I am really confused

[Lacrosseman]

Ok.........I am 14 and am making not a lot of money. My Mom and Dad are not gonna let me get a tank until I do my research. I would like to know what is a good setup and what size of tank I should get if my mom wants it to have some pretty fish in it. I also would like to know before buying a tank, is keeping the ph acidic and the water soft hard? My tap water is ph 7.6, almost rift valley cichlid hardness. I know that discus are some of the most beautiful freshwater fish and I would like to keep some but that won't be possible if I have to spend a lot of money. My mom says that another aquarium would be nice (i have a sucessful ten-gallon) but she won't pay for any of it :( This is all for now....I will think of more questions later, of course :) Thanks for your time.

[Ardan]

Hi,
I like a 40 or 50 gallon tank. With an aquaclear 300 filter (use only sponges)
The discus are most expensive to get good ones from a reputable discus dealer like Cary at GLD. (its worth it to get good discus )

water changes every day are the most work.
Your ph will be fine. Most water is ok for discus if you can drink the water .

Temp 84F.

Carol has a good article on setting up a discus tank.


hth

[darcy]

Yep Ardan hit the nail on the head!!! And Carol's article is perfect!!!
Darcy

[acorn54]

this might be blasphemy on simply discus buy maybe you should get severum's, the "poor man's" discus.
i'm afraid for satisfying discus you will have to pay more than you might afford from what you say.
very small discus sell for around $10 each in my area from reputable discus breeder's but then for every 6 you buy you might only wind up with 2 or 3 that are of good quality.

[Carol_Roberts]

Here is the thread on how to set up a tank for juvenile discus. http://forum.simplydiscus.com//index.php?board=21;action=display;threadid=9911

Discus are lots of work. You have to clean their tank and change the water everyday. If you have an obsessive/compulsive type of personality you will love discus. If you are hit and miss with caring for the 10 gallon you may do better with colorful african cichlids like yellow labs, peacocks, lelupis, ete

[Lacrosseman]

Wow.....Thanks for all the info. I really apperciate it. Seeing that the drinking water is ok for them I will probably get some "poor man's discus" later this summer. I really like all the caring people on this site. Thanks! ;D

[Lacrosseman]

Does anyone know any breeders in Northern Virginia? Who is Cary from GLD? Is that Great Lake Discus? Because when I click on the link on this page I get a page that has all this search engine junk and no discus :( Thanks for your time

[barron]

Hi

You are right about Cary and GLD. thats his site.

Think about a 29 gallon tank with 6 small 2.5 inch Discus, you will keep maybe 3 or 4.

One power filter acuaclear 300.

One sponge filter ATI Mark5.

One150 or 200 watt heater EBO Jager.

Cost about $85.00 plus fish about 25.00ea

The reason for a 29 gal. is cheaper and easier to maintain plus if you like this type of fish, the tank is the right for a breeding pair.

Total $235.00

Barron :)

[Carol_Roberts]

Discus quickly out grow a 29 gallon tank. If you really want discus you should get a big enough tank now so you won't be having to ask for another one at Chrtistmas. ;)

55 gallon is my favorite size. Aqua clear 500 filters are on sale at www.petsolutions.com for $29.99. A 250 or 300 watt heater is about $20 online.

[RandalB]

I agree with Carol on the tank size.

55 Gallon is the best w/ 6-8 small discus. ( you can often find them at Garage sales cheap as 55 is a very common size! HINT HINT)

29 Will be outgrown quickly as will a 20. ( I tried that one..)

Aquaclear is the best bet, find them on sale...

Also, A python W/C system might be a good idea as you will be doing lots of W/C's. They are not the most efficient or quick thing but they are better than dragging buckets around.

Hygene and water condiditons are more important than pH or Hardness in keeping discus (IMO). Do the frequent w/c's and keep the tank clean and you should have no problems.

In regards to obtaining fish, check with a local aquarium society and find some local breeders. Talk to them and pick their brains for info. Let them know that you are just starting out and are looking to gain experience in keeping discus. A lot of the breeders around me will discount fish for newbies and some will give away. Great experience at low cost. When you are confident and know the ropes, you can spend some good $$ on high quality fish. Stick to the hardier strains, Turquoise and PB are a good bet. I started with Blue Turq's and PB's.

Finally, READ READ READ READ and ASK QUESTIONS! We are all here to help you, so don't be afraid to ask.

If you feel that you can do what's necessary, go for the discus and see what you can do.

RandalB <---- Was in your Shoes about a year and a half ago....

[barron]

Hi all

I agree a 55 gal is better, but with only 6 small ones would they not do better in a 29 gal for a couple of months until about 3.5 inches.

If buying the 55 gal is to avoid buying another tank soon then point well taken.

I just feel if one does not maintain a smaller tank they surely will not maintain a larger one.

Barron ;D

[Larry Grenier]

Hey Lacrosseman if you're still watching this thread, here's a tip if you're still leaning towrds Discus. There's a club in NoVA called the Potomac Valley Aquarium Society www.pvas.org (http://www.pvas.org). They have several auctions a year and there are always Discus. Sometime you can get good fish at great prices but buyer-beware; sometime the fish are the culls of some breeder. Try to hook-up with someone who knows Discus for a litle guidance at the auction. Sometimes Joe from Enchanted Discus has fish up for bid.

[lesley]

In my experience, the 30 gallon will be outgrown very very quickly, and then you have to buy another tank!

You will find the forum a very good one with lots of archived and excellent advice.

Good luck with your discus

[jeep]

I would (and did when I was younger than you) go for the discus. Other fish are just fish (to me anyway :)

I was away from discus for many years but they were always on my mind. Now that I'm back I wish I had never left!

Yes, they are work, but what hobby isn't?

I would go for the 55g tank with the accessories mentioned here and do your best! Once you get the hang of it you'll realize it isn't really work afterall. It's actually quite fun and challenging, especially learning the history and biology!

BTW, a 55g with hood is only $99 from Petsmart. Buy the rest of your accessories on-line from places such as Big Al's, Jehmco, Foster's & Smith or Aquacave (at the bottom of this page). You'll find some of the prices more than 50% less than the local pet stores.

Good luck and do all your research here! It's a great place to learn...

Brian