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Thread: Creating a home for my future discus

  1. #1
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    Default Creating a home for my future discus

    I always want to have discus but their price scared me away. Now, I have put aside some money to buy discus and I want to make the things right the first time.

    I have my aquarium 120cm x 40cm x 50cm (63.5 gallons / 240 liters) fully cycled with a AquaNova filter with a flow of 1200 l/h. I had removed the old substrate, trying to make it more stable and easy to maintain.
    For measuring the water quality I have the Seachem Alert Combo that measure the PH and ammonia. The amonia is under 0.02 and the ph is betwen 6.6 and 7.
    Since I don't have any fish on it, the heater (EHEIM 300w) is turned off and the temperature is about 17C (62F).
    I'm thinking of getting 5 to 6 fish.


    Do you think that the heater is capable of maintaining the 30C (86F)?
    Is there anymore measures that it's recommended before baying the fish?
    With 5 to 6 fish do I have a good probability of getting breeding pair?

    I'm really worried on investing in fish and harming them.

    Best regards
    Pedro

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    Platinum Member fljones3's Avatar
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    Default Re: Creating a home for my future discus

    Do you have a plan for aging your water and water changes? Re: heater, I would go ahead and heat your water thereby testing your heater.
    Two sides to the coin here, good setup (you are on the right path) and quality, healthy discus (5+ inch) for a beginner.

    Frank

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    Default Re: Creating a home for my future discus

    On the water changes, I'm a bit confused. I read some people saying that they make 90% every other day. I'm not ready for that, I was thinking in something like 25% to 35% weakly. Do you think I schedule more?
    About the process of aging water, is it really needed? It's something that I could arrange but wasn't thinking on it.

    5+ inch discus are very expensive. I was thinking in 2/3 inch discus. For 6 discus with 5+ inches I have to spend more than 800€, I'm not willing to spend that amount on something that is very fragile.

    Best regards,
    Pedro Felgueiras

  4. #4
    Moderator Team LizStreithorst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Creating a home for my future discus

    That is not nearly enough WC, Pedro. I would advice 30% daily...More if your water test shows that the tank is fully cycled. You need to buy an API test kit to check your water values. Don't be afraid to ask more questions. We love nothing more than helping new Discus keepers be successful.

    If you start with small Discus I fear that you may not be successful. You are new and make unforeseen mistakes. 5" Discus won't just up and die on you if you make a mistake. They'll give you time to see that something is wrong and figure out how to deal with it. At least start with 4" fish.
    Last edited by LizStreithorst; 12-09-2019 at 02:18 PM.
    Mama Bear

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    Default Re: Creating a home for my future discus

    Hi Pedro and welcome.
    I believe in setting yourself up for success, even outside of fish keeping. Do all your research, make a plan and then execute. Have the right equipment, WC schedule, test your water supply for PH swings and other parameters. I also agree with starting with big fish. Yes it is a big outlay of money but worth it from what you see.
    If you’re not prepared for lots of water changes, discus might not be a good fit for you.

  6. #6

    Default Re: Creating a home for my future discus

    Pedro first off welcome to the jungle, and have you kept freshwater fish before and been successful

    Jeanne

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    Platinum Member fljones3's Avatar
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    Default Re: Creating a home for my future discus

    I agree with Liz on the WC. I know that the larger you go, the more expensive but also the fish can handle our “mistakes.” You can read a lot (and you should), and plan but there is no substitute for actually caring for them.

    Everyone has their budget, but get the largest you can afford (especially for a 1st timer). Be sure to ask all the questions you desire. This forum beats a library full of books on discus.

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    Default Re: Creating a home for my future discus

    The loop of "wanting to starting small discus <-> do not want to do WC" tho...
    Water change is not just a chore, it's my life now...

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    Default Re: Creating a home for my future discus

    Quote Originally Posted by Sturiosoma View Post
    Pedro first off welcome to the jungle, and have you kept freshwater fish before and been successful

    Jeanne
    Yes, I have been keeping freshwater fish for the last 6 yeas.
    I started with goldfish on a small aquarium and the moved them to a bigger one.
    TI have kept mollies, guppies, and platys and last I have kept angel fish that I had agave to a friend to start a discus aquarium

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    Default Re: Creating a home for my future discus

    About the WC, is not a question of wanting to do or not. I think I was unable to make daily WC of 90%.

    I have made a lot o research about keeping discus. Sure I will be reading more.

    On the topic of WC, I had read a lot of contradictory information. Some say that you won't make it if you don't do 90% WC twice a day and other say that make 20% twice a month and their fish are great.

    I was trying to find a number between the two different opinions. I see that a lot of people are a big fan of big WC, but what's you minimum recommendation for a tank that's stable and not overstocked?

    About the process of aging water, I read that if the PH oscillation between tap water and 24h aged water isn't bigger than 0,2 there's no need for aging water. DO you agree with that?

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    Registered Member BrendanJ23's Avatar
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    Default Re: Creating a home for my future discus

    What makes you think you will not be able to make those WC's?

