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Thread: Lighting suggestion for discus tank

  1. #1
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    Default Lighting suggestion for discus tank

    Hi Everyone, I'm looking for some suggestions and I'm hoping to lean on the experience with those of you that have been or is in a similar situation that I'm in.

    I've started up a 90 gallon planted display tank. no soil just 1/4" of white neutral sand as substrate. The tank is up and running and the plan is to introduce a group of 6 adult discus to this tank. The tank is sparsely planted (a least by my standards) and I've taken measures to make this display tank discus friendly.

    I am what I consider myself an experienced planted tank hobbyist, I'm by no means an expert but I have a firm grasp on how to keep them and I've learned over the years which plants work for me. But admittedly, I have a limited amount of experience with discus. I have grown a few groups out to adults. I have had success keeping discus in the past however It wasn't without some heartache as I have made mistakes in the past. I've also attempted to keep discus in my planted tanks in the past only to pull them out and give them their own tank months later for one reason or another. This is now my 3rd attempt at running a planted discus tank long term. I believe that this time around I have addressed most of those issues with the exception of lighting.

    One of the main challenges I've faced with keeping Discus in a planted tank was lighting. Maybe it was the particular fish I kept or where the tank was placed at home but In both cases in the past I found that the Discus did not like the higher intensity lighting that I normally use. In the past I when this happened I attempted to lower the light intensity. I found they they only calmed down then the light intensity was greatly reduced which of course at that point the plants responded poorly.

    Sorry for the rambling I tend to do that.

    here are specific issues I've encountered in the past regarding lighting and discus

    1. when lights were turned by a timer on the fish freaked out and would dart all over the aquarium

    2. Discus would not go near the surface to feed with higher light.

    3. Discus did not swim around much and would huddle together in the a corner until I dropped the light intensity or they would start randomly start darting all over the place

    4. When I dropped the light intensity (substantially) they color up and start exploring the tank and display normal discus behavior. This lead to some plant loss resulting.

    I'm wondering if anyone here has encountered this problem. I can currently running 3 x 54 W T5HO's and injecting co2. I am planning to move to LED before I introduce Discus to the tank but before I do anything I'd like to hear from some of you guys.

    I know that there are other factors other than lighting that can contribute to behavior I listed above but as I stated reducing the light in the past seemed to if not solved the problem. At the very least it made the fish much more comfortable. In both cases in the past when they were eventually removed to their own tank and were much happier. and stayed that way until I eventually moved. I sold them before I moved the last time and haven't kept discus since

    Thanks,

  2. #2
    Platinum Member fljones3's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lighting suggestion for discus tank

    I just got the Finnex Vivid+ and love it. Got mine from Miranda at Chicago Discus. I do not have any plants so others might write in with more valid options.

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Lighting suggestion for discus tank

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    This is the one I use and it's great. Similar to the one mentioned above. I use either the sunrise setting or the sunset setting to offer them a dimmer light. I went a bit brighter now since I put rooibos tea in my tank. The 24hr setting was nice also but I do not use it anymore. I have the smaller of these for my sump tank and they grow my plants in the sump super well.

  4. #4
    Moderator Team LizStreithorst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lighting suggestion for discus tank

    Finnex is obviously the way to go, then. The one for planted has different color lights from the one for bringing out the colors of the fish. I see that Amazon is out of stock on these. It would be worth giving Miranda a call. I don't imagine she has this one in stock but since she's a dealer she might be able to get it faster than if you were to wait for Amazon.
    Mama Bear

  5. #5
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    Default Re: Lighting suggestion for discus tank

    Quote Originally Posted by fljones3 View Post
    I just got the Finnex Vivid+ and love it. Got mine from Miranda at Chicago Discus. I do not have any plants so others might write in with more valid options.
    Hi fljones3 I don't think that light will be strong enough on a 24" deep tank. Those are nice lights a friend of mine has one.

