120 Extra High Planted Journal

[flutterbug]

I want to start a journal on my new 120. It is a ways away from being planted and having Discus, but I am excited to have it filled and running! I started adding Ammonia to it yesterday to start a fishless cycle. I have Bio Max from my other tanks I can put in there. I just want to make sure there is plenty of nitrifying bacteria in the new filter before I start planting it. Not much to look at yet but I always have fun ought out some awesome advice from Discuspaul!

Found this, figure I’ll fill it out so I don’t forget anything important!

This questionnaire may be used to either help you to describe your new tank setup for discus or
be a “food for thought” checklist while you consider what your goals are with your new discus tank setup.

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 Meredith I have been very obsessed with planted tanks for the last 2 years.
My husband and I bought and set up a 55 gallon back in 2004. I knew nothing about aquariums at that time and mostly just picked out fish while my husband did all the work. I am pretty sure we did everything wrong (I know that now that the internet is so full of info,) I didn’t know about the nitrogen cycle or how important it was to select proper tank mates and not to over stock etc. etc. We also set up a 30 gallon at one point. We had that 55 for a long time and it came with us when we moved to our new home in 2006. At that point the only fish we still had was an Alligator Gar. He must of been a tough fish to kill because he did not die until around 2009. When we broke down the tank we found a rusted key chain ring and penny. Most likely the reason it finally died. At that time my husband was sick of doing water changes and we put the tank in storage. Meanwhile sometime around 3 years ago my mother brought home my daughter with a 5 gallon Hex and 7 goldfish! I was not too happy but decided since it would make my dear daughter happy I took care of it. (Not well I might add.) Then at some point my husband decided he wanted to get our 55 set up again. He brought it upstairs and left it for a bit. I got sick of it gathering dust and decided I wanted to see if you could have living plants in an aquarium. ( I already have 1000’s of plants in my yard and pretty much have run out of room for any more.) So that started me on my Planted Tank journey 2 years ago. Since I have also converted my DD’s 5 gal. into a planted Beta tank. My other younger DD had a 2.5 gal. that I planted but it was a pain to maintain due to being so small and I ended up getting a 6 gal. Bookshelf and planted that for a Beta tank.
I have a 20 gal. set up as a QT and 2 10 gal. QTs. on stand by, currently one has some new plants in quarantine.

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?

Yes, I have been reading about them and drooling over them for a year. My goal has been to learn enough about this hobby and to have success with a planted tank, with my end goal to have a beautiful Planted Discus Show tank! I think I have read every article about planted Discus tanks one could find on the web. So I have read lots of different opinions and found simply to seem to be filled with the most knowledgeable and friendly folks!

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.

120 Extra High Glass Marineland aquarium with black Majesty stand.
Aquarium Measures 60” x 18” x 25”
Set up 9/27/13 - Currently Cycling

4) Describe the décor for the tank; type of substrate or bare bottom (BB), whether the tank will be planted or a biotope.

Pool Filter Sand 2.5” in back sloping to 1” in front
Plan at minimum, lightly planted, then slowly more heavily, perhaps not until Discus are full grown.

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.

Add Prime to water, use hose to fill straight from tap. I use a thermometer to make sure the temp. is the same. I have not actually tested my new tank aside from ammonia, but I have been testing my QT and my tap doesn’t change a whole lot after degassed. PH test shows my tank to stay at 7.5, while it tests 7.0 straight out of the tap. My home is not set up in a way for me to be able to age water. I had considered putting a tank under my tank to age water, but my husband is concerned about the extra weight. But I haven’t seen any problems so far, so hopefully that will stay the case.

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.

I wanted to use a sump, but again my husband is concerned with the extra weight! Right now I have a SUNSUN HW-304B 5-STAGE AQUARIUM EXTERNAL CANISTER FILTER w/9W UV STERILIZER 525G running on it. Plan to add a 110 Aquaclear. Have considered a sponge filter but I really hate the look of extra equipment in tank. Have a 300 watt Hydor Theo currently. Want to add a Heater Module or Hydor Inline 300 watt. Have not made up my mind yet. I have another 300 watt by Aquatop in my 55 that I was planning to move into the 120, once that tank is broken down.

