matt56
10-01-2012, 11:17 PM
1) Please Introduce your self and tell us what your experience is with fishkeeping, give us as much information as possible as to how long in the hobby, what you have kept in the past and what you currently are working with.
My name is Matthew So and currently reside in southern missouri. Ive been in the hobby for 8-10 months now and have been hooked since my first tank which was a 20gallon african dwarf frog/beta tank which is the only tank ive kept going (i love my frogs). I have kept 2 other tanks with success one being an african cichlid malawi, mainly peacocks, tank since the water here is perfect for them, and another being an angelfish community tank. I stopped because there simply wasnt enough challenge or things to do to keep it going for me, i know its weird but i just lost interest. This is one of the reasons im going with discus the dedication and time to raise them seems right up my alley. The other reason is the first real pair of discus i saw i couldn't stop looking at them for over and hour they just captivated me since they are so serene.
2) If you have no previous experience with keeping discus, have you done any research to properly prepare yourself, e.g. have you read any Stickies in this section of SimplyDiscus, or other material?
I have been researching discus for the past 3 months taking down my other tanks to get ready for them. I have lurked on these forums for a couple months soaking up more information then i could have possibly gotten from books. Ive read at least 3 on discus/cichlids and nothing compared to this forum haha.
3) Describe your tank, its size and dimensions, breeding or display. Include how long it has been setup or if it is still being cycled.
The tank im going to raise the juvies in is 55 gallons. Its been set up for a few days and the supplier im buying from is going to give me established sponge filters so no need to cycle it. After i grown them to 4.5-5 inches they are going to go into my 125 gallon tank.
4) Describe the décor for the tank; type of substrate or bare bottom (BB), whether the tank will be planted or a biotope.
It will be a bare bottom tank nothing else other then heaters and the sponge filters. The 125 gallon tank they are going into will have a light sand bottom with lots of manzanita wood to create a natural biotope for them. Not planning on having plants for my first discus tank.
5) Describe your water changes planned or practiced, percentage and how often. Include if you age your water and use of tap/RO or mix.
My water changes planned are 50% once a day to raise them then when they are grown and go into the 125 i will do 3-4 a week which i hope is sufficient. I will be using aged tap i have an ro unit but just going to save it for a future marine tank, wanting to make this as simple as i can for my first discus tank.
6) Describe the type of filtration planned/used for the tank; sponge, HOB and/or sump. Also include the other equipment you are, or will be, using in your tank, e.g. heater, lighting, etc.
Just 2 established sponge filters, 2 100 watt heaters, normal florescents until i set up a diy led system.
7) If the tank is already setup and running, include the water parameters;
- temp-82-84
- tank ph-8.2
- Ph of the water straight out of your tap-8.0
- ammonia reading-0
- nitrite reading-0
- nitrate reading-0
- well water-no
- municipal water-yes
8) Describe your current or planned stocking levels; number/size of discus and number/type of dither fish. Where did you get your discus from or do you have a proposed source for getting your discus?
I have already bought 9 3"+ alanquer discus from rich at richiesfishroom.com. great guy really helped out loads by answering all my questions. they are stendkers he buys from hans i believe.
9) Describe your planned or existing feeding regimen. Include what and how often you are feeding on a daily basis.
I will be feeding them 5-6 times a day 6 times mainly on the weekends, 3 feedings of omega one super color flakes, 1 feeding of omega one veggie flakes, 1 feeding of frozen bloodworms or blackworms when i get them, and one feeding of beefheart right before the water change so i can make sure i get all the extra bh out.
10) What are your goals in this hobby? For example are you looking to keep discus in a planted community tank, or do you hope to become a hobby breeder of Discus? Do you want to raise Discus with the hopes of competing in shows?
My only goal is to be successful with keeping discus. There have been quite a few people around my city who haven't succeeded with discus and im sure its because they either didn't get them from the right source or didn't keep up with the maintenance. Theres only been one person who has succeeded and i think it would be neat to be the only other person to succeed :). If i do a great job i would love to start entering contest and what not but i have to see how raising them goes. The tank im planning on is going to be a natural discus biotope with no plants, once again keeping it as simple as possible. Im going to have manzanita to simulate roots and a rock background to hide everything since i wont have a sump. Eventually if i really get into it getting a breeding pair would be incredible but that's a very long road and im just starting :). Though i feel confident in my plans i thought id get one last check before i go get the fish. Thanks for your time.
