First Post Newby Questions

[azureoval]

Hey Guys,
I've been lurking here for a couple months and now that I started to cycle my first tank,I thougt I'd say Hi and asked some questions.
1. I have two hydor 200w heaters hooked to a finnex temp controller. Is that a safe enough amount,with a room temp of 68 f.
2. I have a oceanic model 1 wet/dry sump w/2.5 gal of bio balls and a liter of glass rings . should I also use sponge filters ? I have two seeding in the sump.
3. Who are some good breeders/shops in norcal that I could get 6-7 discus from.

58 gal Oceanic Tank Reef Ready ,light Oak stand ,Hood
2 200w hydors w/finnex temp cont.
Oceanic model 1 wet/dry (20 gal)
Current Nova modular lighting
Bare Bottom - begrudingly :)
Rio 2100+ return pump ( I figure 6* turnover )

I would appreciate any comments. I know the are some Sacromentens on the board (Marie).
Thanks Josh

[cobaltblue]

Welcome to Simply Josh. I can only answer your first question on the heaters. Rule of thumb is 5 watts per gallon, so your 400w easily covers that. I run 2 250 watts in my 90g with no problems at all. Its good to have the second heater in case one fails.
Many others here will chime in im sure on the other questions. Good luck with your fish when you get them, and remember, we all love pictures here.

[Timbo]

i'll have a go at #2 then :):)

thats a quality filter, usual application is heavy loaded salt fish/reef with the accompanied heavy bioload. that filter would handle a 58 reef with ease, properly maintained. Almost overkill on a discus tank with say 6 med discus given the w/c regiment that most successful hobbyists have adopted. It will do the job quite nicely however, if you opt to use it. Keep the sponges going, assuming you have a prefilter, put them in the sump, using one as a last filter to polish the water just before its pumped back. Sometimes bioballs/rings will shed small peices of slewed-off bacteria and the sponge catches it before return.

good luck and keep us posted :)

[Alight]

Several very good breeders are located near San Francisco, including Cliff's Discus which, if you do a search on the threads here, you'll find some pictures and a long discussion on (don't run any red lights in San Francisco!!).

I don't know about the Sacramento area, but it's not a long drive to SF.

Hopefully, others will see your post and respond here, who know the area. You might PM Marie (Kindred Spirit) about her knowledge about places to get Discus.

I noticed that none of the sponsors are from your area--I thought a couple were, but apparently not anymore.

[Alight]

http://forum.simplydiscus.com//showthread.php?t=46437&highlight=%22Cliff%27s+Discus%22

Try the thread above. Good luck.

[azureoval]

Thanks for the responses guys.

Timbo:The sump is divided into two sections. The larger side houses the bio ball "cage" . The water then has to pass over a Dam into which I have My glass rings in a bag that lays over a "water polishing" sponge.It then enters the smaller side with the pump . I also have my two sponge filters in there seeding.

Cobaltblue: I would be glad to post some pics ,I just have to figure out how :) . I can build a computer from scratch with my eyes closed but I am forum illiterate.

[White Worm]

Welcome, there are many places near sf area to get some quality discus. Dont mess with local fish stores in sac, been there done that, you dont want em. Maybe exotic on florin rd but they wont guarantee. Always better to go with local breeder. I live in vacaville and I drive out to sf or daly city for discus of quality. Kenny has some nice juvies right now that will be available pretty soon, LOVERBOY on this site (lives in daly city). Cliffs Discus also (sf), fairy lakes discus (sf), sunrise tropicals (daly city). Just some ideas. There are a bunch a local breeders in the area. Try 6688 on this site, I think he is selling some right now for a good price. I would drive an hour to get the quality because it is important. I have done it. Good luck, Mike

[Jarrod]

Hey Guys,
I've been lurking here for a couple months and now that I started to cycle my first tank,I thougt I'd say Hi and asked some questions.
1. I have two hydor 200w heaters hooked to a finnex temp controller. Is that a safe enough amount,with a room temp of 68 f.
2. I have a oceanic model 1 wet/dry sump w/2.5 gal of bio balls and a liter of glass rings . should I also use sponge filters ? I have two seeding in the sump.
3. Who are some good breeders/shops in norcal that I could get 6-7 discus from.

58 gal Oceanic Tank Reef Ready ,light Oak stand ,Hood
2 200w hydors w/finnex temp cont.
Oceanic model 1 wet/dry (20 gal)
Current Nova modular lighting
Bare Bottom - begrudingly :)
Rio 2100+ return pump ( I figure 6* turnover )

I would appreciate any comments. I know the are some Sacromentens on the board (Marie).
Thanks Josh

Hi Josh and WELCOME to the finest SimplyDiscus Forum in existence IMHO...sounds like you got a very nice setup in the works :cool:
You can pick just about any of the Simply sponsor breeders on here and be pretty well assured that you'll get the best quality fish and help when you need it. Best of luck and welcome again!
Jarrod

[azureoval]

Mikscus, I will defanently give some thought to the people you mentioned. I figure I have at least 3 more weeks of cycle time. I'm really trying to cycle clean with ammonia and not use fish store "seeding".I don't want to start out with nasties in my tank.

btw, I saw you guys almost floated away over there in vacaville. Every little creek and field here is flooded. I drive over the sac-davis causeway every day and it looks like an ocean. stay dry
Josh

[White Worm]

Yeah, I just stayed at the house during all this flooding, safer that way. Kept the family home too because there are alot of nuts out there who have never seen rain before. I'm told that fairy lakes is getting new shipment of adults in sf. Sunrise in daly city also has good selection, kinda pricey. Check with kenny because he has bunches of youngsters that should be ready very soon. Mike

[azureoval]

Here is a picture of the setup . Sorry for the fuzziness, I had to use my phones camera and enlarge the original pic.
http://forum.simplydiscus.com//attachment.php?attachmentid=10788&stc=1&d=1136494314