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Thread: 75 Gallon journey

  1. #1
    Registered Member Ryan925's Avatar
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    Default 75 Gallon journey

    So I wished I had done this from the beginning but do feel I should go back and document my journey.

    First off I need to thank Kenny for such high quality stock that was one of the key components to success so far. Secondly the rest of the forum for the loads of info and helping me to realize my mistakes early and make the necessary corrections.

    In January of 2015 I purchased my first discus from my LFS. Had never even seen a discus before at that point. My son had received a 10 gallon tank as a Christmas gift from his godfather so we decided to buy one. Fish was about half dollar size if I remember correctly. Was definitely a fry with no color or pattern to start with. We very much enjoyed watching this fish grow and gain it's pattern and color and fell in love with discus. Unfortunately I did not receive any info on care for the discus and I'm sure you can all guess how that ended. The fish amazingly made it about a year before he began to whirl and eventually died. After this unfortunate event is when so started reading up here. Was sad to find out that everything we had done was wrong and that this poor fish probably suffered quite a bit.

    I knew for a fact we wanted discus again but also new I needed some education. So after reading up here and feeling confident enough I went ahead and started purchasing equipment...


    So here was the beginning.

    75G tank
    Fluval G6 canister filter
    48" finnex planted + 24/7
    Finnex 300w titanium heater
    Co2 injection setup
    Eco complete subtrate
    Planted tank
    7302016202535.jpg
    February first start of tank
    7302016202640.jpg
    Mid March
    7302016203743.jpg
    Beginning of April
    7302016205043.jpg
    Mid April 6 discus added

  2. #2
    Registered Member Ryan925's Avatar
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    Default Re: 75 Gallon journey

    So April I had the pleasure of taking my family to meet Kenny and choose our fish. Kenny was so kind and helpful. Very much appreciated that he took the time to show my 4 year old (and us) around his fish room. He also took a lot of time giving us some education and answering questions while we checked out the fish room.

    We had placed the order with him prior but he allowed us to choose the fish from the tanks

    1 checkerboard pigeon
    1 golden checkerboard pigeon
    1 cobalt
    1 BSS x Blue Scorpion
    1 tiger carnation turquoise
    1 leopard eruption

    All were in the 3"-3.5" range with some being closer to 3

    Here is the tank in May. Unfortunately it would seem I didn't take many good closeups of the fish in May. Plants were growing like crazy. Was only doing weekly WCs at his point. I KNOW I KNOW. SHAME SHAME!
    7302016205631.jpg7302016205658.jpg7302016205736.jpg

  3. #3
    Registered Member scrappinjaime's Avatar
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    Default Re: 75 Gallon journey

    Beautiful, I also have a 75 and it has been set up two months. I'm buying some discus from Kenny as soon as he posts his Sept shipment!

  4. #4
    Registered Member Ryan925's Avatar
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    Default Re: 75 Gallon journey

    That brings me to June. At this point the growth rate difference within the group has become quite evident. 3 of the six are significantly larger. Mid June I also added the 5" Rafflesia 730201621053.jpg730201621158.jpg730201621235.jpg730201621252.jpg730201621326.jpg730201621355.jpg730201621422.jpg730201621442.jpg

    At this point I thought my fish were growing and coloring nicely yet the more I was here I started to see they could be doing so much better

  5. #5
    Registered Member Ryan925's Avatar
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    Default Re: 75 Gallon journey

    So here is the tank at the beginning of July. This is just before I started on the road of change 7302016211059.jpg7302016211144.jpg

    I will also mention this was my first planted tank as well. I was quite proud of my success with the plants but at this point I had realized they needed to go

  6. #6
    Registered Member Ryan925's Avatar
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    Default Re: 75 Gallon journey

    So here we are mid July and I have finally decided to remove the majority of the plants as well as my drift wood.

