

A lot of fun

A lot more to do

A LOT of great threads in this contest, thank you to those who started with us and a big thank you to those who finished with us as well. Well done all, great to see what everyone was and is up to.

Oh, and purple roots rock

[LizStreithorst]

Like I said, I don't mind throwing money at my fish. It's just that paying an outrageous amount for shipping was an affront.

I just bought a lb from the place you linked. Thanks. :kiss:

[two utes]

A very spectacular build, and an amazing project. Many of us would love to own a tank of that calibur. I for one would have to reinforce my floors for starters since my house is built on stumps. That tank would have to weigh in at over 3 tonnes? I see your floor is tiled and i presume you're on a solid concrete slab. Nice work documenting it all...Something i need to come back too and read thoroughly.
I'm sure you enjoy sitting in front of it with your favorite beverage....and so you should.

[Swedgin]

Like I said, I don't mind throwing money at my fish. It's just that paying an outrageous amount for shipping was an affront.

I just bought a lb from the place you linked. Thanks. :kiss:

Cool. I’m interested to see what you think of it. I’d probably go easy on the first dosages, otherwise the water might end up darker than you like.

And I suggest you mix this outside, the powder and concentrate stain wood and clothes like hell. I did first attempt to make a 10% solution, but I added too much powder at once and it clumped so I had to dilute down to 5%. In the end I think the 5% is easier to dose, especially in smaller breeder tanks.


A very spectacular build, and an amazing project. Many of us would love to own a tank of that calibur. I for one would have to reinforce my floors for starters since my house is built on stumps. That tank would have to weigh in at over 3 tonnes? I see your floor is tiled and i presume you're on a solid concrete slab. Nice work documenting it all...Something i need to come back too and read thoroughly.
I'm sure you enjoy sitting in front of it with your favorite beverage....and so you should.

Thanks Joe, I enjoyed your thread as well.

The tank is on the second floor of an 1800’s Victorian era house. Few creaks every now and then, but so far it holds*. I’d estimate the total weght around 3.5-3.7 tonnes, the glas tank alone is north of 500 kg.

Yes indeed, I spend a lot of time in front of it. It’s especially satisfying to see that all 26 fish are doing well. I had a few that refused to eat for a while (you can see a few in the video that are not in the condition I’d like them to be, but they are very peculiar with which food they accept), but upping the temperature for a few days and feeding live food brought them around. Now they are foraging all day and it’s an indescribable joy to watch them show some natural behavior, pecking at stuff, sifting the sand and chasing each other.


*weak attempt at humor, the whole house is on concrete, only one floor, no basement

[xKevinx]

Wow!! I just spent the last 2 hours reading this thread!
Stunning tank... Like really just stunning! Wow... The acid part was a very interesting read as well! Great job

[streety]

Just came back to the forum after a few years away from discus. Fantastic read all through with great pictures.
As for the fish.......WOW!
I've just ordered a tank that is going to be stocked with wild discus though sadly it won't come close to yours!
Thanks for sharing 🤪

[fljones3]

Been over a month. Hope everything is OK!

[Swedgin]

Wow!! I just spent the last 2 hours reading this thread!
Stunning tank... Like really just stunning! Wow... The acid part was a very interesting read as well! Great job

Hi Kevin, glad you enjoyed it!


Just came back to the forum after a few years away from discus. Fantastic read all through with great pictures.
As for the fish.......WOW!
I've just ordered a tank that is going to be stocked with wild discus though sadly it won't come close to yours!
Thanks for sharing ��

Hi, welcome back, glad to have you. Thanks for the kind words. I'm sure your tank will be just as good. Remember, size isn't everything. There are plenty sub 150 gal wild tanks around that will take your breath away. Have a look in the Wild discus sub forum, some incredible stuff in there


Been over a month. Hope everything is OK!

Hi Frank, all good, thank you. Been traveling a bit, so haven't updated.

