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Thread: Tank Setup Questionaire

  1. #136
    Homesteader Filip's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tank Setup Questionaire

    Hi Kristen and welcome to the forum.

    Your plan sounds right IMO concerning your stocking levels , tank size , filtration , lights , WC and feeding regime .
    About the negative PH Swing of about 0.6-0.8 units during WCs, i think it can cause problems.

    My 2 options here would be to find a place in your cabinet to age at least 30- 40 G. of water for your WCs and / or to change your WC regime to a 5 day 40-50% WC a week instead of 2-3 times 70-80% a week .That way you can lower the PH stress on your discus during WCs .

    Start with less % WCs and increase them gradually when you purchase your fish , and observe them how do they react after every WC.
    Their behaviour will tell you how much they can tolerate without any bigger stress.

    Good luck Kristen .

  2. #137
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    Default Re: Tank Setup Questionaire

    Quote Originally Posted by Filip View Post
    Hi Kristen and welcome to the forum.

    Your plan sounds right IMO concerning your stocking levels , tank size , filtration , lights , WC and feeding regime .
    About the negative PH Swing of about 0.6-0.8 units during WCs, i think it can cause problems.

    My 2 options here would be to find a place in your cabinet to age at least 30- 40 G. of water for your WCs and / or to change your WC regime to a 5 day 40-50% WC a week instead of 2-3 times 70-80% a week .That way you can lower the PH stress on your discus during WCs .

    Start with less % WCs and increase them gradually when you purchase your fish , and observe them how do they react after every WC.
    Their behaviour will tell you how much they can tolerate without any bigger stress.

    Good luck Kristen .
    Thanks Filip! I hadn't thought to do more frequent but less % water changes like that, it is maybe possible I could find the perfect dimensions tank to setup in the cabinet. My canister filter takes up half of the space unfortunately it's so huge! But I will look into finding a 40 gallon (maybe a tall one) that would fit. Also I will take your suggestion of gradually increasing WC % once I get to that point.

    -Kristen

  3. #138
    Homesteader Filip's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tank Setup Questionaire

    Put the big canister and all the gear on one side and measure the space you have left in your cabinet to the last inch , leaving only 5 inch from the top of the cabinet , just so that you can put your arm and pump inside. I'm sure you'll find space for a decent size tank in there Kristen.
    You will need it as a QT tank in case of emergency too , so don't hesitate to make one, customized to the space you have .

  4. #139
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    Default Re: Tank Setup Questionaire

    Thanks ryan! i have had the G6 for about 3 years now and with regular monthy deep cleaning i have still had to replace the impeller. I love digital display. It is incomparable with flow rates, temperature, conductivity, along with programmable maintenance schedule, and out of range alerts. I used this filter previously on my 120 with crystal clear results after only weekly water changes. As for my discus food i will order some FDBW asap, i was feeding FBW for the first two months but i lost a discus and blamed poor storage and handling and switched to only flakes and granules.

  5. #140
    Registered Member lastflea's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tank Setup Questionaire

    Hi everyone.

    I'm back into fish keeping after three years break. Nearly four thinking about it. Before that I was in the hobby for two and a half years. My last tank was a high tech planted community, which had some success. I managed to keep that running for a year, with no casualties. I had to break it down due to moving to a small flat. Like, really small.

    My research into discus has been on and off for around four years, but this hasn't really been centred around the idea of setting up, far more to do with curiosity and fascination. I'm not rushing anything, and my tank is still in the build stage. I think around six months from now I'll be putting the discus in, after more serious research is conducted.

    So the tank will be display purposes. It's 5'x2.5'x2 630l (approx 166 USG) and I'll be planting low maintenance, low light plants with some wood and rocks. Not too heavy on the plants. Some swords, a couple bushes and some floating. Probably frogbit for some additional help with nitrate consumption and light cover. My substrate will be white sand, and I'll paint the back, and left side of the tank pale blue. I'm staggering the scape, and planting strategically, so I won't need a light unit capable of lighting up a football field. There'll be plenty of space for free movement, and feeding spots will be over open ground to minimise festering ground waste. I'll have a cori clean up crew to help with that as well. I'll be cleaning up anything I can see nightly. Every night.