7) If the tank is already setup and running, include the water parameters;

Only worried about the Ammonia right now. Have my Ammonia up to 4ppm. It took me 15 teaspoons to get it there. It might actually only be at 3 ppm because the green is a tiny bit lighter than on the chart. I may add a little more and re check.

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?

7 Discus
Cardinal Tetras (5)
German Blue Ram (1)
*Espei Rasbora (10)
*SAE (3)
*Ottos (2)
* May change my mind about these, I already have them though.

Got a Blue Diamond from Petco due to their 30 day guarantee knowing I would need more soon. I was thinking I wanted to make sure I could keep it alive before I invested in a group.
Found mmorris’ ad on Simply and went to her to get 6 Blue and Red turks.
I can see a huge difference in the quality, her fish are so much nicer than any I’ve seen in local fish stores!

9) Describe your planned or existing feeding regimen. Include what and how often you are feeding on a daily basis.

8am San Francisco Bay Beefheart
11am Omega One Spirulina
2pm Hikari Frozen Brine Shrimp
5pm Omega One Super Color Flakes
9pm Hikari Frozen Blood Worms

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?

I want a beautiful Planted Discus Community Tank although Discus only tanks are growing on me! I would be excited if my Discus decide to breed but I am not planning to go out of my way to get them to. Maybe in the future...



Here is a link to my planted 55 gallon tank pictures. https://picasaweb.google.com/1180500...lantedAquarium

[winn0923]

That's a lot of feeding!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

[flutterbug]

They still beg everytime I walk by though! I try to adjust the amount I give to how fast they eat it all.

Added -I thought it might be too much so sometimes I mix the two kinds of flakes and only feed 4 x.

[strawberryblonde]

Hi Meredith and welcome to the forums! Can't wait to see some pics of your discus and your new tank. =)

Don't worry, you aren't overfeeding them at all. My 3" discus are currently eating 6-7 times a day, depending on how well they beg when I walk into the kitchen. LOL

What's your water change schedule currently and how big are your discus?

[flutterbug]

Thank you strawberryblonde! I have not measured any of them except the BD, when I added him to the QT the other day I made sure to take his measurement. It's body is 3.5". Now I can compare the rest to it. There is only one other that is a tad smaller. The biggest I am going to guess is around 4". When I switch tanks again I'll be sure to take accurate measurements. I have been changing the water 50% a day.

[flutterbug]

[strawberryblonde]

You've really done your homework...good job! Your discus all look good, just keep feeding them and doing the water changes...then sit back and watch them grow. =)

[flutterbug]

Thank you strawberryblonde! I forgot I have some freeze dried blackworms on the way from the sponsor. Not sure how I'll work those into the feeding schedule! lol

[strawberryblonde]

I like to offer them in between scheduled feedings and I also stick a cube to the glass for a "bedtime snack". They go crazy for them!

[flutterbug]

Sounds good, except I didn't get cubes. Next time I will try the cubes.

[flutterbug]

I got a free sample of cubes included in my order! Very nice

[Disgirl]

Hi Meredith, I just looked through your planted tank pics. Wow, what an aquatic green thumb you have, very nicely done! And you are a good picture taker too I see. Hope to see you here a lot and good luck with your discus. You will enjoy it here.
Barb

[musicmarn1]

Same here !! Learning planted tanks and yours put me to shame! After all that hard work on plants discus will be easy! Please continue to share your journey I love "meeting" other new discus keepers, those F.dBW from AL are the bomb!

Hi Meredith, I just looked through your planted tank pics. Wow, what an aquatic green thumb you have, very nicely done! And you are a good picture taker too I see. Hope to see you here a lot and good luck with your discus. You will enjoy it here.
Barb

[flutterbug]

Thanks to you both!

[flutterbug]

Finally have a NItrite reading on my fishless cycle!