    There is always a lot of contradictory information, especially on WC's. One thing that seems to be common ground is that, each tank/keeper will do something slightly different and it's not a
    one size fits all" approach. On my 650L tank, I have 10 discus and change 50% daily. Probably overkill, and would be fine every second day or so. But I've also invested over $4000 in fish, why skimp on water? Learning from the experts(not me lol), it's good insurance. To summarise, if you've got a big tank with good filtration, that is understocked, you could get away with less waterchanges. However, if your tank was on the smaller side with average filtraion and overstocked, you would need to be doing lots and lots of waterchanges. I say go for the biggest tank as possible, with the best filtration too.

    PH swing - Yes. It would be hard to detect a 0.2 swing without a digital PH meter.

  12. #12

    Default Re: Creating a home for my future discus

    Quote Originally Posted by jpfelgueiras View Post
    Yes, I have been keeping freshwater fish for the last 6 yeas.
    I started with goldfish on a small aquarium and the moved them to a bigger one.
    TI have kept mollies, guppies, and platys and last I have kept angel fish that I had agave to a friend to start a discus aquarium
    Pedro once again welcome to the jungle seeing as how you have kept fish in the past your half way there and I would like to try and help you out, while I have no credentials in the sense that I don't have a degree in fish keeping I am an old timer and have been in a fish tank a time or two in my life, I will try to be as through as I can as to what I do, first off whatever species I keep I educate myself don't be afraid to step outside the forum go to your library and get books on discus, now as far as water goes your gonna want a test kit a lot of folks use api ,as far as aging water it's not a necessity unless you're doing big water changes which you say you're not comfortable with ,neither am I so I would put the aging barrel on the back burner for now, water changes you could probably talk to 100 people and get as many opinions, here is what I do I change 1/3 of my water once a week I take a yardstick and measure the depth of my tank and devide by 3 put a mark on my tank and that's how much water I take out 3 days later I test my water looking for elavatided amonium or nitrates those being the most toxic, if those are elavatided I do another water change, I also check ph from the tank to my water change source to make sure I am not going to have a big swing ,I can only hope this helps you out

    Jeanne

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    Default Re: Creating a home for my future discus

    I only do 90% on very young fry... 50% on larger or over crowded tanks and I change up the routine based on existing parameters for other tanks.

    Before making your decision, have a look here http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showth...TCH-THIS-VIDEO!

    If you learn "why" certain things are done, then you can make adjustments that fit your own schedule or routine...
    Last edited by jeep; 12-10-2019 at 10:24 AM.

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    Default Re: Creating a home for my future discus

    Quote Originally Posted by jpfelgueiras View Post
    About the WC, is not a question of wanting to do or not. I think I was unable to make daily WC of 90%.

    I have made a lot o research about keeping discus. Sure I will be reading more.

    On the topic of WC, I had read a lot of contradictory information. Some say that you won't make it if you don't do 90% WC twice a day and other say that make 20% twice a month and their fish are great.

    I was trying to find a number between the two different opinions. I see that a lot of people are a big fan of big WC, but what's you minimum recommendation for a tank that's stable and not overstocked?

    About the process of aging water, I read that if the PH oscillation between tap water and 24h aged water isn't bigger than 0,2 there's no need for aging water. DO you agree with that?
    Everyone has a different tank with a different setup and different size fish which is why you see so many posts with so many suggestions. Keep in mind that this is "what works for them." You need to find your balance; eventually you will get used it it. There is no right way to do things but there is a suggested (best practice) way to do things. If you want to turn Juveniles into a nice quality fish, you feed heavy and do daily water changes (50%-90%). If you want "ok" discus, you feed less (2x or 3x) and you can get away with less WC as long as your water chemistry is within range. That is, stable PH, 0 nitrite, <10 nitrate, and keeping up with other minerals in the water.

    Adult fish require less work but they cost more (initially). You'll be saving on maintenance/feeding cost in the long run.

  15. #15
    Moderator Team LizStreithorst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Creating a home for my future discus

    Quote Originally Posted by jpfelgueiras View Post
    About the WC, is not a question of wanting to do or not. I think I was unable to make daily WC of 90%.

    I have made a lot o research about keeping discus. Sure I will be reading more.

    On the topic of WC, I had read a lot of contradictory information. Some say that you won't make it if you don't do 90% WC twice a day and other say that make 20% twice a month and their fish are great.

    I was trying to find a number between the two different opinions. I see that a lot of people are a big fan of big WC, but what's you minimum recommendation for a tank that's stable and not overstocked?

    About the process of aging water, I read that if the PH oscillation between tap water and 24h aged water isn't bigger than 0,2 there's no need for aging water. DO you agree with that?
    30% daily is a decent amount, but when you add the fish you will likely have an ammonia spike so be prepared to change more should it become necessary, at least at first
    Water with a pH swing of less than 4 is fine to use straight from the tap. My swing is .4 and over time, I found that I was stressing the fish going straight from the tap.
    HTH
    Mama Bear

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