Any future updates on this will happen in the thread in my homestead (link in my signature), as Pat was kind enough to merge both "blue discus threads" into one to keep the continuity going.

[fljones3]

Good to see you back. ��

[NP57]

Congrats on a true work of art. I'm in the planning stages for a 450gal display tank. Reading your thread was inspiring to say the least.
Question ( from a newbie to Discus) why were you so hesitant on incorporating a sump and decided to go canister?

[Swedgin]

Congrats on a true work of art. I'm in the planning stages for a 450gal display tank. Reading your thread was inspiring to say the least.
Question ( from a newbie to Discus) why were you so hesitant on incorporating a sump and decided to go canister?

I’ve seen your thread. Great to see you’re doing your research before diving in.

I would have loved to get a sump, but I don’t know jack about them and wouldn’t trust myself to set one up. No one here I would trust to do it for me, either.

The canisters work alright, but I have to stay on top of maintenance. If I could do it over I would just run 3 of those pond filters I have one of, just as easy to clean as a regular canister, but an incredible amount of space for media. I’m also going to add a trickle filter on top of the tank, as I will be doubling the stock in there from 35 to 70+ discus soon.

[NP57]

I’ve seen your thread. Great to see you’re doing your research before diving in.

I would have loved to get a sump, but I don’t know jack about them and wouldn’t trust myself to set one up. No one here I would trust to do it for me, either.

The canisters work alright, but I have to stay on top of maintenance. If I could do it over I would just run 3 of those pond filters I have one of, just as easy to clean as a regular canister, but an incredible amount of space for media. I’m also going to add a trickle filter on top of the tank, as I will be doubling the stock in there from 35 to 70+ discus soon.

I have so much more to read and learn. Thanks to people like you on this thread I hope to make my journey less painful. Looking forward to your updates.

[Swedgin]

Any updates on these are in my homestead. Just click the link in my signature, the blue one for this specific tank.

Happy reading, I, too learned an incredible amount by just browsing through the forums, and still am.

I can say with certainty I would not be keeping discus today if it wasn’t for simply

[Filip]

Tobi , Ive always wondered about the use of pond filters for our discus tanks because of their media space and better water flow for the same money . I was scared away though , reading through the net that they weren't designed to be placed under tanks and push the flow upwards .
What's your experience with pond filters and which model have you used so far ?

[Swedgin]

Tobi , Ive always wondered about the use of pond filters for our discus tanks because of their media space and better water flow for the same money . I was scared away though , reading through the net that they weren't designed to be placed under tanks and push the flow upwards .
What's your experience with pond filters and which model have you used so far ?

Filip, nothing but positive so far. I’m using the Sicce Green Reset 100 (100 Liter volume and 50w UV) with a Sicce Pro Silent 5000 l/h pump. The flow is comparable to an FX6, due to the long way up. I’m using the sponges it came with, and about 30 Liters of Maxspect Nano Sphere biomedia.

I did add a drain valve at the bottom of the filter, otherwise there would be no way that I could remove it for cleaning. I also have a t piece between the pump and the filter, so I can close the valve going to the filter and open the other one, which I use to drain the tank when I’m not syphoning.

As I said above , if I could do it again, proper sump would be first choice, then 3 of these pond monsters as a close second.

[Swedgin]

FX6 in front of the pond filter, bit of a size difference

123373

[Filip]

That's a huge size difference between Fx6 and green reset , Tobi . Rated at 5000 gph and ending up with a real flow like FX 6 I guess it does significantly loose it's flow pushing water up to the tank .
I guess we should consider this when choosing pond filter for a tank filtration . Thanks for sharing your experience with it .

[Swedgin]

That's a huge size difference between Fx6 and green reset , Tobi . Rated at 5000 gph and ending up with a real flow like FX 6 I guess it does significantly loose it's flow pushing water up to the tank .
I guess we should consider this when choosing pond filter for a tank filtration . Thanks for sharing your experience with it .

5000lph, liters