Keeping discus tank algae free

[Arcturus]

Hello. I'm about to setup a new discus tank. Probably 100 gals. I have decades of experience with reef tanks, planted tanks, and even discus tank in the past.

I just want to say that I find most discus-only setups quite boring vs planted tanks. But I've discovered that planted tanks might need more maintenance than a discus tank. My reasoning is that I have a 20gal planted tank, high tech, and I have expensive lights, co2 system, RO water, fertilization, and I need to trip, clean pipes, etc. everything in a small neat scale, which requires lots of maintenance time.

My theory is that as long as is not a planted tank, a discus tank would be easier to maintain?

I want to know if something like the following setup is possible to keep algae free with tap water (not keeping wild but farm discus):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRj4Vqurfmw&t=268s

In my experience, tap water is guaranteed to give algae, but my experience has been on high light setups such as reef and planted tanks. But perhaps if the lighting was bot strong, and with a short photo period, just enough to keep fast growing, easy to keep warm water plants? Has anyone tried something similar?

[jwcarlson]

I keep a boring, bare bottom discus tank and the only algae I've had in 2+ years is some brown algae on the bottom that grows mostly between whole tank wipe downs every week or so. 100% tap water (which is very hard, high pH here). For the majority of that time I've done daily 85% water changes. And there's emergent pothos plants that suck up any extra nutrients in the water. I've never tested nitrate above 5 ppm. My planted tanks always have algae (every tank does). But with enough plants it remains pretty clear.
Do they cover how long that guy has had his tank setup? Seems like a lot of these really beautiful setups have been setup for weeks or months and then you don't usually see them having been around much longer than that.

[Johanna]

What's your definition of no algae? In my experience, there's always some, regardless of if the tank is planted or bare or what the maintenance routine is like. I've had several (high-tech and low tech) planted tanks over the years and the least algae by far has been in my current fully planted discus tank. There's barely any at all. Why? I can't say for sure, but I think the reason is diligent maintenance. More water changes, more cleaning, better filtration, better water quality overall, so there are no excess nutrients left for the algae. I've always used tap water and peat in the filter. I don't use CO2 and only very light fertilization. Strong lightning on about 10 hours per day, but shading from plants that partially cover the surface. Pothos growing out of the tank also probably helps. The discus tank has been running for 8 months now. This is just my personal theory and experience compared to previous tanks I've had.

[LizStreithorst]

Johanna makes some excellent points. As far as that particular tank, plants attached to driftwood are fine, but you'd be better off if you ditched the sand and painted the bottom with a spray-on paint that has some texture to it, to make it appear like sand.

[Arcturus]

You have a point. It also gives me the impression that plants that are attached to driftwood, such as microsorums, rarely get algae, as long as the lighting is low. As for the sand, I love it, I wouldn't remove it. I would just syphon it out and replace it.

[Iminit]

I use tap water. Have planted and bare bottom tanks with plants in pot. Algae comes with less maintenance. I use 24/7 lighting on all tanks. Always some bba somewhere but never to start worrying about223B0811-F2E8-4631-A7E0-E4C236E42CD5.jpg

[Johanna]

You have a point. It also gives me the impression that plants that are attached to driftwood, such as microsorums, rarely get algae, as long as the lighting is low. As for the sand, I love it, I wouldn't remove it. I would just syphon it out and replace it.

What little algae I have, mostly grows on the older leaves of anubias plants because they are slow growers. It's dark green spot algae and black beard algae close to air stones and filter outflows where the water current is stronger. sometimes I find strands of hair algae on stem plants where they grow thick near the surface, or in the pothos roots. Then I just thin out those bushes and it goes away.