(video!) Automatic Planted Discus Aquarium

Hi,
I just wanted to post a video here of our tank:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV4KiiJp03s&hd=1

A low-maintenance planted discus tank is possible! This tank is completely automated, including daily 15gallon water changes (R/O plus re-mineralization/fertilizers). We can leave for 2 weeks at a time without any intervention, at which point the mineral reservoir needs refilled. (So far the longest we've been away is a week).

Even with all this water being changed, I still don't think we'll get the kind of crazy growth people achieve in bare bottom tanks with daily 100% changes and 8 feedings per day. But that's not really our goal... the goal is happy healthy discus in an enjoyable planted tank with very low maintenance. And I'm still shocked at how much it's possible to eliminate the hassle and work associated with keeping discus, and reduce it to just pure enjoyment!

(This tank is a 54 gallon corner).

They seem very skinny to me. Are you sure they eat enough?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by vanagon

Even with all this water being changed, I still don't think we'll get the kind of crazy growth people achieve in bare bottom tanks with daily 100% changes and 8 feedings per day. But that's not really our goal... the goal is happy healthy discus in an enjoyable planted tank with very low maintenance. And I'm still shocked at how much it's possible to eliminate the hassle and work associated with keeping discus, and reduce it to just pure enjoyment!

(This tank is a 54 gallon corner).

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Your tank and plants are nice. But your fish look starved. How old are they?
Barb

Beautiful tank, however I agree that your discus look thin.

Chris

Thanks for the replies!
This video was taken just a couple weeks after the fish were introduced, when they were still a little picky about food. They have been very healthy, though, and eat like pigs now, anything I put in. I feed them 5 or 6 times a day usually and they can't get enough. I'll try to post another video tomorrow if I get a chance... I think they've probably fattened up a good bit. Two of them have already started exhibiting some pairing behavior, but I think they're probably still way to young to lay any eggs.
-Wes

Oh good! Such a pretty tank and I am glad to hear they are eating well. Looking forward to another video. Good luck with them!
Barb :)

I went ahead and made another video real quick. The plants don't look as nice here because I just cut them back today (took out a lot!)

Here's the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dO8gj9gVRk&hd=1

The fish seem really healthy to me. Super active, always rushing me for food. I feed them a lot every day and they never stop eating (I feed beef heart, brine shrimp, hikari mega-tropical mix, sera pellets, ocean nutrition flakes, and other stuff)

Note that when they are on the sides of the tank they do appear artificially thin because of the curvature of the glass on the bowfront tank. But if you watch carefully in the video, you'll see their nice round and full bellies! Also, they're still quite young, so they aren't really full bodied yet.

The ones that end up on the left of the tank at the end of the video (next to the filter tank) are the ones that have been shimmying, and, as I type this, they're cleaning off that intake as if they want to lay eggs.

The best part is that I go for weeks without doing anything but feeding!

looks like they're doing well

I hope you keep posting pics or videos every couple of weeks.

How is your tank doing vanagon?

Awesome tank! Please share another video if you can, its been a LOOONG time! Did your potential pair ever lay any eggs?

whats the magic behind automatic water changes? Can you share how you set it up to give us an idea of how to go about it. I'm thinking of setting up something similar as I don't have time to do daily water changes.

Absolutely awesome! it's a great tank look forward to more videos and fry news.

That is awesome. Thanks for sharing!