So ya wanna planted Discus tank?

[GrillMaster]

Hello everyone,

Have anyone check out tropica.com?
here is a great article:

http://www.tropica.com/advising/type...s-aquaria.aspx

They have a great article about planted discus aquarium. They also have list of recommanded plants and thank layout too etc. I think is a great site.

The article was pretty good.

I noticed George an Karla mentioning the planted tank entries for the AGA aquascaping contests where our very own Steve Colly (Scolly) entered 2 years in a row.

I also liked the fact that they mention how the plants help remove the toxic substances from the water!

I dont however agree with thier statement about having to make a comprimise with planted tanks and feed them high quality food once a day and do water changes every other week.

[aquatic3]

I found this article over 3 years ago and it is very well written. It was authored and published in 2000 and I can't believe there are not more destinations online that discuss in detail establishing a planted Discus aquarium.

This is what motivated me to gather as much info as I can and write about my own experiences and pushing more the envelope leveraging technologies and improved best practices.

My project is called Aquatic3 "aquatic cubed" ( ADMIN EDIT: Link Removed) and I will set up a Thread here at Simply Discus as to my progress once my tank is up and running. Right now my website and blog is growing each day and become a centralized repository of information for the Planted Discus Tank enthusiast.

Constructive advise or criticism welcomed.

Thank You!

[GrillMaster]

I found this article over 3 years ago and it is very well written. It was authored and published in 2000 and I can't believe there are not more destinations online that discuss in detail establishing a planted Discus aquarium.

This is what motivated me to gather as much info as I can and write about my own experiences and pushing more the envelope leveraging technologies and improved best practices.

My project is called Aquatic3 "aquatic cubed" (www.aquatic3.com) and I will set up a Thread here at Simply Discus as to my progress once my tank is up and running. Right now my website and blog is growing each day and become a centralized repository of information for the Planted Discus Tank enthusiast.

Constructive advise or criticism welcomed.

Thank You!

Look forward to yer thread my friend!

[Heiko Bleher]

Hi 2dees,

congratulations, I am very proud of you doing such a nice natural environment for your Green Discus, it could be in nature and the fishes feel it.

Keep up that great work, have also a look what I did about Discus biotope aquariums recently on my website.

Best regards and keep up the great work,

always

Heiko

[aquatic3]

This is a great post for the planted Discus aquarium enthusiast. There is a lot of invaluable information about best practices here that aquarist should follow.

First of all let me say I'm a huge fan of Heiko Bleher and Jeff Senske. One particular area you will find that both Heiko and Jeff agree is when it comes to the mantra of "less is more". Selective plants in the right aquarium set up with the proper combination of mechanics to establish a well balanced ecosystem is the goal.

I've had in depth conversations with Jeff and his projects have what inspired me to find a documented middle ground with my new planted Discus aquarium I'm calling The Aquatic3 Project ("the aquatic cubed"). There is a happy middle ground where both fish and plants can cohabitate in a beautifully esthetically pleasing arrangement. You don't have to be limited to having a BB (bare bottom) set up or a dark, murky natural biotope. The Aquatic3 Project is taking 140 gallon aquarium and adopting Nature Style Concept aquascaping best practices to create a well balanced ecosystem. The tank is now 110 gallons after substrate, rocks, plants and driftwood are added. Careful planning went into the selection of every filter, light and pump comprising the operating systems.

Net-net:

1) Even Jeff will attest to the fact that the photos we often all admire are brief snap shots in time. They don't look like that every day.

2) To ensure Discus live happy and don't find them gasping for air, peppering or stressing, requires careful planning and preparation and attention to the underlying operating systems and how they all interoperate.

3) I plan on 6 full grown Discus, 30 Rainbow Tetras, and some algae and bottom cleaning catfish to complete my stock list.

4) In the next several weeks my planted tank will be coming to life. Discus want arrive for some time after that. Patients is a virtue.

I hope to start a new Post here at Simply Discus that will follow my success, upsets and failures...and there will be failures. Look forward to hearing everyone's feedback.

[inmisawa]

Wow. I'm on information overload. There are so many thing I want to ask, see and do. I just opened this thread today expecting just a few bits of information but I never thought I would find so much info here. You guys have changed my entire view on how I am going to do this massive tank I have planned. I'm not even thinking this 100gal I have planned isn't going to be big enough.

I will say for now, thank you for all that have contributed to this thread. I'm going to pill through it over the next few hours. I hope some of the larger contributors are open to a lot of pestering!

[GrillMaster]

inmisawa... Cant wait to see your pics bud!

[hawkeye405]

I have been reading this thread and must say I too am overloaded with information. I might have missed something but doesn't a white substrate wash out the color in discus?

[rickztahone]

I have been reading this thread and must say I too am overloaded with information. I might have missed something but doesn't a white substrate wash out the color in discus?

quite the contrary actually

[hawkeye405]

I have cardinals and rummy nose tetras in a 75 gallon with some plants and wood on a black "Black Beauty" substrate and their colors really pop out. I bought 3 wild Heckels and 3 wild Nhamunda Blues and planned on putting them into this tank. Now I'll have to change the substrate.

What type of white substrate is best?

[pcsb23]

I have cardinals and rummy nose tetras in a 75 gallon with some plants and wood on a black "Black Beauty" substrate and their colors really pop out. I bought 3 wild Heckels and 3 wild Nhamunda Blues and planned on putting them into this tank. Now I'll have to change the substrate.

What type of white substrate is best?

Sand. Most use pool filter or play sand. But any inert white or pale coloured sand will do.

[hawkeye405]

Thank you Paul, I'll try pool sand.

Miro

[kalawai]

This is the best thread ever!!

[Brevcom]

Very good info, thanks. Being new to this forum/community and keeping Discus, this will come in handy!

[billf8004]

I wish I would've read this a year ago. I went through a lot of plants before I got all of the problems worked out. Still haven't figured out how to get rid of the nasty brown stuff.