My aquarium build - opinions? Suggestions welcomed please!

[lhoust84]

Hey guys,

This is my plan for my first discus tank - and Im a bit of a perfectionist, so have planned this for months and months and would like your opinion on the 'planned' set up. I plan to keep Stendka discus because I live in a hard water area and these Discus are accustomed and acclimatized to this.

Tank - 48x24x24 (Black background)




Filtration - Fluval G6 External Filter (Water temperature, flow rate and conductivity all measurable, has alarm and maintenance schedule)

• Mechanical Pre Filter

• Chemical phosphate, nitrate and carbon

• Biological Filtration Media

Lighting - Fluval Aquasky 30w 99-130cm (sit across the top of the tank)

• Combines 6500K white LEDs with tri-colored RGB LEDs

• Bright white, green, blue and red LED combinations

• Modes: fading lunar, storm, lightening effects and cloud coverage

• 120° light dispersion

Heating - The Hydor External Aquarium Heater

• The Hydor ETH Heater has a unique application that fits vertically on the pipes from your external filter. The heater has exclusive PTC, Positive Thermal Coefficient technology, ensuring maximum safety against risks of overheating.

Substrate - 25kg Bag of Natural White Silica Sand for Aquariums

Water movement

• Eheim Air Pump 400

• Eheim StreamOn+ 2000 Streaming Pump

Purifiers:

• Aqua MedIc Helix Max UV Steriliser 11W (Will this run inline with something?)

• 3 Stage HMA

• Seneye USB Home Solution Water Monitoring (This device will monitor all major parameters such as temperature, ammonia, and pH).

• V2 Pure In-Line TDS Meter

What do you think? Have I got everything I need equipment wise? I'll obviously purchase the necessary test kits and water changing food grade buckets etc

[Clawhammer]

Kudos to you for the research and planning before getting discus, you are already way ahead of where I started!

I don't see too many people going for the G6 filter... It is beautiful but I think it may be a little overpriced compared to the FX6. If you do end up going with the G6, I don't think you would need an inline TDS monitor, as the filter monitors "conductivity" which I assume is TDS. I like custom sumps or cheaper canisters like sunsun, where you can customize biomedia and aren't stuck buying proprietary filter cartridges.

I have the Fluval Aquasky and think it is a great value. I 100% endorse that light.

You may want to look at a larger UV filter for that tank in you decide to add a UV. 11w won't do much in a 120 gallon. It would be better to add a large one later than go with a small one now. They aren't required because of frequent water changes, but they help redox.

For sand, go with pool filter sand... https://www.amazon.com/Pool-Filter-S...ol+filter+sand

One last big point... Focus on your water change procedure and setup your tank to facilitate quick and easy water changes. Water changes are the key to discus success, and making them quick and easy is the key to doing them on schedule. I would ensure good tank placement by a faucet and drain. Also, using a pump to move water in and out of the tank really speeds things up. Research water aging and figure out if you need to age water, and if so, you will need a water aging tank.

[lhoust84]

Thank you!
I will look at the FX6 and other options.
I will also start with a larger UV - save money in the long run. Dont want to mess around (if possible) behind the tank once its in situ.

I wont start with Discus, I will cycle the tank with other inhabitants for a good couple of months and let the water age. I plan on some nice cardinals (large shoal) and electric blue rams and some corydoras and that should be about it.

Water changes I was planning on 20-30% weekly - I've read up on the devotedly discus website, who ship in and supply the UK with Stendka discus (Mark Evans) and he says this is acceptable. Im not looking to breed.
Im planning on siphoning the water from the tank via a hose to outside (I have access to the garden from the tank easily).
I was then planning on using the outside tap hose for the HMA water and as its pressured, use that via hose back to the tank.
Only thing is it wont be heated - but as long as I dont fluctuate the temp by 3 degrees and on a water change of that size i shouldn't??
Otherwise I would have to have 120li of water in various containers heating in the living room.....

[Ryan925]

Thank you!
I will look at the FX6 and other options.
I will also start with a larger UV - save money in the long run. Dont want to mess around (if possible) behind the tank once its in situ.

I wont start with Discus, I will cycle the tank with other inhabitants for a good couple of months and let the water age. I plan on some nice cardinals (large shoal) and electric blue rams and some corydoras and that should be about it.

Water changes I was planning on 20-30% weekly - I've read up on the devotedly discus website, who ship in and supply the UK with Stendka discus (Mark Evans) and he says this is acceptable. Im not looking to breed.
Im planning on siphoning the water from the tank via a hose to outside (I have access to the garden from the tank easily).
I was then planning on using the outside tap hose for the HMA water and as its pressured, use that via hose back to the tank.
Only thing is it wont be heated - but as long as I dont fluctuate the temp by 3 degrees and on a water change of that size i shouldn't??
Otherwise I would have to have 120li of water in various containers heating in the living room.....

