600G Discus Monster

[Dalfan039]

So I have some plans on building a Monster Discus Tank, 96x48x31 600g, however the water level will only be at 27 inches, giving me closer to 540G, while the sump should add roughly 200G worth of water. Aqadvisor suggests that i would be able to place nearly 70 Discus in this monster. What is the opinion of SimplyDiscus, how many discus could live in this?

[Lido]

It all depends on the size of the fish, your water change regimen and your plan for the tank. I have never seen anything that big packed full of discus. Usually it is a really high end group of wilds or some rare domestics. I guess if you wanted to put 50+ fish in it you could. But why not to groups of really nice ones with plenty of room?

[rickztahone]

40-50 is what I would go with considering what you plan to fill the tank with (decoration).

[bluelagoon]

A group of all one strain would look really nice.

[Dalfan039]

So I am considering buying 15-20 discus and having 3-4 strains, i want to get them as juveniles then grow out and breed to fill the rest of the tank. I intend on setting up a breeding rack which will consist of 2 29G breeding, 2 50 grow outs and 1 150 grow out.

[Lido]

That sounds totally reasonable, and fun. Good luck

[Willie]

Paul, a local guy in Minneapolis built a monster tank about 10 years ago. The tank was around 880 gallons and he built it out of 4' X 8' plywood, epoxied the inside and put in two 1" thick pieces of acrylic for viewing. Paul filled the bottom with dirt, then added water. Took almost 3 months for the tank to get up to temperature. Paul went in with a scuba mask and put in tons of plants. Then he added CO2. He had 8 metal halides on top.

There were all sorts of fish, lots of South Americans, lots of Corydoras, lots of dwarf cichlids. He raised a dozen altum angels in there. At one point, he put in a dozen 2" Flachens from Hans. It was very difficult to keep a tank that size under control. The plants would grow out of the tank. All the cichlids spawned like crazy.

One day, i got an emergency call from him. The tank had split and he needed help getting the discus out. The Flachens were gigantic, many were 7" - 8". The smallest were 6". Growing up in the densely planted tank, they were scarred but still beautiful. He put up a video on Youtube back then, but I can't seem to find it.

Willie

[LoGeek]

So I am considering buying 15-20 discus and having 3-4 strains, i want to get them as juveniles then grow out and breed to fill the rest of the tank. I intend on setting up a breeding rack which will consist of 2 29G breeding, 2 50 grow outs and 1 150 grow out.

How often and how much water do you intend to change? Drip system? I guess that will determine if you can create stable conditions for that many fish...?

[Dalfan039]

I was planning on doing either 50% once a week or 60g drip a day on the big tank. the grow out's and breeding will have to be more often maybe 4-5 times a week.

[rubinsteinnyc]

So I have some plans on building a Monster Discus Tank, 96x48x31 600g, however the water level will only be at 27 inches, giving me closer to 540G, while the sump should add roughly 200G worth of water. Aqadvisor suggests that i would be able to place nearly 70 Discus in this monster. What is the opinion of SimplyDiscus, how many discus could live in this?

What will this tank be made out of? Who is building it?

[Dalfan039]

What will this tank be made out of? Who is building it?

It'll be plywood and glass made by my father and I