Discus Newbie

[SyncereOne]

First of all, I would like to thank all of you on this site. I have raised freshwater fish for 3 years now, and have always wanted discus, and thought they were extremely hard to raise. Now I see it is more a common sense thing, and understanding water quality. I found a breeder nearby who is going to sell me 8 juveniles for $50, so I can't turn the deal down.

I have set up a 55g BB tank, 6.2pH (tap water pH after sitting for a day, 7.0 from faucet), and soon to be set at 84 degrees for some juveniles I am getting this weekend. I set up an extra Aquaclear 110 with 2 sponges and carbon, and had it running on my heavily stocked SA cichlid tank for 5 weeks. I swapped this onto the new discus tank, and put a few small cons in for a couple days. Water is testing out fine, showing 5ppm nitrates.

Questions:
1. If I am showing nitrates, my tank has is cycled right? I cannot show nitrates, without nitrites being consumed, right? I am reading zero on nitrites. I was planning on tossing in a pack of Bio-Spira when I put the fish in...should I do this?

2. How much lighting should I provide for the discus?

3. What is the best automatic feeder out there? I plan to feed the juveniles 4 times a day, twice with flake, and twice with frozen beefheart or other food.

4. I have an extra AC 50 here. Should I set it up and put on the tank for increased biofilter surface area? I am a fan of Eheim Efisubtrat, and I may fill it to top with that.

Again, thanks for all of your help.

[StryfeMP]

1. If I am showing nitrates, my tank has is cycled right? I cannot show nitrates, without nitrites being consumed, right? I am reading zero on nitrites. I was planning on tossing in a pack of Bio-Spira when I put the fish in...should I do this?

You are correct, if your tests are reading nitrate levels in the water, then your filter/tank is cycled and seeded with beneficial bacteria. If you're reading zero on nitrites, maybe you should add more of a bioload in the tank until you get your discus and stock the tank as to keep the beneficial bacteria colony alive and active. If you're planning on putting in a pack of biospira right before you put your fish in there, it would only be a good thing as biospira is supposed to take care of the cycle.


4. I have an extra AC 50 here. Should I set it up and put on the tank for increased biofilter surface area? I am a fan of Eheim Efisubtrat, and I may fill it to top with that.

Imho, you can't go wrong with overfiltration.

[SyncereOne]

Thanks
Is the drop off from 7.0pH at the faucet for 6.2pH normal? Have people experienced a change in the tap pH over a years time? I have water supply from the county....which has chloromines in it, and I use Prime to neutralize it. I have never really taken a close look at this with my SA tank, and it has never been an issue.

[SyncereOne]

Should I add the biospira directly to my filter filled with the Efisubstrat, or pour in in the tank water? Since the tank is barebottom, most of the bacteria will collect in the filter correct?