    Planning to stock 12 discus around 3", a shoal of 30 rummy's and maybe 10 cory's. I'd like to put in a couple Angels, but only after the discus have grown to 6" and they'd be youngsters. Angels were the centre for my last tank, and still one of my favourites.

    I don't know what my water change schedule will be yet. I'm going all out on nitrate reduction, which I'm hoping will reduce the need for them. This is something I'll be establishing long before any discus go in though.

    There'll be a sump filtration of 130l (approx 34 USG). Four chambers, comprising 1: algae scrubber, 2: sponge filtration, 3: bio media, 4: heaters and return. I'll be fishless cycling and going to keep topping up the ammonia till the algae scrubber kicks in before any livestock go in.

    As I mentioned, the tank is still in the build stage. It was previously marine and I've just finished a deep, deeeeeeep clean. I've moved some panels around in the sump, to suit my set up better. I'm waiting on deliveries for filter media, algae scrubber kit and perusing light units at the moment. So far I think this will suit my tank best....

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Zetlight-Aq.../dp/B01BNPWVY8

    I'm thinking return wise I should go the upper end of recommendations. 8x tank and sump volume?

    Two heaters at 600w each, in case one fails.

    That's about all for now. Here's a couple pictures of the tank. Before, and after, the clean.

    Rob
    Attached Images Attached Images

  6. #141
    Registered Member lastflea's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tank Setup Questionaire

    Ok, before I get hung out to dry, can I just say that I've just read the entire thread of that rather unfortunate experience, detailed in "New discus owner, with lots of discus questions". I also read the first page of "How I set up my first discus tank", and felt a slight twang of embarrassment at the idea of being thought of as stupid. I'm referring to KISS

    Here's the problem though. I love planted tanks, and I love the idea of raising my own discus. Buying adults just isn't the same. As well as this I really don't like the idea of raising stunted, oddly shaped discus that haven't reached their full potential. The guilt would be starring straight at me every time I looked into the tank. That's if they survived at all. Most of the time there's a solution to a problem, and in this case there is. I guess I'm just going to have to raise my discus in my tank..... with a BB, alone, and give them the chance they deserve. And when they're bigger, I'll find somewhere to keep them till I've scaped my tank and bring them back home again after. I wonder if they'll recognise home...?

    Thanks for your historical input, and stickying that thread. I like this forum. A lot!!

  7. #142
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    Default Re: Tank Setup Questionaire

    Hi I am Jarron from India.
    I have been keeping fish for over 20 years. I started off with Mollies, Platies, Guppies, then got everything else under the sun, went into Oscars, Green Terrors and finally bought myself a Pacu and a Giant Gourami both of who grew into monsters and lived for around 15 years. Now that my Pacu & Giant Gourami have passed away, I am planning to get into Discus.

    I have no experience with Discus, which is why I have read most of the stickies here, watched videos on youtube from discus experts (including the guy who started this forum) and even went out of my way to meet with local discus breeders to find out the local challenges with keeping discus.

    The tank is a 4x2x2 (125G) curved tank. It is now bare bottom, I removed all the sand after reading your stickies and asking the standard newbie question, "Why can't I use sand" and getting a logical reply (thanks for all your help). Planning to put in a couple of pieces of wood with a anubias and moss on it.
    The tank is cycled and I added a few variety of tetras and corydoras in the tank. (they have been in the tank for over a month) and ready for the discus.

    I am planning to change around 50% water every other day. I know every day is ideal and I will try, but am being realistic.
    The water out of my tap has a PH of 7 and so does my tank, so I don't plan to age it (as there doesn't seem any spike in PH).

    I have installed a sump which has around 396 gallons an hour flow. Put in Seachem Matrix as bacteria media. Also have a Eheim canister filter which I am currently not using, but may do so if needed. Have a heater installed and plan to keep the temp at 28 (though currently its summer and the temps are probably higher than 28).

    As for stocking levels, I have ordered 12 discus. Think they are around 3.5-4" in size. Currently the tank has 13 Cardinals, 8 Glowlights, 5 Black Neons, 6 Purple Emperor Tetras, 8 Cherry Barbs, 4 Corry Doras and 2 Kuhli Loaches. I plan to add a few more Cories, but apart from that I won't be adding anything else.

    As for feeding, I plan to feed 3 times a day using a beef heart mix. Maybe beef heart once or twice and some pellets the remaining times. Will adjust depending on my experience.