I started with a g6. It seems nice and looks cool but I wasn't happy with it I ended up having issues with it. I got a warranty replacement but in the meantime replaced it with an eheim pro4+ 600. Love that filter.

[lhoust84]

Also the hydro inline heater says will only do up to 300li and my tank will be 400li...
I dont want a heater in the tank as I want it to be as clean looking as possible.
Unless i found a black heater to merge against the black background?
Or i guess the other option is a sump and to heat that? Didnt really want the sump - dont really know much about them...

[lhoust84]

Thanks :-) Ive just saved the "eheim pro4+ 600" & "F6" to my watch list on ebay for future comparison ;-)

[Clawhammer]

Thank you!
I will look at the FX6 and other options.
I will also start with a larger UV - save money in the long run. Dont want to mess around (if possible) behind the tank once its in situ.

I wont start with Discus, I will cycle the tank with other inhabitants for a good couple of months and let the water age. I plan on some nice cardinals (large shoal) and electric blue rams and some corydoras and that should be about it.

Water changes I was planning on 20-30% weekly - I've read up on the devotedly discus website, who ship in and supply the UK with Stendka discus (Mark Evans) and he says this is acceptable. Im not looking to breed.
Im planning on siphoning the water from the tank via a hose to outside (I have access to the garden from the tank easily).
I was then planning on using the outside tap hose for the HMA water and as its pressured, use that via hose back to the tank.
Only thing is it wont be heated - but as long as I dont fluctuate the temp by 3 degrees and on a water change of that size i shouldn't??
Otherwise I would have to have 120li of water in various containers heating in the living room.....

Those all should be good tankmates for discus, although I would urge a fishless cycle.

Your water change plan is not sufficient unfortunately and will lead to issues. Even if you only add the minimum number of discus (5) to your community tank, that bioload will necessitate larger and more frequent water changes. Most people here change water every day, depending on bioload. How many discus do you plan to get?

When I say aging, I don't mean the age of the tank, I mean letting the water sit 24 hours with aeration in order to stabilize the pH and remove microbubbles. This is necessary if you have a large pH swing. To test your pH swing, measure pH directly from the tap, then fill a 5 gallon bucket with water and aerate it for 24 hours. Retest the pH and compare the difference. If it is more than about .4 difference, aging will be required. You can heat the water in the aging tank, but you are correct, discus can handle a 3 degree temp swing during water changes without issue.

[lhoust84]

Those all should be good tankmates for discus, although I would urge a fishless cycle.

Your water change plan is not sufficient unfortunately and will lead to issues. Even if you only add the minimum number of discus (5) to your community tank, that bioload will necessitate larger and more frequent water changes. Most people here change water every day, depending on bioload. How many discus do you plan to get?

When I say aging, I don't mean the age of the tank, I mean letting the water sit 24 hours with aeration in order to stabilize the pH and remove microbubbles. This is necessary if you have a large pH swing. To test your pH swing, measure pH directly from the tap, then fill a 5 gallon bucket with water and aerate it for 24 hours. Retest the pH and compare the difference. If it is more than about .4 difference, aging will be required. You can heat the water in the aging tank, but you are correct, discus can handle a 3 degree temp swing during water changes without issue.

Arhhhhhh I see what you mean now.... I never knew that about aging the water and PH swing. Ive always thought of it as maturing the filter.
Hmmmmmmmm........
I didnt have an idea of number of discus - that was another question really - what would be a sensible number? Obviously they have to be in a shoal but was thinking around the 6-8?

[lhoust84]

How do you store large quantities of water over night before your water change? How would you store 120lis?

[Clawhammer]

Arhhhhhh I see what you mean now.... I never knew that about aging the water and PH swing. Ive always thought of it as maturing the filter.
Hmmmmmmmm........
I didnt have an idea of number of discus - that was another question really - what would be a sensible number? Obviously they have to be in a shoal but was thinking around the 6-8?

It is all based on bioload. The basic rule for discus is you can have one adult discus per ten gallons if your tank is bare bottom and discus only. If you add substrate and tankmates, you start reducing from there. Minimum is five because like you said, they are a shoaling fish. I think you idea of 6-8 is perfect considering your tank plans. I would probably go for 8

[lhoust84]

am learning so much already! Its always better speaking with someone than just looking through the internet :-)

[Neptune]

Aquen Pro heaters are all black I believe, if you go with putting them in the tank.
Your setup is on the right track with lots of good advice already given.