light color substrate

[torch]

I am trying to lessen peppering in my Discus and is thinking of adding thin layer of light oolor substrate. My tank is currently cobalt blue background and BB.

Can't use sand because I have acrylic tank and don't want any scratch. Will lighting the bottom of tank helps with decreasing peppering?

[Surferdave]

I've definitely read that light colored substrate prevents pigeon strain discus from peppering. I think some people go as far as to put white wallpaper under their tanks and on the sides. Personally I have black SMS for my planted tank and peppering is definitely showing in my solid discus. Pigeons definitely get it the worst, but my red melon, yellow diamond, have a little sprinkling. Doesn't bother me too much though.

Dave.

[aquagal]

just switched from black sand to white sand and there is a BIG difference in peppering (much better now) AND the solids just seem healthier/happier?

[Surferdave]

Aquagal. Does switching the substrate take away some of the peppering from before? Or does it reduce further peppering? Maybe what I'm asking is, Is peppering permanent, or can it be reversed. If I have a fish with bad peppering, put him in a bare bottom tank with sand or white bottom, will he become clean again?

[aquagal]

...hmm, not sure about the peppering reversal? All I know is that the pigeon blood in my tank lightened up considerably after adding the white sand. I've always had him in a tank w/ black sand so I'm not sure what he might have looked like had he never been w/ the black sand (does that make sense?).

I can say that my silver pigeons I got from Cary show hardly any peppering most of the time (in their tank with white sand). The only time they DO show peppering is when they are very stressed or when the lights are out. During these times, they reveal quite a bit of peppering, so I know they have the potential...

Hope this helps.
Sherry

[torch]

Some concerns from going BB to light substrate. If peppering is already there and it may not go away, maybe I should just stay bb?

Can't do sand because I have acrylic tank and I'm kind of worry about bad bacteria growing substrate and its maintenance.

Currently I vaccum my tank everyday ( taking out the poop ).

[torch]

Some concerns from going BB to light substrate. If peppering is already there and it may not go away, maybe I should just stay bb?

Can't do sand because I have acrylic tank and I'm kind of worry about bad bacteria growing substrate and its maintenance.

Currently I vaccum my tank everyday ( taking out the poop ).

[aquagal]

I would not think that having a BB tank would increase peppering? If it's working for you, you might stick w/ it. I just don't like the looks and don't have a problem w/ vacuuming up poop off the sand, it stays on top. I know sand is not an option for your [acrylic] tank though?

[torch]

Yep, can't do sand, but I added driftwood, so tank looks better. Probably just leave it bb, since peppering would probably not get worse and adding substrate may or may not change anything by right.

[Apistomaster]

I don't think using sand in Plexi tanks are mutually exclusive concepts. I use a thin layer of substrate in all my tanks. >1/4 inch. Discus really like to sift sand much like earth eaters. It doesn't take much for them to be happy. I consider it as an environmental enrichment factor that contributes to discus behaving more naturally. That thin amount of sand does not make maintenance more difficult.
I kept a 125 gal plexi reef tank for six years with that thin layer of sand. Scratches were more likely to occur from stacking live or base rock against the side walls.

Just use some common sense whenever you remove algae. If you use algae scrapers with plastic blades or my favorite, an old credit card, the sides will not become scratched.

I have no experience with strains like Pigeon Bloods prone to peppering to have an opinion. I do see many posters writing that it is less of a problem over light bottomed tanks.