    As for my goals. I just want a beautiful tank with healthy Discus I can enjoy watching. Don't think I want to breed them and I don't think there is a snowflakes chance of hell that my Discus will be show quality.
    Once the discus are grown I want a planted tank, but first thing is getting there.
    Any suggestions or criticism of my plans is welcome and I will take any suggestion under advisement.

  8. #143
    Homesteader Filip's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tank Setup Questionaire

    Hi Hidan . Your plan sounds well planned and reasonable .
    Sand is avoided during the grow up stage to achieve the pristine water quality that young discus require for proper growing and health .
    Sand traps a lot of dirt and it is very hard to keep it constantly clean and siphoned.
    You can add it later once your discus are grown , their immune system is stronger and their toleration limits and requirements for water quality are wider.

    Besides the PH , you should think about the gasses In tap water and microbubbles during the WCs too.

    I'm not sure about your real flow strength but I think that declared 400GPH pump for 150 Gallons of water might be too week. Adding your canister too wouldn't hurt here .

    Good luck Hidan .

  9. #144
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    Default Re: Tank Setup Questionaire

    Quote Originally Posted by Filip
    Sand is avoided during the grow up stage to achieve the pristine water quality that young discus require for proper growing and health .
    Sand traps a lot of dirt and it is very hard to keep it constantly clean and siphoned.
    Yeah, I already asked that question earlier and got this logical reply from you guys, which made me remove the sand and go bare bottom. Given every newbie asks the same question, I applaud you guys for keeping your patience and answering the same question for what must feel like a millionth time.

    Quote Originally Posted by Filip
    Besides the PH , you should think about the gasses In tap water and microbubbles during the WCs too.
    Hmm, haven't read about gasses and micro-bubbles. A link to any sticky or article about this would be helpful, so I can read up on it and ask any follow up questions.

    Quote Originally Posted by Filip
    I'm not sure about your real flow strength but I think that declared 400GPH pump for 150 Gallons of water might be too week. Adding your canister too wouldn't hurt here .
    Damm, I thought I was overfiltering the tank (even after the discus arrive) which is why I didn't bother with the canister, which I planned to use whenever I need the QT tank. All right, will get the canister prepped and will attach it to the main tank asap.

  10. #145
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    Default Re: Tank Setup Questionaire

    There are lots of topics about microbubbles and gasses during the unaged water change here on this forum . Just write Microbubbles in search bar and you'll find many topics on that subject .
    Here is one :

    http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showth...zard-Gas-or-pH

    Fill the canister with bio media and use prefilter sponges or wool to keep your filter materials constantly clean from debris and dirt.
    Cheers and good luck Hidan.

  11. #146
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    Default Re: Tank Setup Questionaire

    Hello everyone.

    i am new to the hobby.
    I will try to provide as much information as i can of my little knowledge about fish keeping.

    I have kept pigeons all my life and very successful in keeping them, i have applied the same thought of husbandry in keeping discus.
    My tank is 50 gallon, its been around 5 months since i have started keeping discus.
    Tank i have is from a friend of fine, who wants to get rid of the hobby.

    when i got the tank, i searched web and information about keeping fish.
    the only fish that i loved the most was discus.

    the tank that i bought had 1 2.5 inch discus, 1 parrot, 10 pink zebras, 1 danison, 4 zebras normal. some other 1 or 2 no of small fishes.
    i just wanted to keep discus even though i was a beginner in hobby so i read some posts about keeping discus.

    after a small research of 1 week.
    i decided to keep discus,

    so i removed all the substrate from tank, gave away all the fishes except pink 10 zebras, 1 danison and 1 discus.
    I installed an external filter, 2 automatic heaters in the tank, 1 temperature meter, 1 led light strip, aereator.
    and removed all other things from the tank including background scenery.

    next day i bought 1 more discuss, which survived only 1 week and died.

    after a week, the tank was very clean and started attracting me,
    2-3 days later, i bought four 3.5 inch discus.

    After few days the 2.5 inch discus died. I bought API freshwater test kit, this day.
    Checked all the parameters.
    tank started doing well until i introduced a plant in the tank, it is a plant found in india, which dont require sand to grow.

    After a week 2 of my discus died as if they suddenly got poisoned.
    i checked all the parameter, temp. everything was fine,
    so the only thing that i changed was plant, i removed it.

