Convince me barebottom can look great

[Raul-7]

My problem with auto water changers is they are adding and removing off the top. So aren't you removing the water you just put in? Next if it’s a planted tank with substrate how are you vacuuming the substrate?

Not with a sump.

I had a large 125G sump. The drain pump was near the drain point of the sump [where water enters into the sump]. The fill pump was in my RO reservoir and deposited water at the exit side of the sump [where my return pump was].

My Apex utilized multiple optical sensors and float valves to orchestrate the whole process.

1. Return pump turns off
2. Waits 30 seconds to allow all the water to drain into the sump
3. Drain process starts until the low point optical sensor is reached
4. Waits 10 seconds
5. Fill pump starts until the normal optical sensor is reached. Fill pump turns off.
6. Return pump restarts.

Process took around 10 minutes with Mag pumps. This was done 3 times per week; but could be customized [7 days a week, 2-3 times per day, etc.] as desired.

I even had an emergency button that would do a waterchange on demand.

[Iminit]

Nice!! Smartly done! But how do you clean the substrate?

[Raul-7]

Nice!! Smartly done! But how do you clean the substrate?

I did not. I let the MTS do that for me.

[brewmaster15]

It sounds like a very well thought out system. One thing I can suggest should you do this again with Discus. Get adults... don't use this system with small discus growing out.. its unlikely MTS. Will clean the substrate enough to compensate for the multiple feeding to grow out discus. Substrate tanks do not make good grow out tanks.

Al

[Raul-7]

It sounds like a very well thought out system. One thing I can suggest should you do this again with Discus. Get adults... don't use this system with small discus growing out.. its unlikely MTS. Will clean the substrate enough to compensate for the multiple feeding to grow out discus. Substrate tanks do not make good grow out tanks.

Al

Definitely! I know young ones need a barebottom, heavy feeding and a heavy waterchange regimen.


I was planning on purchasing Jumbo or Premium Grade from Discus from Golden State.

[Raul-7]

BTW, you can clean the substrate in other ways.

For example, you can use a Gyre pump which keeps the debris suspended in the aquarium.

[Iminit]

Lol I’ve got mts in all my planted tanks. They eat most dying mater and left over food. Are great for plants! They eat all dying root. Keep plants from getting root rot. But they eat no waste. Waste builds up in the tank and needs to be removed. I vacuum all planted tank at 1/4 of the tank a week. Dis is in a planted tank it was the whole substrate weekly. You will be shocked how much waste accumulates in a week. Not cleaning out the waste will cause problems with discus.

[Adamski77]

I did not. I let the MTS do that for me.

MTS? Could you please do it for me…

[Iminit]

Mylasian trumpet snails mts. Or but not for this thread mts multi tank syndrome: where a person keeps buying more tanks!

[NeptuneNomad]

Wow! All these tanks look amazing!