Setting up Discus Tank

[hdanh00]

New member here. I've been keeping freshwater fish for the past few years, mainly parrots, angels, and dwarf cichlids.
Currently, I have a planted 55g tank with rams, clowns, and a few random species.

So now I want to start a discus tank. I already bought and setup a used tank which I had to reseal:

• 100g tank (5'x18"20") /w pvc overflow
• 30g refugium
• half inch sand bed, I really want sand rather than barebottom
• dragon stone, waiting on some more to come in then
• 1 heater, waiting for another one to come in
• Current USA 48" Satellite CFL, I might change out the light to just white light, but we'll see how the fish looks once I get them in there. It came like that when I bought it used.

A few years ago I bought some mineral mud for a salt water tank but never got around to using it. I called caribsea yesterday in using it for this freshwater tank in the refug and they said it should be ok, but there might be problems with plants growing from, I think he said silicates or something, I forgot. That should be fine since I'm not doing any plants except for the ones in the refug to take up nitrates.

The overflow flows into a filter pad then trickles down to the seachem matrix. Then flows through a bunch of pot scrubbies and lava rocks at the bottom. This is my first time using a refug/sump.
I have no idea what my flow rate is. The return pump I'm using is from 2009 and it doesn't have any label on it, but I'm thinking it's more than 500gph. I'm planning on attaching another return pump for an additional ~400gph.

I have 3 baby white faced super red discus that is about nickle size that I will put in this tank once they get bigger.

Should I change/do anything different before discus goes in there? Thanks!

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[Ryan925]

Looks nice. One thing I have to say is that I noticed with rock piles a lot of debris gets trapped underneath. I eventually removed all of my rock. With discus that size keeping the tank squeaky clean is very important

[Bizarro252]

Hello! Awesome looking setup! Is the filter already cycled? Sounds like you are waiting a bit to put fish in so if not that should not be an issue.
I, like you, have previous fish keeping experience (mine is mostly with Mbuna Cichlids) and love my sand too - but as a fresh (week into it) Discus keeper let me recommend that you ditch it until they are bigger. The amount and types of foods these guys eat and several feedings a day will drive you crazy trying to keep that clean, or even just not gross.

Also, are you planning on getting more? 3 alone are going to have aggression issues.

Good luck!!

[hdanh00]

I will consider removing the rocks.

This tank is not cycled. I literally just set it up 2 days ago. I will be moving over a spare cycled canister filter and have a few of my rams in the other tank moved over a few days after that (would it be fine?). I plan to keep these rams as dither fish.

The 3 baby discus I have right now are still very small so there's plenty of time for me to get more, probably 8-10 total, and I'll put them in the tank when they're similar in size.
There are not many choices locally to purchase them as juveniles or adults, so I have to get them shipped. The LFS that have them are not very healthy ones, from what I can tell, could be mistaken. I might take some pictures and ask for opinions if I should buy them.

I also have 2 baby severum similar in size as you can see in the last picture. Could I keep them in the discus tank once they're bigger? I got them for free.

As for the sand, how big should I have the discus before I have the sand bed? I'm considering bare bottom now until they're bigger.

Thanks for the help!

[Bizarro252]

Nice that you have a spare cycled canister already You can put the rams in there as soon as you move the filter. Or you can feed the tank with ammonia until you are ready to move fish in (and do a massive WC first). I am VERY new to discus and have no experience with dither fish, the idea interests me though
Not sure about severums, I have heard GBRs make good tank mates for discus however no experience myself.

My LFS have crappy discus too, not even sure why they have them, its obvious they dont take care of them There are many sponsors on here that sell imported discus of VERY nice quality. I am partial to Hans, because thats who I got my fish from, but anyone on that list will get you very nice fish, have a look around If you get 6-10 the shipping cost per fish spreads out enough that its not THAT bad

I love my sand in my other tanks, and plan to put sand in my discus tank when they are over 5", might wait even longer... I want to grow them out in BB, and if you look around this place that will be the recommendation from the vast majority of folks - they make a big mess and the meaty foods need to be cleaned up right away as they will rot, increase bioload, and stink.

Any fish you add to your discus tank make sure it is QT'd and healthy, dont want to put in something you got for free and make you discus sick

[Ryan925]

One thing to keep in mind is if you used a cycled filter from another tank you run the risk of cross contamination. There may be pathogens present that have no effect on the fish in that tank but can cause illness in the discus.

[killerrche]

Hello.
I'm new to this world and I want to ask.
I have plan to buy 7-8 discus fish and have a lot of dragon stone.
Many people say to me that discus fish can hurt on dragon stones. But my logic says that nobody want to hurt himself.
Here picture from my scape, and please give me your opinions.
Thanks
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[Johnny95132]

Nice look with the dragon stone. Unfortunately, I will be one of those to argue against the dragon stone. I have seen discus darting time after time again in my tanks and crashing into the glass. Luckily, there were no decorations for the discus to hurt themselves. You'll be amazed at how skittish discus can be. They'll dart even at the slightest of movements, for example a footstep. I would say that if I had dragon stone in my tank, I would have lost a few discus already.

[killerrche]

Thanks for the advice.
Everyone who see my aquarium say that this aquascape in ideal for African Cichlids, but I have already 80 cardinal tetra (2 months) and they progress very well.
Now, if I keep Discus, I must to remove all of my dragon stone or have some solution to remove some of the stone (example, remove half of the stones)?
I know that ideal scape for Discus is just nothing, only glass and water, but can someone tell some tips to rearrange my scape to have some stones? Or just I said before must to remove ALL stones.
Thanks.

[Iminit]

There are ways to decorate a discus tank. But those stones have to go!! Sorry. I like to put a few pieces of lava rock in my tanks. I had to remove both and my guys rarely jump. But every so often one would have scratches on it. So they are gone. Every so often one fish will jump and scare the rest and all jump aimlessly for about 2 feet. That’s when you will have problems. If you can find a smooth one you could try it. Me I use driftwood and rounded rocks and plants to decorate. C9DFB916-1827-432E-874E-D461F531AEF8.jpg

[Oxboy]

Nice look with the dragon stone. Unfortunately, I will be one of those to argue against the dragon stone. I have seen discus darting time after time again in my tanks and crashing into the glass. Luckily, there were no decorations for the discus to hurt themselves. You'll be amazed at how skittish discus can be. They'll dart even at the slightest of movements, for example a footstep. I would say that if I had dragon stone in my tank, I would have lost a few discus already.

Agreed. My experience is discus are pretty derpy swimmers. They are like huge cruise ships...fantastically maneuverable at low speed but like the Titanic and an iceberg at high speed.

When I first got my current batch of 3-4 inchers, I one time heard a loud THUMP coming from the tank. We're talking "drop a full bar of soap in the shower" loud. Next I notice one of the fish acting like he's a bit drunk. In the morning he or she was dead. No signs anywhere of illness. To this day, I'm convinced he went all crash test dummy into the glass. If at had been against a sharp rock, it would've looked like 0:21 in this clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIbkLNy-rpE