My name is Matthew So and currently reside in southern missouri. Ive been in the hobby for 8-10 months now and have been hooked since my first tank which was a 20gallon african dwarf frog/beta tank which is the only tank ive kept going (i love my frogs). I have kept 2 other tanks with success one being an african cichlid malawi, mainly peacocks, tank since the water here is perfect for them, and another being an angelfish community tank. I stopped because there simply wasnt enough challenge or things to do to keep it going for me, i know its weird but i just lost interest. This is one of the reasons im going with discus the dedication and time to raise them seems right up my alley. The other reason is the first real pair of discus i saw i couldn't stop looking at them for over and hour they just captivated me since they are so serene.
2) If you have no previous experience with keeping discus, have you done any research to properly prepare yourself, e.g. have you read any Stickies in this section of SimplyDiscus, or other material?
I have been researching discus for the past 3 months taking down my other tanks to get ready for them. I have lurked on these forums for a couple months soaking up more information then i could have possibly gotten from books. Ive read at least 3 on discus/cichlids and nothing compared to this forum haha.
3) Describe your tank, its size and dimensions, breeding or display. Include how long it has been setup or if it is still being cycled.
The tank im going to raise the juvies in is 55 gallons. Its been set up for a few days and the supplier im buying from is going to give me established sponge filters so no need to cycle it. After i grown them to 4.5-5 inches they are going to go into my 125 gallon tank.
4) Describe the décor for the tank; type of substrate or bare bottom (BB), whether the tank will be planted or a biotope.
It will be a bare bottom tank nothing else other then heaters and the sponge filters. The 125 gallon tank they are going into will have a light sand bottom with lots of manzanita wood to create a natural biotope for them. Not planning on having plants for my first discus tank.
5) Describe your water changes planned or practiced, percentage and how often. Include if you age your water and use of tap/RO or mix.
My water changes planned are 50% once a day to raise them then when they are grown and go into the 125 i will do 3-4 a week which i hope is sufficient. I will be using aged tap i have an ro unit but just going to save it for a future marine tank, wanting to make this as simple as i can for my first discus tank.
6) Describe the type of filtration planned/used for the tank; sponge, HOB and/or sump. Also include the other equipment you are, or will be, using in your tank, e.g. heater, lighting, etc.
Just 2 established sponge filters, 2 100 watt heaters, normal florescents until i set up a diy led system.
7) If the tank is already setup and running, include the water parameters;
- temp-82-84
- tank ph-8.2
- Ph of the water straight out of your tap-8.0
- ammonia reading-0
- nitrite reading-0
- nitrate reading-0
- well water-no
- municipal water-yes
8) Describe your current or planned stocking levels; number/size of discus and number/type of dither fish. Where did you get your discus from or do you have a proposed source for getting your discus?
I have already bought 9 3"+ alanquer discus from rich at richiesfishroom.com. great guy really helped out loads by answering all my questions. they are stendkers he buys from hans i believe.
9) Describe your planned or existing feeding regimen. Include what and how often you are feeding on a daily basis.
I will be feeding them 5-6 times a day 6 times mainly on the weekends, 3 feedings of omega one super color flakes, 1 feeding of omega one veggie flakes, 1 feeding of frozen bloodworms or blackworms when i get them, and one feeding of beefheart right before the water change so i can make sure i get all the extra bh out.
10) What are your goals in this hobby? For example are you looking to keep discus in a planted community tank, or do you hope to become a hobby breeder of Discus? Do you want to raise Discus with the hopes of competing in shows?
My only goal is to be successful with keeping discus. There have been quite a few people around my city who haven't succeeded with discus and im sure its because they either didn't get them from the right source or didn't keep up with the maintenance. Theres only been one person who has succeeded and i think it would be neat to be the only other person to succeed :). If i do a great job i would love to start entering contest and what not but i have to see how raising them goes. The tank im planning on is going to be a natural discus biotope with no plants, once again keeping it as simple as possible. Im going to have manzanita to simulate roots and a rock background to hide everything since i wont have a sump. Eventually if i really get into it getting a breeding pair would be incredible but that's a very long road and im just starting :). Though i feel confident in my plans i thought id get one last check before i go get the fish. Thanks for your time.