Good Day Sunshine AKA morning routine in my house.

This one is a pictorial. I finally decided to photograph my discus doing their morning routine. I swear one of these days I'm gonna get up and find them brushing their teeth and putting a kettle of tea on to boil. LOL

So here's how it works in the mornings:

1) I get up (or my husband beats me to it) and head out to make coffee. At that point my Titans in the tank drift out of their sleeping spots inside the big sword plant and come over to the left side of the tank to watch the coffee making process. Once we leave the kitchen, they remain on the left side... usually just the 3 of them...waiting...and waiting....

2) At about 6:45am the first bit of light starts creeping over the mountains and that's when the Titans wake up the "kids" and tell them to get the heck out of the sword plant.

3) 7am arrives and with it the sun breaks over the mountains, bathing the tank in yellow light. Just as it starts, all my discus get "in position" to greet the morning. Dead center in the tank, with each one turning first to the left, then to the right so both sides get the benefit of sunshine.

It's fun to watch the routine. I never seem to get tired of it.

Just starting to lighten up, the titans are on the left watching for rays of sunshine and have just woken the kids to get them ready for it.
http://crippledfrog.com/dark.jpg

They are starting to make their move! Everyone is heading for the center front of the tank where the sun hits first.
http://crippledfrog.com/inposition.jpg

And there it is - sunshine!
http://crippledfrog.com/gis.jpg

They hang right there for 20 minutes till the sun moves high enough that the light is dispersed throughout the tank and then they take up their "Normal Daytime Positions" LOL

For those who have been following my Blech thread about the illnesses I've been battling, here are pics of my sickest 2 discus and their slow recovery. I'd say they are about halfway healthy now.

First up is the FlachenSS, now named Cujo for his nasty attitude towards every other discus in the tank. Still has slight darkening on his head, but the scaly patches are gone, color is back to normal and all holes are healed up.
http://crippledfrog.com/cujo.jpg

And here's my RT. He's been sickest longest and I never thought I'd see his blue colors or his stripes again. Totally black since last August! Recovery is very slow, but there's steady improvement so I'm hopeful that one day he'll be vibrant and beautiful again. Oh and this pic shows my 3 titans in one spot! All are between 8.75" and 9".
http://crippledfrog.com/titans.jpg

Those are beautiful shots. I have an angelfish tank with six diamond tetras and White Cloud Mountain minnows in it. This time of year the sun hits the tank the same way yours gets bathed in sunlight. The fish just look so pretty in the natural light.

Your discus look spectacular showing off in the sun.

Toni, had to look at the pictures on my phone...one word....priceless. Loved the description and pictures.

Great pics Toni. Does the sun cause you any algae issues or is it not enough to make a difference?

Hi Jeff,

Nope, no algae in my tank at all. I had algae problems when I first started this tank 2 years ago...it was the brown stuff, ugh! Since then no issues with it unless I run my lights on full for a day or five. I have SUPER lights, the danged things would make Griswald giddy with joy.

When I do get algae from the lighting it's always at the top of the tank, around the rim and a bit on the lip of the filter outlets. None in the tank itself or on my swords.

They are all so beautiful !!!Love your sword plants too !

very nice Toni. yours like sun bath, mine stay in the shade until i give them sun block.

Toni, your discus are beatiful, and really look like titans :)