4 Discus and a School of 8 - 10 Cardinal Tetras in a 30 Gal Tall??

[Adam T]

Hi all. New here and new to discus. I was so happy to find this site!

Here's my current tank, a 30 gallon tall 24" L x 24" H x 12" D:

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c100/AdamT1966/NewCloseup.jpg

Last time I measured, my water parameters were:

Temp: 81F
pH 6.5 (measured at the end of the lighted day)
Total Alkalinity: 120 ppm
Total Hardness: 120 ppm
KH: 4
GH: 7
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20 ppm
Approximate calculated CO2 value: 30 ppm

I'm running DIY CO2, but I'll be installing a pressurized CO2 system soon so that I'll have a more precisely controllable and stable system (I'm not looking to increase CO2 content, I'm just getting sick of constantly making up new batches of yeast!).

I'm thinking that after the tank has been growing for about a month (on planted it for the first time a couple of weeks ago), I'd like to convert it into a small Discus tank :p . My plan would be to remove all my current fish, except for the 3 Ottos, and repopulate the tank with 4 Discus, a school of Cardinal Tetras, and perhaps a bottom feeder to take care of any bits of uneaten food.

I found a local breeder in the Los Angeles area where I live, so I plan to buy locally.

My main question is, do you think my tank is too small (particularly in light of the fact that it is planted and heavily decorated) for a beginner to keep discus? I currently do weekly water changes of about 10 gallons (33%), and I don't have any problem doing bi-weekly changes of any size (the breeder recommends 25% twice a week). I use a Python, so WC's are quick and easy. I've become quite good at matching temp using the tap, and I add Novaqua to the tank before adding the new tap water to declorinate.

What do you think? Am I nuts?

Thanks!

~Adam

[billeagan]

if you keep you WC's up you should be okay. Any chance of getting to at least a 55?

[Adam T]

Any chance of getting to at least a 55?

Oh yes. . . there most certainly is such a possibility. ;) I tend to get really into my hobbies, and it seems inevitable that I will move up in tank size at some point. This 30 gallon is my first fish tank ever, and it's been running since September 2006. Planting the tank was the next logical step to me in the hobby, so I did that two weeks ago. I decided I needed more light because I am using an Eclipse hood system, so I retrofitted the hood: http://www.plantgeek.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9353

If I had it to do all over again, I wouldn't have bought an Eclipse hood, and I would have gotten a much larger tank. I'm thinking the next tank will be a heavily planted 80 gallon. But it will probably be at least 6 months before I dive in.

[Adam T]

Alas, I held some CDs up to my tank to try to picture adult discus in there. I'm convinced that the tank is just too small. The scale is all wrong for fish that big. Wouldn't even look right. I think I'll grow this tank out for a few months, make sure I'm having real success with my plants and that I have a good understanding of fertilizer dosing, CO2 injection (I'm setting up my pressurized system this weekend :D ), study this site for a while, and then go to a 75 or 90 gallon frameless ADA tank, which I will setup as a high tech planted discus tank from the start.