New to Discus

I have finally pulled the trigger on getting discus. I have ordered 8 from Hans should be here next week. 75 gal tank has been cycled for a couple months, currently have 6 lemon tetras and a bunch of cherry shrimp in it currently. I figure the cherry shrimp will get eaten, but they are currently keeping it clean. I used R/O water to do water changes because my well water has 40ppm nitrates and I kept losing fish till I figured that out. There is a lot of debate on filtration, I am currently using a two sponge filters and a sunsun 304b canister on this tank. Is the canister necessary with two sponge filters? The canisters are just a pain to clean. I use blasting sand for substrate if that matters.

Welcome to the forum Moe! 40ppm nitrates is pretty high. Have you checked phosphates as well? I don't know how much reading up you've done, but just so you know straight RO isn't the healthiest of environments. Discus, especially young discus, require trace minerals for healthy development. I would suggest buying something to re-mineralize the water. or develop a formula yourself that would be much cheaper in the long run. There are recipes in the water section. I use only sponge filters. Sometimes I supplement with an old Magnum HOB to polish particles from the water that water changes along don't catch.

And yes, you can probably say bye, bye to your shrimp :D

I have been using R/O water for a while and I do obviously remineralize it, I have had to play with my amounts for this discus tank as I don't add as much. I figured about the shrimp, not a big deal I have a couple large colonies that I feed to my tanks every once in a while to cull them down.

I recommend you taking a sample of your tap water to the LFS to confirm these readings. EPA standard for tap water is 20 ppm nitrate, so something doesn't make sense here. If your tap water is really 40 ppm nitrate, you shouldn't be using it for cooking.

Its well water EPA has nothing to do with it. Water is fine for everything but fish tanks, why I use R/O water.

I like to get it checked. Afterwards, it should be fine.

I really don't understand why everyone is obsessed with my tap water I don't use it, I use R/O water for my tanks. Obviously, you guys do not live around farmland, our nitrates are generally higher due to the fertilizers put on the fields. I have been drinking and cooking with it for forty years, and it is not the point of my topic. I appreciate the concern, but please refer to my original post to see my questions.

Depends on the size of sponge and what size tank they're rated for. They are great biological filters. You will get more mechanical filtration with HOB or canisters.

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Originally Posted by potatoemoe

I have finally pulled the trigger on getting discus. I have ordered 8 from Hans should be here next week. 75 gal tank has been cycled for a couple months, currently have 6 lemon tetras and a bunch of cherry shrimp in it currently. I figure the cherry shrimp will get eaten, but they are currently keeping it clean. I used R/O water to do water changes because my well water has 40ppm nitrates and I kept losing fish till I figured that out. There is a lot of debate on filtration, I am currently using a two sponge filters and a sunsun 304b canister on this tank. Is the canister necessary with two sponge filters? The canisters are just a pain to clean. I use blasting sand for substrate if that matters.

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Hi and welcome to the forum. I would think you have plenty of filtration for your tank. Since you are using RO water does your remin product add anything for kH. I hate to see you get a pH crash once you have your discus.
Pat

Yes one of the reasons I went with the German strains was so I could have a slightly higher kh. it has been running between 2kh. I have been working hard the last two months perfecting my ratio for reminerializing my R/O water for discus.

Welcome and congrats on Hans discus. How big did you get? As for filtration I’d go with your 2 sponges (if you must) and a tidal 110/ aqua clear 110 or a marine land 350 hob filter. Any one of those will work. If you want to get rid of the air fed sponges get an odyssey 250. $20 shipped on eBay. Im not a fan of the sun-sun filters.
Thing with new discus is for the first week at least (month would be better) you should change 50% water daily. Just to get them used to your water.

Tom makes a good point. Your tank right now is fully cycled for your little tetras but you will be introducing fish that will produce a very large bioload which will lead to a mini cycle or larger depending on the size of the fish.

I use only sponges. I've had canisters before but it's way easier to squeeze a sponge than clean a canister. On a 75 I use 3 of the largest square Angels plus offers. I'm quite sure that's one sponge too many for that size tank.

I like those API Hydro Sponge Filter H-V from Jehmco and add a HOB filter too.


https://www.jehmco.com/html/hydro-sponge_filters.html