Coming back to Discus

[Paguiar]

Hello All!
My name is Pedro, I had a discus aqua about 13 years ago, when we moved to Michigan, USA (originally from Sao Paulo, Brazil), I immediately bought a 120 gallon tank and a 75 gallon sump to set up another tank in my new home. This was 2010, now fast forward to 2021, the tank is collecting dust! lol

Anyway, I am going to get back to it, although life is super busy, I miss having a tank home, but my question really is, should I try to have auto water changes or just go with a simpler set up?
My original idea is to have the RO in the basement and bring water up to the room, making this auto, seems expensive, complex and risky, plus it seems like that it doesn't do much good for the discus anyway.
So, I have basically some few scenarios.:

1) put the RO filtration underneath bathroom sink, and RO water tank with thermostat and air bubble inside the lower part of the bathroom closet, then just run a pump from there to the aquarium, making it as easy as possible (maybe 8 feet apart);

2) RO filtration and RO water tank down in the basement, bring up through a hole in the floor from the basement, syphon water out and just turn the pump on to bring water from the basement up to the aqua.

3) RO filtration and RO water tank down in the basement, bring up through a hole in the floor from the basement, water out via a drain in the aqua, then auto WC pumping water from the basement up to the aqua.

A few considerations: because of my tight schedule, I will use VERY little substrate, just a few rocks and drift wood, and get adult discus so that I don't need to do WC every day or every other day.
I am planning in probably doing a partial WC of 20% during the week, and maybe a 50% WC during the weekend. Once this pandemic is over, I will be traveling quite a lot, maybe 2 weeks per month, therefore besides the sump filtration, I will have a HOB filter and maybe even a canister one too. What do you all think? Too much overkill? Considering that at times this aqua might be for 2 weeks without WC?


What do you all think?
Also, if you care to share some of your set ups that would be great too.

Many thanks and looking forward to getting back into this wonderful hobby!
Cheers

[alron2]

Pedro,

Welcome to the forum. I have been in and out of discus keeping since 1975. I do not consider myself an expert so consider that when you read my post.

Durning my 45 years in and out of discus there were times when I did not have time to take care of them properly, sounds like you may be there now. I suggest you keep something that has fewer needs, such as angelfish or a communit
If you decide to keep discus why use RO? Many people raise discus in hard water without trying to change it, much simpler. Since you are going to be traveling I would strongly consider putting the tank on a slow drip, in addition to the water changes you are proposing.

I am sure many others will have much to say about this subject.

Ron

[LizStreithorst]

What Ron said sounds about right to me.

[Iminit]

What Ron says will work. Fully grown discus and less feeding will help when away. Why the ro water? There are ways to run your tank when away. There are programs to change stored water. There is equipment than can be operated with your phone to change water while away. It all costs money but can be done. It’s done with salt water tanks.

[Paguiar]

Thanks for your feedback! In my house we have a water softener, so I needed to run RO as well, back in Brazil I never used RO water, so that does make sense!
You say RO isn't a good idea, or just because of my time constraints?
Back when I kept mine, I remember sometimes going for 3 weeks without changing the water, obviously not the best scenario but they were okay.
Slow drip might be an option too as a second stage before the regular trips start.

Thanks for your feedback!

Pedro,

Welcome to the forum. I have been in and out of discus keeping since 1975. I do not consider myself an expert so consider that when you read my post.

Durning my 45 years in and out of discus there were times when I did not have time to take care of them properly, sounds like you may be there now. I suggest you keep something that has fewer needs, such as angelfish or a communit
If you decide to keep discus why use RO? Many people raise discus in hard water without trying to change it, much simpler. Since you are going to be traveling I would strongly consider putting the tank on a slow drip, in addition to the water changes you are proposing.

I am sure many others will have much to say about this subject.

Ron

[Paguiar]

Thanks! I will definitely be looking into some dripping system before my trips start, that sounds like a good way to avoid having issues while away.