Growing Discus On

[johnlfc]

So I will be getting my first group of Stendker discus next week that will go into a 3ft grow out tank. I will be following Stendker advice on feeding and water changes however I wanted to gauge some opinion on filtration.

In the grow out tank I will be using 2 x Sponge air driven filters along with a small power head for some surface movement. I don’t plan on doing anything to my tap water as I’m in a soft water area with a TDS of around 33. I will dose prime and stability at initial fill and water changes. I will also add colony on first fill and stocking.

I will prepare water for changes just using prime and have this heated and aerated for 1 week prior to use.

Does this seem adequate? Do I need to worry about buffering of tank at all or additional filtration of any kind?

Cheers for any input.

[Shan_Evolved]

What are your water parameters? If youre sponges are properly cycled you should be fine. You really dont need to pretreat your water more than a day at max.

[Iminit]

How big are the discus your getting? Not sure if you want to add prime a week in advance. Think you should add when using it. Also since your aerating it won’t that remove the chlorine? Not sure you need prime. I don’t use or need it.

[johnlfc]

My water change tank will sit under the grow on tank so once I siphon out grow out and pump in fresh I might as well refill and heat ready for the next.

Will do a test now to see what I get from tap.

[Iminit]

Ok looked at your other thread . Your getting 2.5” discus. That’s what I did too. Now at this size they will need daily water changes of at least 50% to grow them big. What does Stendker suggest at this size?

[johnlfc]

How big are the discus your getting? Not sure if you want to add prime a week in advance. Think you should add when using it. Also since your aerating it won’t that remove the chlorine? Not sure you need prime. I don’t use or need it.

Fish are 6.5cm.

Not sure on any negative using it early? Just guessed if I add the prime to fresh water used it would remove chlorine etc and then aerating and heating for the week shouldn’t do anything negative I hope?

[johnlfc]

Ok looked at your other thread . Your getting 2.5” discus. That’s what I did too. Now at this size they will need daily water changes of at least 50% to grow them big. What does Stendker suggest at this size?

Stendker suggest weekly as does the UK distributor. She tells me there is no benefit to daily changes with Stendker fish and if anything they will not like it.

[johnlfc]

Just using some Aquadip test strips on my tap water I get:

GH - 25
No3 - 0
No2 - 0
Chlorine - 0.8
KH - 0
PH - 6.6

[Iminit]

Ok now let that water sit for 24hrs and retest it. See if anything changes.
Reason with prime is your using to remove chlorine. Won’t the aerating remove the chlorine? Also I’ve heard of cloudy storage water when prime was added and water sat.
Well I’d like you to update the growth of your discus at Stendker’s suggested rate. It just goes against everything else I’ve read. Most of the pros will tell you to change water daily on discus that young.
What is Stendker saying to feed them daily in between water changes? Again most will say beef heart and at 6+x a day.

[johnlfc]

Ok now let that water sit for 24hrs and retest it. See if anything changes.
Reason with prime is your using to remove chlorine. Won’t the aerating remove the chlorine? Also I’ve heard of cloudy storage water when prime was added and water sat.
Well I’d like you to update the growth of your discus at Stendker’s suggested rate. It just goes against everything else I’ve read. Most of the pros will tell you to change water daily on discus that young.
What is Stendker saying to feed them daily in between water changes? Again most will say beef heart and at 6+x a day.

Yes I’m the same regarding what I’ve read and was surprised by Stendker advice. That being said they do know what they are doing and it’s totally different ball game to wilds or Asian discus. I will of course keep my thread updated as I go and time will tell I guess. They advise to use there beef heart feed and to feed at 3 times per day. They set the weights out of the amount of feed to add per size of fish so I will know what amount to add. They are also not against the odd treat between feeds so I’m going to use that now and again to have them take flake or pellet I will feed in general to the display.

[Willie]

...Not sure on any negative using it early? Just guessed if I add the prime to fresh water used it would remove chlorine etc and then aerating and heating for the week shouldn’t do anything negative I hope?

Over time, your holding tank will get slimy from bacterial growth on the container walls. So you'll have to clean it out every 6 months or so. There's no harm to adding Prime to the fish tank. The advantage is that your holding tank will stay squeaky clean because the chlorine will prevent bacterial growth. I have a similar set up with holding tanks right below the fish tank. My holding tanks remain clean to the touch after 5 years of daily water changes.

[johnlfc]

Over time, your holding tank will get slimy from bacterial growth on the container walls. So you'll have to clean it out every 6 months or so. There's no harm to adding Prime to the fish tank. The advantage is that your holding tank will stay squeaky clean because the chlorine will prevent bacterial growth. I have a similar set up with holding tanks right below the fish tank. My holding tanks remain clean to the touch after 5 years of daily water changes.

So to clarify are you saying do not bother to dose prime until I change water in the grow out tank and dose that then?

My holding tank is another fish tank with air stone, heater and pump for water movement. My thoughts were to fill the holding tank, treat with prime then heat and aerate until used then start again. Am I missing something?

[bluelagoon]

Prime works instantly on contact with chlorine and chloramine. Bonds ammonia in chloramine (chlorine and ammonia) up to 24 hours in which time your cycled filter will convert it to nitrate before the bond breaks. If you use chlorinated water it should air off in that length of time without conditioners. Use it when you change your water. Willie is right about the slime if you add it to the holding tank. I haven't cleaned my barrel in at least 10 years. Just a slight mineral ring around the collar so to speak.

[LizStreithorst]

Ok now let that water sit for 24hrs and retest it. See if anything changes.
Reason with prime is your using to remove chlorine. Won’t the aerating remove the chlorine? Also I’ve heard of cloudy storage water when prime was added and water sat.
Well I’d like you to update the growth of your discus at Stendker’s suggested rate. It just goes against everything else I’ve read. Most of the pros will tell you to change water daily on discus that young.
What is Stendker saying to feed them daily in between water changes? Again most will say beef heart and at 6+x a day.

Stendker is in the business of selling Discus and lots of them. Fewer WC's makes for more buyers. Despite what Stendker says and what his distributor in the UK says large daily WCs are necessary for small Discus if you want them to be healthy and live a long life as well as reach their genetic potential.

Thus sayth the Mama Bear.

[Willie]

Thus sayth the Mama Bear.

+1

Don't even think of getting 6.5 cm Stendkers unless you can do a minimum of 150% water change each week. (I do 700%.)