    I ordered some more seiryu stone and some really nice pieces of manzanita7302016213658.jpg7302016213745.jpg7302016214116.jpg730201621385.jpg7302016213828.jpg7302016213852.jpg7302016213924.jpg7302016213941.jpg7302016213959.jpg7302016214018.jpg

    At this point I noticed a difference in the fish behavior immediately. I could see they were using much more of the tank with more free room to swim.

    I believe it was shortly after this that I actually started a thread fearful that I had stunted the smaller ones.

  7. #7
    Registered Member Ryan925's Avatar
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    Default Re: 75 Gallon journey

    Making these changes allowed me to see immediate results in partially correcting what I was doing wrong.

    I knew at this point that I needed to do a substrate change but was so intimidated by it.

    I was very nervous to over stress the fish with the move and the changes. All the credit goes to the forum for helping me to go through the next step in process.

    Thanks to you guys providing me step by step recommendation and the assurance that it wouldn't be that hard on the fish I finally went for it.

    I removed the hardscpape from the tank then moved the fish to a 30 gallon tote with heater and air stone. I then drained the tank and removed the 120# of eco.

    I couldn't believe how much debris was in there. I was thoroughly vac'ng with wc every other day and thought I was keeping it pretty clean.

    I then did a thorough wipe down of the tank and added 50# of the white PFS. Added back the hardscape and few plants and filled. I then ran the tank for a couple of hours before moving fish back.

    With the new setup the difference in the fish was night and day and almost instantanious. The color difference was incredible. It also seems they are growing right before my eyes.

    I hope this journey can help newbies like myself accept their mistakes and make the necessary changes to give them the best results. I see so many ask for help yet refuse to put it into action. I hope that physically seeing the difference will help them to accept it. Attachment 100748Attachment 100749Attachment 100750Attachment 100751
    Attachment 100752Attachment 100753Attachment 100754Attachment 100755
    This was done first week of August

  8. #8
    Registered Member Galvatron's Avatar
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    Default Re: 75 Gallon journey

    Interesting the way the yellow one changed color.
    "Things don't have to change the world to be important."

  9. #9
    Registered Member Ryan925's Avatar
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    Default Re: 75 Gallon journey

    Quote Originally Posted by Galvatron View Post
    Interesting the way the yellow one changed color.
    Bio pigment FDBW

  10. #10
    Homesteader Filip's Avatar
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    Default Re: 75 Gallon journey

    Great journal Ryan .
    I like your discus too and i think they still got potential to grow big and fancy.
    Accepting advices and use other people experiences is the way to go .

    I just cant open the attachments in your last post . As the matter of fact , theese are the only pics that show up to me as an atachment option . All the rest pics in this thread just opens automaticlally and inline with the text .

  11. #11
    Registered Member Ryan925's Avatar
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    Default Re: 75 Gallon journey

    Thanks for the feedback Filip. Here are the same photos I believe.

    Also I owe you some thanks as you were one of the biggest helpers in taking on the substrate change

    730201622018.jpg730201622040.jpg730201622057.jpg730201622118.jpg

  12. #12
    Registered Member Ryan925's Avatar
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  13. #13
    Homesteader Filip's Avatar
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    Default Re: 75 Gallon journey

    Now i see the new pics . Thanks Ryan .

    Your discus and the new squicky clean look of your tank looks gorgeous.
    Totally different colours on your discus . Great job.
    Just keep them growing and show us the progress here occasionaly .

  14. #14
    Registered Member Ryan925's Avatar
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    Default Re: 75 Gallon journey

    Quote Originally Posted by Filip View Post
    Now i see the new pics . Thanks Ryan .

    Your discus and the new squicky clean look of your tank looks gorgeous.
    Totally different colours on your discus . Great job.
    Just keep them growing and show us the progress here occasionaly .
    Thanks Filip. I really am enjoying seeing the growth a a change in appearance. They definitely are starting to get much rounder in the forehead area and are really starting to thicken up

  15. #15
    Registered Member Ryan925's Avatar
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    Default Re: 75 Gallon journey

    Beginning of September. These 2 are showing a lot of change in pattern. Will post better pics of the group soon813201620356.jpg813201620424.jpg

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