125 planted...eventually

[Diskboy12]

Even though in July I will be ataking a trip to Costa Rica for a month with my Spanish Club, I will still have about $400 and am most likely going to buy a 125 gallon which I want to turn it into a planted tank. I want to know how many discus can I fit comfortably in the tank along with other fish such as rainbows, cories, cardianal tetras? Also how many of those just stated could I have too? The filtration will be 1x Aquaclear 110 suplimented with a fluval 305-405. Lighting is still to be announced as I am still reading on how to take care of plants. I want to have a flourite base layer with some natural looking sand, some largish sized driftwood, and rocks. I will be running peat in the fluval to give the water the black water look I am looking for. side note: before the 125 is planted though they will be grown out in it. If there is anything I have missed let me know. And please please let me know if I am heading in the right track.

Thanks,
-Kevin

[DiscusKeeper403]

Personally, I would go for 10-11 Discus in that size tank maximum, although you could probably fit 12-13. Keep saving up, 400 dollars probably isn't going to buy you everything you want! Juvy discus really should be brought up in a bare-bottom tank. The water should be super clean! Make sure you cycle the tank too! Good luck!

[midazolam]

Personally, I would go for 10-11 Discus in that size tank maximum, although you could probably fit 12-13. Keep saving up, 400 dollars probably isn't going to buy you everything you want! Juvy discus really should be brought up in a bare-bottom tank. The water should be super clean! Make sure you cycle the tank too! Good luck!

I was going to suggest the same thing. I just set up a 75g and probably spent close to 1000-1500 after it was all said and done. In my 75 I'm going to have 6-8 discus (growing out 8 in bare bottom 40 breeder right now) along with my single gold nugget pleco, my 12 jumbo corries, 4 SAE's and 4 otos. Thats probably getting close to maximum capacity, especially if I end up keeping all 8 discus.

[Dolphin Dip]

well... there's is a lot of variables there. how many/what kind of plants. how many of the other fish do you intend to keep. and what would your feeding/WC regimen be?

[GulfCoastDiscus]

Hi,
If you're planning for a planted tank, you need to decide is it going to be high tech or low tech. Co2 or no co2. If you choose to have a high tech tank with co2 then you will need good lights. In a 6 ft tank the light will cost you plus the co2.

In a 125 gal. I would only put 5 to 7 adults. In a planted tank the waterchange is once a week. Adult discus will tolerate this more. Juvenilles need more w/c.

Put your tank together first without discus. Establish the plants in the substrate for a couple of months before adding discus. You want to allow the plants to take hold and focus on the needs of the plants before you decide to add discus. Remember most plants cannot tolerate high temp and juvenilles discus cannot tolerate low temperature.
You need to find the happy middle between the two. This is why it's better to go with adults. They can tolerate lower temperature at 80F.

This is my 225 gallon discus tank. For more inspiration visit my gallery section on planted tanks on my website.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q180/GCDiscus/00IMG_7953.jpg

[Discus.Lover]

Dan..what type of substrate did you use for that tank..is it just gravel?

[Darren's Discus]

Dan,
that is one beautiful tank !



cheers

[GulfCoastDiscus]

Dan..what type of substrate did you use for that tank..is it just gravel?
I used Amazonia for the planted area and white gravel in the front.


Dan,
that is one beautiful tank !



cheers

Thank you Darren

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q180/GCDiscus/00planted02.jpg