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Thread: Walstad El Natural method and Discus

  1. #16
    Registered Member Luke in Phoenix's Avatar
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    Luke

    Default Re: Walstad El Natural method and Discus

    I've had planted and BB discus tanks and enjoyed them both. I've tried a modified Walstad setup. Pros and cons. I'm a fan of Walstad but believe the ratio of plants to fish would have to be very high. High enough to keep nitrates at 0. Most people want more than just a couple of discuss in a very large tank. Floating plants help a lot and avoid some other issues. A high output UV sterilizer is also essential. Some amount of WC will still be needed (although reduced) because even if you're close, it's almost impossible to replicate a perfectly occurring lake or river.
    Just my experience and opinion. It's fun to try different tank setups. If your fish aren't 100%, you can always increase your WCs.

  2. #17
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    Default Re: Walstad El Natural method and Discus

    You can probably get away with a Waldstadt tank if you have a 300 gallon planted tank with 5 discus. The reason Walstadt tank works on other fish is because the bio load is smaller. Discus on the other hand poops big. So if the tank is not big enough, the amount of poop will contaminate the water.

  3. #18
    Registered Member Jack L's Avatar
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    Default Re: Walstad El Natural method and Discus

    Quote Originally Posted by joricano View Post
    You can probably get away with a Waldstadt tank if you have a 300 gallon planted tank with 5 discus. The reason Walstadt tank works on other fish is because the bio load is smaller. Discus on the other hand poops big. So if the tank is not big enough, the amount of poop will contaminate the water.
    and maybe if full grown and you don't feed much.

    i grew out 13 in 160G, and there was a layer of detritus produced daily, there is no way plants could eat that up

  4. #19
    Homesteader Adam S's Avatar
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    Default Re: Walstad El Natural method and Discus

    I tried the Walstad thing once with some swordtails. Fun(?), but they didn't grow out nearly as well as ones in a bb tank with big water changes. Pet store grade maybe, but I certainly wasn't proud of them. Doubt the results would be any better with discus.

    Do people dislike water changes that much? Nothing better than putting down the phone and looking at your fish for an hour or two.

  5. #20
    Registered Member
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    Dane Albrecht

    Default Re: Walstad El Natural method and Discus

    I'm glad I looked through simply before starting my discus venture.

    I have a 55 gallon barebottom from day one with my 6 juvies. doing multiple water changes a week and feeding lots. Even with all these water changes I get a dirty buildup in the tank. however I have had no issues with my fish whatsoever (touchwood).

    The only issue I had was a slight bacterial infection....when I thought "I'm sure a piece of driftwood would be fine in the tank". Not!!! They soon started showing signs of bacterial growths on fins and body.

    Do yourself a favour and trust the advice given here.

    I think the big story of "discus are difficult to keep" stem from first timers trying things like what you want to do then having no success, after which the story is that discus are terribly difficult. They are not difficult, but they are a decent amount of hard work and a labour of love.

    Good luck with your first venture!

  6. #21
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    Johan

    Default Re: Walstad El Natural method and Discus

    Quote Originally Posted by Clawhammer View Post
    It won't work. There are many other toxins and pathogens that are removed through water changes than just nitrates.
    I agree!

  7. #22
    Registered Member warblad79's Avatar
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    Default Re: Walstad El Natural method and Discus

    I've been breeding and raising discus for about 10 years now but I never looked the other way around. I just do my regular WC in BB tank. Most of the stuff they put in the market are just gimmick and don't work for discus. You can try all you want but at the end WC will always give better results.

  8. #23
    Registered Member kalawai's Avatar
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    Shari

    Default Re: Walstad El Natural method and Discus

    Walstad tanks and Discus.....equals terrible idea. These two don’t belong together ever. I’ve tried it like others and after a year of banging my head against a rock. The Discus weren’t happy about it and I moved them to a tank with just driftwood that had plants attached to them. The Discus perked up and become happy fish and so was I.
    I did lose acouple of Discus when they were in the WT and you think I would have moved them sooner but I was hardheaded about it.... they always had black stripes and never ate well. Duh!
    A expensive lesson learned.

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