Java gone wild

[JFlo]

This is my tank. A while back it was suggested that I switch to a sand substrate and I am still contemplating it. Most everything is the same as when I first put it in, except it is growing. I have limited vision as to how the tank should look as far as adding plants and moving things around. any thoughts other than substrate is welcomed. Should the Java be trimmed back? It is sprouting off like crazy now. Kind of at a loss with what to do as a whole.:D

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll63/Ahomana/001.jpg

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll63/Ahomana/007.jpg

[Yassmeena]

Nice Java!!! Let it grow!!! So that's just MY opinion - bc its very beautiful!

But maybe you want to put it in a corner so that it doesn't divide the swim room in half?

[JFlo]

Right now the Java is attached to the drift wood. Should I move the drift wood or remove the java? Which corner were ya thinking? Should I move anything else if I move the fern?

[Kevin22]

forgive me if I'm being negative, just trying to help. 1. discus like wood overhead, like branches or root stump, takes less bottum area the better. 2.the gravel bottum is not gonna work, will trap too much food and poop. I'd say sand or bare bottum. 3. the tank seem small, 2 discus is too few. 5 is minium, 6 is better. 4. the discus you got are too skinny and dark, I'd put them in a QT tank first, treat them and feed them as much as possible to fatten them up.

[JFlo]

Thanks for the great feedback. If I switch to sand, do you still vacume clean the bottom in the same manner as gravel? Also, would I need a different type of driftwood that just floats at the top? That large piece in there is too heavy to ever float in the tank.

[Kevin22]

cleaning sand is easy, all food and poop are on the surface, I use a tube to clean it, just keep the tube 1/2" away from the sand. then very little sand will be sucked out. if you drain to a sink, put a small bucket in there, then the sand will leave in the bucket, the water will overflow. there's a vedio on internet shows how to clean sillica sand bottum, see if you can find it. branches works better than sinking wood, you can look at my posts, there's photos. I'm almost sure your fish are infected with parasites, I'd do a whole treatment, it'll take 3 weeks, Furan II, Prozipro and Metro. good luck


Thanks for the great feedback. If I switch to sand, do you still vacume clean the bottom in the same manner as gravel? Also, would I need a different type of driftwood that just floats at the top? That large piece in there is too heavy to ever float in the tank.

[JFlo]

Thanks again for the heads up. Is it something that can spread to my other fish? Ill be dropping them in my other tank tonight.

[Kevin22]

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?t=66808
check out mine post, just to get some ideas.
I won't move them to other tank with fish in there.
cross infection is the worst. I'd remove the gravel first, if you want to leave the wood there for now, it's ok. treat them alone in BB tank. use a bucket and tube for their own untill they are healthy.

QUOTE=JFlo;501743]Thanks again for the heads up. Is it something that can spread to my other fish? Ill be dropping them in my other tank tonight.[/QUOTE]