    Quote Originally Posted by Mando View Post
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    This is the one I use and it's great. Similar to the one mentioned above. I use either the sunrise setting or the sunset setting to offer them a dimmer light. I went a bit brighter now since I put rooibos tea in my tank. The 24hr setting was nice also but I do not use it anymore. I have the smaller of these for my sump tank and they grow my plants in the sump super well.
    Hi Mando I am very familiar with those fixtures I have one over a 30 gallon tank. They do a good job growing plants in a shallow tank but not a deep one.


    I've been hearing about this fixture https://www.fluvalaquatics.com/us/plant-spectrum/ anyone have any experience with using this with their discus?

  6. #6
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    Default Re: Lighting suggestion for discus tank

    My tank is 21” tall and it’s really bright. Discus don’t like the bright lights. This is why I keep them in the sunset/sunrise setting. I believe Pat does the same thing.

  7. #7
    Moderator Team LizStreithorst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lighting suggestion for discus tank

    I use 2 of the finnex vivids plus a fluorescent tube I plug in when the water lettuce covers the top of my 100 gallon planted Discus tank. But that Fluval light sounds wonderful. Any clue on how much less than an arm and a leg they sell for?
    Mama Bear

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    Default Re: Lighting suggestion for discus tank

    The fluval 48" long fixture retails for $210 USD. The more I read up on this fixture the more I think it may be what I need. It has a sunrise, midday, sunset and night mode that is fully customizable. I may buy this one.

  9. #9
    Moderator Team LizStreithorst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lighting suggestion for discus tank

    If you can afford it I say go for it. I want pics of the tank when you get it. A "before" pic would be nice, too.
    Mama Bear

  10. #10
    Registered Member Lytehouse's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lighting suggestion for discus tank

    Have you ever tried starting the lights at a lower level and increasing brightness slowly over time until you reach the level needed for your plants? Maybe give the Discus a chance to adjust slowly.
    Lynn

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    Default Re: Lighting suggestion for discus tank

    Quote Originally Posted by Lytehouse View Post
    Have you ever tried starting the lights at a lower level and increasing brightness slowly over time until you reach the level needed for your plants? Maybe give the Discus a chance to adjust slowly.
    Yes I have but the fixture I used I the past (planted 24/7 +) was not strong enough to keep my plants happy. That fixture did help with freaking out the fish when the lights came on. A ramp up feature will definitely be on the must have on my new fixture.

  12. #12
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    Default Re: Lighting suggestion for discus tank

    Quote Originally Posted by LizStreithorst View Post
    If you can afford it I say go for it. I want pics of the tank when you get it. A "before" pic would be nice, too.
    Hi LizStreithorst

    Here is a picture of the tank I posted is picture on another thread but I see no harm in posting it here. In this picture I have just 2 x 54w bulbs on the tank
    Attached Images Attached Images

  13. #13
    Moderator Team LizStreithorst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Lighting suggestion for discus tank

    I remember seeing it now. To my untrained eye it looks pretty bright as it is. Can't wait to see it with the new light. All that matters is that the plants like it.
    Mama Bear

  14. #14
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    Default Re: Lighting suggestion for discus tank

    AquaIllumination Prime

    Easy to program sunrise, sunsets and adjust light array

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    Default Re: Lighting suggestion for discus tank

    Quote Originally Posted by captainandy View Post
    AquaIllumination Prime

    Easy to program sunrise, sunsets and adjust light array
    Yeah those are nice but not cheap. I've heard of those before and I've always wanted to get my hand on a unit but I would need two to cast a good spread over my tank.

    I went ahead and ordered a Fluval Plant Spectrum 3.0 I happened to catch one on sale as well which is a bonus. hopefully it will arrive next week

    These units are not as powerful as the aqua Illumination units but this one cost me less than one of those units and I don't need to hang this one. From the youtube videos I've seen these are very customizable and should suit my need just fine. Setting the duration period for the sunrise the feature I hope my soon to arrive discus will like.

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