Lighting and surface agitation questions

[MNGuy]

I'm in the planning stages for getting discus.

Do you prefer to use an airstone or a wavemaker to agitate the water surface for gas exchange? Is one or the other better for discus?

I have a Current LED light fixture. What mixture of white and blue do you think best highlights wild green tefe discus (the type I'll likely get), and at what percentage/intensity of light (low vs medium vs high)?

Thank you.

[jeep]

I use air driven sponge filters and a HOB for water polishing. As long as you have a fair amount of surface movement any way you choose should be fine. Many people say discus don't like a large amount of movement in the water, but mine have always played in the current. If your wavemaker is adjustable you can set the best current for them.

as far as lighting, you'd have to play with the settings to find the right balance. I use florescent Colormax and it's great for all discus...

[mleibowi]

I have a sump and weirs in the tank and 4 return nozzles so plenty of surface agitation. I wonder about putting in an air stone for more circulation. Agree with Brian- play with your light settings to find the best.

[Willie]

In my experience, the level of agitation is totally dependent on the size of the fish. Small discus, < 2.5", seem to struggle when there's a wavemaker in the tank. Larger discus, especially adults, absolutely revel in the current. In fact, all larger cichlids enjoy current and extra aeration. They're move active, better color and eat better. I keep a wavemaker in all my adult tanks.

As for lighting, it depends on the kind of plants and aquascape. If you're keeping Anubias, it's perfectly fine with low lights. If you're doing CO2 supplementation and the tank is packed with plants with red pigmentation, you'll need high intensity lights.

In both cases, there's no single right answer. It depends on whatever tank you're trying to achieve.

[MNGuy]

Thank you all for the input. Appreciate it!