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View Poll Results: How many discus fish can I put in 58 gallon/220 l (80X55X50 cm) planted low-tech tank

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Thread: Planted Discus - how many?

  1. #1
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    Question Planted Discus - how many?

    Hello,
    I have an 80cmX55cm tank, 50cm height (58 gallons).
    I'd like to design a planted discus one.
    How many discus do you recommend I should have (I really want discus fish, and this is the largest tank I can get):

    0
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    6
    7

    Thanks!

  2. #2
    Registered Member + MVP danotaylor's Avatar
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    Default Re: Planted Discus - how many?

    I recommend not trying to grow out discus in your planted tank, especially since you're new to discus. Buy 5"+ sub-adults or bigger as the bioload and bacterial count in a planted tank can potentially have an adverse affect on their growth but once past 5" not so much...

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Planted Discus - how many?

    Welcome, Janivr.

    Discus need to be kept in schools of 6 or more so I'd say 6 as a minimum and for a 58g, I'd say 6 is max. If you go planted tank, make sure they are adult discus as growing out small discus in a planted tank is very hard and possibly problematic.

  4. #4
    Homesteader Filip's Avatar
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    Default Re: Planted Discus - how many?

    5-6 adults with decent filtration and WC regime would be tolerable IMO.

  5. #5
    MVP Oct.2015 discuspaul's Avatar
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    Default Re: Planted Discus - how many?

    Quote Originally Posted by Filip View Post
    5-6 adults with decent filtration and WC regime would be tolerable IMO.
    This along with a very lightly planted set-up, and no other tank-mates.

  6. #6
    Moderator Team LizStreithorst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Planted Discus - how many?

    I agree. Low tech tank, 6 Adults, and no tank mates if you're up to the large WC's you'll be doing. Personally, I believe that you're getting ahead of yourself. Do you even know your water parameters and if aging your water is necessary.

    Didn't you say that you have read everything and still did not know how proceed? Apparently you haven't been reading here or you wouldn't be asking these questions. The beginners section has everything you need to know. Nothing is worse than jumping in with both feet. If that's what you decide to do, you can't say that I advised you to do it that way.
    Mama Bear

  7. #7
    Registered Member Tshethar's Avatar
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    Default Re: Planted Discus - how many?

    Agree with all the advice above. One other option for you to consider if you really care most about getting the fish, and the plants are secondary (or something you've already done in other setups), but the price of 5-6 adult fish is a problem for your budget, is going for a larger number of juvenile fish (like 8-10) but growing them out in a bare bottom setup for the first few months. You can get used to watching them and learning about them with fewer variables, and once they get 5" or so you can start maybe with some driftwood and attach some tough low-light plants, or try adding a plant in a pot. The larger number of young fish gives you a margin for error in case you lose any, plus they do better in bigger groups when small, and if all goes well you could re-home a couple of your least favorite when they get bigger. This is more work though, as you'll be feeding a lot and changing a lot of water.

    Substrate is kind of tricky as it can trap organics easily and lead to bacterial and other problems, especially when you're feeding a lot, so it's something to be careful with. (Since you can get away with feeding adults less and their immune systems are stronger, that's why you're hearing the advice above.) If you go that way you'll still want to watch them carefully for signs of distress and keep things as clean as you can. A lot of us paint the underside of the tank and end up liking the look and sticking with it even with adults in display tanks. Whatever you do, let us know how it goes.

  8. #8
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    Default Re: Planted Discus - how many?

    Thanks for the tips. I'll start with adult ones.
    Do you have any tips on what's the best way to clean plant soil substrate in a discus tank?

    Thanks again.

  9. #9
    Administrator and MVP Dec.2015 Second Hand Pat's Avatar
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    Default Re: Planted Discus - how many?

    Quote Originally Posted by janivr View Post
    Thanks for the tips. I'll start with adult ones.
    Do you have any tips on what's the best way to clean plant soil substrate in a discus tank?

    Thanks again.
    Hi janivr, perhaps you could pot the plants so you can go bare bottom which helps you with keeping the tank clean. With such a small water volume and large fish like discus your room for error is small for maintaining good water quality.
    Pat
    Your discus are talking to you....are you listening


  10. #10
    Registered Member bluelagoon's Avatar
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    Default Re: Planted Discus - how many?

    Measurements would suggest that it's a 42 gal tank or there abouts. I would say a pair if there going to be adults housed in the tank for a life time. L x W x H in inches then divived by 321 sqare inches per gal. = volume. So, 31.5 x 21.5 x 19.5=132064 / 321= 41.1 gal. The footprint is not that great for a gruop of adults IMO.
    Last edited by bluelagoon; 09-24-2019 at 08:52 AM.

  11. #11
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    Default Re: Planted Discus - how many?

    80 55 50 cm = 220liter

  12. #12
    Registered Member bluelagoon's Avatar
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    Default Re: Planted Discus - how many?

    Quote Originally Posted by janivr View Post
    80 55 50 cm = 220liter
    Can you show me the math? I'm still getting the same in inches and gal.

  13. #13
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    Default Re: Planted Discus - how many?

    80cm * 55cm * 50cm = 220,000 / 1000 = 220 liter = 58 gallons

  14. #14
    Registered Member bluelagoon's Avatar
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    Default Re: Planted Discus - how many?

    My apologies. It makes a lot more since when I devide by 231 sq. inches like it should have been. I would say 5-6 discus then.

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