Making Mistakes - 55g planted tank (mis)adventure

[brewmaster15]

I swear the photos are the bane of my existence. Let me clear up the one I took or try for a better one.

Attachment 138808
Attachment 138809


Attachment 138807

I am assuming these tiny holes on their “beak” area are not normal?

I won’t add meds until I hear from you but I am going to do a big water change.

This isn't HITH that will be treated by metro, Its more a water quality issue. The pits can get enlarged when the water quality is poor..too much organics, high bacterial loads, nitrates, nitrites and ammonia can all affect these.

al

ps... I would suggest a prefilter on that intake tube.

[jwcarlson]

ps... I would suggest a prefilter on that intake tube.

Agreed! Aquarium Co-Op makes one that I like. Slap a "large" on it, ravvlet.

[ravvlet]

Will do.

If I’d had the foresight to spray the bottom of this tank, I wouldn’t have minded doing a bare bottom so much! The textured looking spray looks nice.

Edited to add: I will be removing the substrate this weekend! It’s always dirty so makes sense that it’s the problem. The plants I can feed with liquid ferts and root tabs and are a non issue; the substrate didn’t serve a purpose except that I thought it was pretty…oops.

[ravvlet]

Ok, took longer than I’d wanted thanks to a cold but the substrate is almost entirely gone. Next step is new prefilters on the two HOB.

Might also give up on finding a 90 and just get a 75 - having trouble finding a 90 that has a stand but isn’t pre-drilled for a sump. I did find one 90 for $200, which isn’t too bad, but I’d have to figure out how to build a stand…hmm.

[jwcarlson]

It's a shame you don't live closer, I have a "vintage" (with the fake wood trim) 90 with a stand that I think I would probably give away.

[ravvlet]

It's a shame you don't live closer, I have a "vintage" (with the fake wood trim) 90 with a stand that I think I would probably give away.

That sounds like a fun project. It is too bad! Although I won’t lie, I’m a bit worried about doing tank maintenance with the added height of a 90. I already go nearly shoulder deep in the 55 as it is!

Their behavior looks better without substrate after only a day. Did my usual water change and it was way easier to vacuum around. I may even (gasp) pull some of the plants out and move them to other tanks - or maybe just pull the wood. The Java ferns don’t like the water changes or the high temp and have mostly melted, unlike the swords, rotalia and ludwigia, which have stubbornly hung on along with the jungle Val and dwarf sag.

I know their natural habitats have lots of wood features, but the wood just looks sad and scraggly at this point. I suppose I could scrub it down and pull the ferns, but they’d have more swimming spaces without it.

Thoughts? Would just the plants and no wood at all be ok?

I’ve only been giving them two feedings a day this week as I’ve made several big changes and want the bacteria to have a chance to catch up. Going to kick back to three tomorrow maybe and see how that goes. It’s been prime reed flakes in the morning, blackworms in the afternoon, and I’ll resume pellets at night. They seem to like Al’s pellets better if I mix in the Hikari discus pellets. Don’t know why.

[ravvlet]

Bare bottom seems to be working nicely. It’s way easier to vacuum waste! And I can actually see their poo, which helps to make sure they don’t have parasites. It’s kind of like scooping the litter box, only my arm has to go shoulder deep in the tank.

Speaking of, someone local to me has a 80g show tank for sale - it’s 36 wide by 18 deep by 30 high. Not sure if I can work with that height but the price is killer, it comes with a stand for $300. Do discus prefer longer tanks versus tall or squared off tanks like this one?

If this doesn’t work out I guess I’ll be hunting down wood to try to DIY a stand, unless yall think a solid wood dresser or similar could hold a 90 gallon…

Their light is off for the night already but I’ll take some photos before I clean, as I switch the light on for that. Weirdly the algae is getting better too now that there’s no substrate other than a tiny bit of sand I couldn’t manage to get out.

The table the goldfish tank is on allegedly has a 900lb weight limit, so when these guys get a new tank, I might upgrade the goldfish again!

[bluelagoon]

Hi ravvlet, I think your substrate/plants etc is working against you with keeping these guys healthy. The rock substrate may be catching too much junk etc. Moving these guys to a BB sounds like a great idea.
Pat

I agree. Planted and substrate discs tanks only last a year or two before they start having issues. Problem is anaerobic parasites. Two that look alike. One lives in the gut and one lives outside the gut. Hexamita and the other Spironucleus(HITH). Metronidazole will treat both flagellates.
https://www.vin.com/apputil/content/...=11257&print=1

[jwcarlson]

Weirdly the algae is getting better too now that there’s no substrate other than a tiny bit of sand I couldn’t manage to get out.

The only appreciable algae I get in my discus tank is on the underside of the glass lids and even that is a lot less than other tanks. Goes for all my bare bottoms too. Even the ones that don't get as frequent of water changes and wipe downs as the discus tank.

[jwcarlson]

How are your fish, ravvlet?

[fishy_jim]

Any update on how your tank is doing? Hope all is well !!