180g - Planted Discus Tank

[raidendex]

Well it's that time in my tick tock cycle to switch between saltwater and freshwater tanks

Few days ago I sold off all of the live stock from my SPS reef tank and started process of converting it to freshwater. Didn't really scrape off all of the coraline algae from the tanks, but hopefully that won't interfere too much. I've already soaked it in freshwater with some bleach and did quite a few water changes, so at worst it should just be some calcium build up here and there.

Reef that was recently shut down.


Planted discus tank from few years ago.


Quick run down of current setup:
Display - 180g glass tank
Sump - 120g glass tank
Overflow - hang on box with two 1" drains, set up herbie style.
Return pump - Sicce Syncra 5.0
Flow - Display: Maxspect Gyre XF150, Sump: 2x Hydor Koralia Evo 1400 (mainly to mix in ferts and keep detritus off the bottom)
Filtration - Filter sock (1 to 100 micro, will see what lowest rating I can go to without frequent changes) -> Poret foam block 2" at 45ppi -> 24" cube chamber filled with lava rocks and bio balls. Change sock every few days, rinse foam once week or so, rocks and bio balls maybe take out and rinse sometimes....
Heaters - Ebo Jager 300w x2 on Ranco controller
Controller - Apex with ph/temp/orp probes and 16 outlets, 8 of which are on battery back up.
Doser - 2x Apex DOS for 4 liquids.
Lights - DIY LED (parts still on the way...), an LED flood light till then.
CO2 - GLA GRO overpriced valve! ... erm regulator ;P and 20lbs CO2 tank.
Substrate - black diamond blasting sand (have a move in a near future, so wanted something easy for now, will likely change so some sort of dirt whatever for plants after the move).
Decorations - Got some pale green with black/brown patterns boulders, but now sure if they are bad so discarded, aside from that I have 6 large manzanita branches on the way to create some nice scape even if I do not find some usable boulders (Have rock dealer nearby, but I'm not sure sure what is what there as some have random names like Fern green - what I bought).

Fish - discus from Hans again, will order once tank is ready. And maybe some bushy nose plecos, corys, etc.
Plants - not really sure yet.




DIY LED Layout

[rickztahone]

Nice Apex setup. How you like the DOS? Will you be using it for mixed dry fertz?

Lovely SW tank setup you had. I am currently working on a nano SW tank.

[raidendex]

Thanks!

DOS seems to work quite well, pretty easy to set up from Apex dashboard. Used it to dose Ca/Alk/Mg, now will do this recipe (https://sites.google.com/site/aquati...r/home/pps-pro). Already mixed gallon of each. Of course that still leaves me with 2 more open dosers, so may do something else with them.

[rickztahone]

PPS is very effective. Good luck and I will follow along intently.

[raidendex]

Well got all the basics setup now.

Lights are built and installed. Get up to 300PAR in some spots at substrate, so I'm sure I will be dimming them eventually lol.

Got manzanita branches in as well as some random plants. Not super happy with all of them, but I guess will do for now. Will be more selective at picking plants later ....

Here are some shots.

[Dhavalsp]

looking nice, the reflection in the second pic is just amazing, I would just sit at that angle everyday and stare at the tank!

The salt deposits from your reef setup is adding so much character to the whole deal...all the best!

[raidendex]

Thanks!

Those are actually corpses of coraline algae lol, I didn't feel like sitting there scraping it off for hours. It is slowly falling away, so I'm sure with time it will all be gone hehe.

[jmf3460]

nice hardscape, really good job arranging the wood all turned the same way ish. were it me the background would be just all over my nerves but it actually looks kind of cool. you going to stick it would with black substrate??

[raidendex]

Yeah, I might change substrate later, but will be that for now. You scared of black discus? =p

[rickztahone]

the coraline algae does add something to this scape which makes it very unique. Would the dead coraline algae affect water chemistry at all though?

Black substrate may equal black discus. Black discus typically aren't typically that attractive to look at. In fact, a buddy of mine had a huge 540g tank full of discus and there were a few Pb's in there that I couldn't even see, lol.

[raidendex]

Dead coraline might, it's likely something like calcium carbonate. I'm not really worried about it too much with large water changes.

I've had black substrate with discus before (video in first post) they seemed ok. I feel like they will worry more about bright light beaming from above than dark substrate below lol. Will see when I get them, still probably several weeks off. Getting some other fish first, have to qt them for few weeks (assuming they even make it alive here... being shipped flat rate usps looks like), then put them in the tank, see how they do, and once all seems ok there I will order discus. Hopefully will sell my sro3000 skimmer by then to pay for it

[rickztahone]

That is a beast of a skimmer. How much can you get in the used market?

[raidendex]

Shrug I make up prices myself based on what I paid lol, most of the time I sell stuff at those prices np. Skimmers and few other small things are what remains from saltwater extra stuff. Asking $250 for it.

[raidendex]

I was bored today... sure can see all the snails a lot better this way.

[rickztahone]

I was bored today... sure can see all the snails a lot better this way.

Pretty cool. iPhone timelapse?