What do I do? Hmmm decisions!

[Discus Fever]

Time is getting closer to setting up my 75 gallon for some new discus, this should be ready by the end of February. Here is my thought process on this for the last 4 months. I love planted tanks and I know all the benefits of having them since I have been using live plants over the last 40 years. I would like to put some live plants in my new discus tank that would be in clay pots but in the past I have always kept discus in bare bottom tanks which worked out really nice. My wife has been telling me if I am going to set up a new discus tank it can't be a boring empty looking tank with pretty fish in it. I agree with her since I have kept them in a boring bare bottom tank in the past. If I go with live plants of course they would be the plants that can handle the higher water temps like swords and other plants. I am leaning towards swords in clay pots sitting on a bare bottom tanks where I can control any waste that hits the bottom of the tank while still adding color to the tank as well as the plants pulling some nitrates out of the water at the same time.
I would not go over board with plants because I still want my discus to have plenty of room to swim around. I am looking at possibly 3 sword plants in the tank that way it is not overly crowded for the discus. By the way I will be putting 7 discus into this tank from the same supplier and all 7 will be the same species. What does everyone think of this idea? Should I go with the traditional bare bottom tank or do I go with 3 swords and add some life to the tank with some beneficial factors by doing it?

[jwcarlson]

My tank is pretty boring, I haven't had luck with plants in pots in my discus tank. I have a couple sad looking anubias attached to wood and a pleco cave. One other thing to consider is emerged growth plants like pothos. I have a couple of pothos stems in my discus tank and the roots are pretty interesting and provide a neat look.

[Second Hand Pat]

Hi Scott, I would suggest starting without plants (especially for quarantine reasons) and once the discus are pass the quarantine period then start to add the plants. The reason for this is to not mix meds with plants.
Pat

[mleibowi]

I have hardy plants- anubias and ferns on a central piece of drift wood to break up sight lines. If this is your first tank, keep it simple. Bare bottom a dusting of sand for esthetics. Get larger discus from a reputable seller and lots of water changes...

[Discus Fever]

I have hardy plants- anubias and ferns on a central piece of drift wood to break up sight lines. If this is your first tank, keep it simple. Bare bottom a dusting of sand for esthetics. Get larger discus from a reputable seller and lots of water changes...

This is definitely not my 1st tank I use to breed discus 30 years ago.

[Discus Fever]

Hi Scott, I would suggest starting without plants (especially for quarantine reasons) and once the discus are pass the quarantine period then start to add the plants. The reason for this is to not mix meds with plants.
Pat

Yeah I understand about the quarantine process this is after all of that I would add the live plants to the tank.

[Iminit]

Planted tanks in pots are easy enough. I get what Pats saying but I always put something growing in the qt tank. I’ve yet to lose a plant to meds. It also gets new fish to adjust to plants. You’ve got to figure they’ve never seen them before. Also a piece of driftwood is good in qt. I like to use suction cup and support it on the walls about 3/4 up. New guys go right under it. Here’s a pic of my 1807D93A8A2-D852-41F1-8809-25AF7A737BC7.jpg.

[Second Hand Pat]

Tom, I think plants can dilute the effectiveness of meds. Too me leaving plants out of the question during quarantine simply makes sense and remember that plants can carry stuff to which the new fish may have not been exposed too.
Pat

[Charlyc11]

Tom you get those plants to grow so nice, I think I have a brown thumb sometimes. I can't get any of my plants to grow so healthy.

[Discus Fever]

I do believe that I will use live plants in the tank once my discus are quarantined for a couple of months. I don't mind bare bottom tanks since I have had them forever but would be nice to have some live plants to make the tank nice.

[Iminit]

Chuck need some plants . Could bag them up for you.

[brewmaster15]

Scott.. great to see the time is getting closer. Did you decide on what kind of discus you will put in it?

[Discus Fever]

Scott.. great to see the time is getting closer. Did you decide on what kind of discus you will put in it?

I haven't made the final decision yet but the 2 that I am deciding between are the Blue Diamonds since I had them in the past or go with the German Red Turquoise Discus, Blue Base. Which ever ones I go with I will be purchasing 7 of them around 4 to 4-1/2" in size.

[mleibowi]

I really like your large anubias plant, Tom

[mleibowi]

Ah, Ok Scott. Didn't realize that. I have learned a lot in the 2.5 years I've kept them, but sounds like you have a wealth of knowledge.