    Now i had 2 discus only. after 2-3 months, now i have introduced 6 more discuss of the size 5 inches, since my 2 other discuss are of same size now.

    Presently
    My tank is 50 gallon, with external filter, water changes is 10% everyday, 50% almost after every 3 days, i feed tetra bits & dried blood worms to my fish, Ph is 6.5, hardness is 90, amonia, nitrite, nitrate level keeps on going up & down, since some time my mother overfeed the fish & tank when i am out for my buisness tours.
    I have now 8 discus in tank, 8 neon tetras, 1 danison, 1 sucker cat, 2 pink zebras.

    Any suggestion is welcome that can improve my hobby.

  12. #147
    Registered Member lastflea's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tank Setup Questionaire

    Hi Kaushal. Sounds like your tank isn't cycled. Did you do a fishless cycle with household ammonia?

  13. #148
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    Default Re: Tank Setup Questionaire

    Quote Originally Posted by Kaushal View Post
    Hello everyone.

    i am new to the hobby.
    I will try to provide as much information as i can of my little knowledge about fish keeping.

    I have kept pigeons all my life and very successful in keeping them, i have applied the same thought of husbandry in keeping discus.
    My tank is 50 gallon, its been around 5 months since i have started keeping discus.
    Tank i have is from a friend of fine, who wants to get rid of the hobby.

    when i got the tank, i searched web and information about keeping fish.
    the only fish that i loved the most was discus.

    the tank that i bought had 1 2.5 inch discus, 1 parrot, 10 pink zebras, 1 danison, 4 zebras normal. some other 1 or 2 no of small fishes.
    i just wanted to keep discus even though i was a beginner in hobby so i read some posts about keeping discus.

    after a small research of 1 week.
    i decided to keep discus,

    so i removed all the substrate from tank, gave away all the fishes except pink 10 zebras, 1 danison and 1 discus.
    I installed an external filter, 2 automatic heaters in the tank, 1 temperature meter, 1 led light strip, aereator.
    and removed all other things from the tank including background scenery.

    next day i bought 1 more discuss, which survived only 1 week and died.

    after a week, the tank was very clean and started attracting me,
    2-3 days later, i bought four 3.5 inch discus.

    After few days the 2.5 inch discus died. I bought API freshwater test kit, this day.
    Checked all the parameters.
    tank started doing well until i introduced a plant in the tank, it is a plant found in india, which dont require sand to grow.

    After a week 2 of my discus died as if they suddenly got poisoned.
    i checked all the parameter, temp. everything was fine,
    so the only thing that i changed was plant, i removed it.

    Now i had 2 discus only. after 2-3 months, now i have introduced 6 more discuss of the size 5 inches, since my 2 other discuss are of same size now.

    Presently
    My tank is 50 gallon, with external filter, water changes is 10% everyday, 50% almost after every 3 days, i feed tetra bits & dried blood worms to my fish, Ph is 6.5, hardness is 90, amonia, nitrite, nitrate level keeps on going up & down, since some time my mother overfeed the fish & tank when i am out for my buisness tours.
    I have now 8 discus in tank, 8 neon tetras, 1 danison, 1 sucker cat, 2 pink zebras.

    Any suggestion is welcome that can improve my hobby.
    I'm sorry for your bitter start with your new hobby Kaushal .

    Two possible problems in your tank that comes in to my mind are as Rob already sugessted uncycled filter (ammonia or nitrite poisoning)or Cross contamination / plant contamination (different source discus carrying different pathogens) .

    Possible solutions :
    1. you should do bigger Water changes >60 % in the initial 1-2 months period utill your filtration establishes it self with beneficial bacteria .
    Don't let your mother or anybody else feed the fish while away , but leave them without food until you come back again to feed them .
    Never leave any excess food to rot anywhere in your tank nor your filters .

    2. if you still see more dying discus , stop buying new ones until the situation settles down at least for a couple of months . When all your remaining stock is thriving and eating well , only then , you might consider adding new stock following a strict 6 weeks quarantine procedure for introducing new stock .

    Good luck and I hope you'll find your equilibrium with discus just like you have found it with your pigeon keeping hobby.
    Last edited by Filip; 05-07-2018 at 04:11 PM.

