Confused about planted vs. non-planted tank

[kim68048]

Hi!
I am new to your forum and am looking forward to learning all I need to know about discus fish : ) I recently bought a 55 gallon tank and would like to have a few discus. Currently doing my research via your forum, etc. I have had freshwater tanks in the past but never with discus. I'm getting pretty confused with the whole planted vs. non-planted, bare-bottom tank vs. sand and so on. It seems there are many theories and opinions on what is best. I am new to live plants but would really like some in my tank. I started with a few live plants in a 10 gallon betta tank about a month ago. I am seeing conflicting info about trying to start out with discus being new to both the discus and live plants. I don't want to jump in too fast with either the fish or plants but really don't care for the bare look of no sand and no plants. Am thinking of going with a couple/few live plants to start with??? I have attached a picture of the tank I bought. It was used and came with the wood in it.....actually two connected pieces but I am thinking of removing the top piece.....it is a bit odd looking but I think I could make it look nice. Just looking for some input and advice while I continue my research : )
Thanks!
Kim

[Poco]

Kim,

Welcome to SD.

I will suggest to keep it simple to begin with, barebottom and no plants as it will be easier for you to maintain it. If you really want to have plants you go with potted plants in BB tank.

Research before you get your fish. You can start with the sticky below.

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/forumdisplay.php?48-Discus-Basics-for-Beginners

[strawberryblonde]

Hi Kim and welcome!

I was new to the idea of a barebottom tank about a year ago, so I get where you're coming from. I actually tried to do a lightly planted tank with 4" sub-adult discus. They did well in the tank and grew like weeds, but, the problem for me was the amount of painstaking work that I had to put into the tank every single day in order to keep the water quality up to snuff. Discus are pretty picky about water quality, especially if they are juveniles or sub-adults!

After 2 months I removed the plants and gravel, put in a light layer of sand and one really gorgeous piece of driftwood. Oh my...water changes were SO easy all of a sudden. The poop and food just lay on the top of the sand waiting for me to vacuum it up and I didn't have to beat up any plants in order to get it all out of there. LOL

If you are planning to purchase adults, then plants are fine, but for a first timer who will probably be buying sub-adults or juveniles, trust me when I tell you that you don't want plants and gravel in that tank.

I actually wouldn't even use that driftwood unless you can remove the tile it's attached to and then can find a way to suspend it from the top of the tank in a vertical fashion. Horizontal pieces of driftwood that lay on the floor of the tank collect tons of gunk under them...it's disgusting how much gunk discus can create in a just 24 hours.

Ok, so now that I've yammered on and on in a negative fashion, here's what I'd do if I could do it all over again:

1) Purchase sub-adults of about 4" from one of the sponsors on these forums. They have great stock and take pains to be sure that you get healthy discus delivered to your door.

2) Paint the back of the tank a light color for pigeon based discus, or go all out and paint it blue or black for the other strains (because they won't pepper up against dark backgrounds)

3) Add a small layer of pool filter sand to the bottom

4) Find a pretty piece of driftwood that can be suspended from the top of the tank for easy cleaning of the sand

5) Choose good filters with great bio-media in them and, if they're HOB filters, add a pre-filter sponge to them so the gunk doesn't get sucked into the filter.

6) Feed often with high quality, high protein discus foods

7) Change 70 - 90% of the water every day till they reach 6" (which will happen pretty quickly if you feed and do the water changes)

And once they reach 6", rescape the tank to have plants if you still want them.

My discus are 14 months old now and over 8" and I thought I'd want those plants, but by the time I could safely add them, they didn't appeal to me anymore. Instead I invested in a HUGE, sexy stump of manzanita driftwood and added an extra half inch of sand to complete the look. And I love it!

[dprais1]

Hi Kim and welcome!


Ok, so now that I've yammered on and on in a negative fashion, here's what I'd do if I could do it all over again:

1) Purchase sub-adults of about 4" from one of the sponsors on these forums. They have great stock and take pains to be sure that you get healthy discus delivered to your door.

2) Paint the back of the tank a light color for pigeon based discus, or go all out and paint it blue or black for the other strains (because they won't pepper up against dark backgrounds)

3) Add a small layer of pool filter sand to the bottom

4) Find a pretty piece of driftwood that can be suspended from the top of the tank for easy cleaning of the sand

5) Choose good filters with great bio-media in them and, if they're HOB filters, add a pre-filter sponge to them so the gunk doesn't get sucked into the filter.

6) Feed often with high quality, high protein discus foods

7) Change 70 - 90% of the water every day till they reach 6" (which will happen pretty quickly if you feed and do the water changes)



+1 on everything. I started off with some fish in the 1"-2" range. I will never do that again. For every dollar I saved on buying smaller fish I have spent 50 cents on trying to keep them alive and another 50 cents I lost when they died. I would say a 'dusting' of pool filter sand worked better for me than a 'layer' and no sand worked even better. I would paint the bottom of the tank even if you plan use sand. You may change your mind later, but it is hard to paint a tank bottom when it has fish and driftwood and water in it, plus filters...but it can be done, but not easily.

[ufoblue84]

I got some fake plants in mine because the fishes eat the real plants :(

[Donno]

I was like you when I first started thinking of Discus. I wanted a planted tank with wood and a substrate, just because that's what I was used to and I liked it. After reading this forum and buying several Discus, I understand why they recommend a bare bottom tank with little or no substrate.

These guys do two things, eat and poop while they are growing. And believe me they do both a lot! I can see the quality of the water change just due to the clarity from one day to the next. That being said I follow the regimen recommended by these folks on this site and have been changing my water every day and feed them 5-6 times a day. I've only had these guys 3 weeks and I can see the growth.

I'm already making plans to move them to a show tank in a few months, but unless you buy the adults, which very few can afford, get a bare bottom tank, change water often and enjoy watching them grow up.