  14. #149
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    Default Re: Tank Setup Questionaire

    Quote Originally Posted by Kaushal
    My tank is 50 gallon, its been around 5 months
    Your tank is a bit small for discus. If you have the space in the house, get a 120 gal tank (new tanks are relatively cheap in India), especially since you now have 8 Discus and they are 5 inches. Usually its stated that 1 Discus very 10 gallons.

    My second recommendation is using a good chlorination. I recommend Seachem Prime. The local one's in India are too unreliable and I ended up losing most of my tank fishes (tetras) thanks to a substandard dechlorinator.

    What filter are you using? Coz if your amonia, nitrite, nitrate level keeps on going up & down, it means either your filtration isn't adequate or your beneficial bacteria is not build up to the required level.

    Lastly remember to wash your filter media (Sponge/biological media) in tank water and not tap water. Washing it in tap water will result in all the benificial bacteria dying off due to the chlorine.

    And Best of luck and hope your Discus continue to thrive and become beauties.

  15. #150
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    Default Re: Tank Setup Questionaire

    1) G'day everyone. My name is Daniel. Originally from Australia, and moved to the US with my wife and kiddos 5 years ago. I have kept all manor of African, CA/SA cichlids over the past 35 years. during my time in the hobby I have suffered MTS on several occasions, but these days I have a solitary 6' 125gal and my 2 boys have a 10 & 12 gal tank respectively. Over the past 8 years I have been keeping/breeding mostly tropheus, and currently have a 2.5 yr old group of F1 cypho gibb kapampa and some other smaller community tangs. I have successfully kept discus several times throughout my years in the hobby and both my wife and I feel it is time to switch back to the King of the aquarium.

    2) I have read numerous stickies over the past couple of days, and though I hve kept discus previously, hope to glean vital info from the SD forum family.

    3) My tank is a standard 125 gal; 72x18x23 and will be set up as a display. This particular tank has been running non stop for 3.5 years.

    4) I did plan to have a thin layer of coarse white sand (inert) but in reading Al's recommendations, was thinking maybe to begin BB and go from there. I do desire a low tech planted display, with plants attached to drift wood, perhaps some crypts, etc.

    5) I have numerous food grade 55 gal barrels, so I plan to age my tap water, and pH reduce and buffer if necessary. (I have not tested my source water as yet as I moved from well water in NW Ohio, to tap water in Cincinnati just 4 weeks ago. Keeping tangs with aragopnite as my substrate my pH was always around 8.2...perfect for tangs, not so for discus. My current WC practice is 75% every 2 weeks. I hope that with low stocking density (4-6 discus) with the switch to discus to do 75% weekly, but am able to do more if that is necessary. I plan to do whatever it takes to keep them happy & healthy.

    6) I have a 30 gal sump with a 2 stage trickle system. Stage 1 is filter wool to remove solid waste and stage to is a mix of bioballs and ceramic beads for the BB to colonize. I have a 650 gal return pump, 300 W heater, and a 48" beamswork LED (basic model with white & acitinic diodes)

    7) If the tank is already setup and running, include the water parameters;

    - temp: 78

    - tank ph: 8.2 (clearly that will be need to be reduced. I will remove the aragonite and get an inert sand substrate, and age and pH reduce and buffer my water)

    - Ph of the water straight out of your tap: unsure atm

    - ammonia reading: 0.0

    - nitrite reading: 0ppm

    - nitrate reading 40-80 usually with my tangs...what should my target be with discus?

    - well water: not any more

    - municipal water: yep


    8) I plan for 6 x 4"-5.5" discus, a few of the smaller geo's (unless that is a totally bad idea), and a school of cardinals & rummynose. I spent a couple of hours last night drooling over Kenny's May shipment, read a bunch of reviews from his customers, wrote to him with questions and heard back the next day, and so I plan to purchase my discus from Kenny. I want to time it all after I have sold off my tangs, switch out the substrate, clean out my sump, then I will be ready.

    9) With acquisition of medium sized discus I hope twice daily feeds with high quality flake or pellet and high quality beef heart formula will be sufficient. Realistically since I am several weeks away from the switch, I still need to read some more on the site regarding types of feeds and regimes.

    10) My primary goals are to enjoy my fish, keep my wife interested, get my kids more involved in keeping fish, and keep happy & healthy fish.

    I look forward to interacting with the community here and learning what I need to know to achieve the above mentioned goals. Peace out everyone!

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