JamesLibTech
04-23-2013, 12:24 AM
1) Please Introduce your self and tell us what your experience is with fishkeeping, give us as much information as possible as to how long in the hobby, what you have kept in the past and what you currently are working with.
I have successfully kept community tanks, community planted tanks, smaller reef tanks(80 gallons and less), discus in a bb 55. The learning curve for fish, especially discus, is very dramatic. I know a descent amount, but I know that is just the tip of the iceberg.
2) If you have no previous experience with keeping discus, have you done any research to properly prepare yourself, e.g. have you read any Stickies in this section of SimplyDiscus, or other material?
I have previous experience, but still daily lurk the pages of SD.
3) Describe your tank, its size and dimensions, breeding or display. Include how long it has been setup or if it is still being cycled.
I have a 48" x 20" x 20" euro braced glass tank with a center overflow. I believe it is around 80 gallons.
4) Describe the décor for the tank; type of substrate or bare bottom (BB), whether the tank will be planted or a biotope.
I plan to have a very little sand on the bottom with Manzanita to appear as roots.
5) Describe your water changes planned or practiced, percentage and how often. Include if you age your water and use of tap/RO or mix.
I want to buy mature discus to avoid doing large water changes daily. Probably 40% every day of aged tap water.
6) Describe the type of filtration planned/used for the tank; sponge, HOB and/or sump. Also include the other equipment you are, or will be, using in your tank, e.g. heater, lighting, etc.
The sump is 36" x 12" x 16" refugium. 7" filter sock changed bi weekly, bio balls in first chamber with sock(partially submerged), second chamber has a big bag of seachem pond matrix and regular matrix that is held a few inches off the bottom by a egg crate rack so water passes through it instead of over it. The bubble trap/baffle has bio balls in it as well before it makes it to the Sicce Return pump.
I also have a Sicce Whale 5 canister filter on it. Right now there are only sponges and ceramic rings in the trays. The lighting is 2 AI sols, left over from my reef tank, that I have turned down to 10% whites only. The heaters are 2 Jager 250W set to 84F.
7) If the tank is already setup and running, include the water parameters;
- temp _84F___
- tank ph __7.8___
- Ph of the water straight out of your tap _7.9____
- ammonia reading __0ppm__
- nitrite reading __0ppm__
- nitrate reading __0-5ppm__
- municipal water __yes(Los Angeles), all the way from the California aqueduct__
8) Describe your current or planned stocking levels; number/size of discus and number/type of dither fish. Where did you get your discus from or do you have a proposed source for getting your discus?
The tank has 4 cardinal tetras, 1 sterbai cory, and 4 otocinclus. This is mainly to keep it cycled. I want to buy 6-8 mature discus around 4.5". As for a source, I have always admired Hans Discus, but I have heard many good things about Kenny here in California.
9) Describe your planned or existing feeding regimen. Include what and how often you are feeding on a daily basis.
The feeding would be something around 2-3 times a day, once in the morning and twice once I get home from work. I plan on feeding FDBW, BH and other options I find along the way. I have a full time job and I also make didgeridoos as a side job about 8-15 hours a week, so the feeding schedule may vary slightly.
10) What are your goals in this hobby? For example are you looking to keep discus in a planted community tank, or do you hope to become a hobby breeder of Discus? Do you want to raise Discus with the hopes of competing in shows?
I want to have successful display tank, with a natural biotope look.
I have successfully kept community tanks, community planted tanks, smaller reef tanks(80 gallons and less), discus in a bb 55. The learning curve for fish, especially discus, is very dramatic. I know a descent amount, but I know that is just the tip of the iceberg.
2) If you have no previous experience with keeping discus, have you done any research to properly prepare yourself, e.g. have you read any Stickies in this section of SimplyDiscus, or other material?
I have previous experience, but still daily lurk the pages of SD.
3) Describe your tank, its size and dimensions, breeding or display. Include how long it has been setup or if it is still being cycled.
I have a 48" x 20" x 20" euro braced glass tank with a center overflow. I believe it is around 80 gallons.
4) Describe the décor for the tank; type of substrate or bare bottom (BB), whether the tank will be planted or a biotope.
I plan to have a very little sand on the bottom with Manzanita to appear as roots.
5) Describe your water changes planned or practiced, percentage and how often. Include if you age your water and use of tap/RO or mix.
I want to buy mature discus to avoid doing large water changes daily. Probably 40% every day of aged tap water.
6) Describe the type of filtration planned/used for the tank; sponge, HOB and/or sump. Also include the other equipment you are, or will be, using in your tank, e.g. heater, lighting, etc.
The sump is 36" x 12" x 16" refugium. 7" filter sock changed bi weekly, bio balls in first chamber with sock(partially submerged), second chamber has a big bag of seachem pond matrix and regular matrix that is held a few inches off the bottom by a egg crate rack so water passes through it instead of over it. The bubble trap/baffle has bio balls in it as well before it makes it to the Sicce Return pump.
I also have a Sicce Whale 5 canister filter on it. Right now there are only sponges and ceramic rings in the trays. The lighting is 2 AI sols, left over from my reef tank, that I have turned down to 10% whites only. The heaters are 2 Jager 250W set to 84F.
7) If the tank is already setup and running, include the water parameters;
- temp _84F___
- tank ph __7.8___
- Ph of the water straight out of your tap _7.9____
- ammonia reading __0ppm__
- nitrite reading __0ppm__
- nitrate reading __0-5ppm__
- municipal water __yes(Los Angeles), all the way from the California aqueduct__
8) Describe your current or planned stocking levels; number/size of discus and number/type of dither fish. Where did you get your discus from or do you have a proposed source for getting your discus?
The tank has 4 cardinal tetras, 1 sterbai cory, and 4 otocinclus. This is mainly to keep it cycled. I want to buy 6-8 mature discus around 4.5". As for a source, I have always admired Hans Discus, but I have heard many good things about Kenny here in California.
9) Describe your planned or existing feeding regimen. Include what and how often you are feeding on a daily basis.
The feeding would be something around 2-3 times a day, once in the morning and twice once I get home from work. I plan on feeding FDBW, BH and other options I find along the way. I have a full time job and I also make didgeridoos as a side job about 8-15 hours a week, so the feeding schedule may vary slightly.
10) What are your goals in this hobby? For example are you looking to keep discus in a planted community tank, or do you hope to become a hobby breeder of Discus? Do you want to raise Discus with the hopes of competing in shows?
I want to have successful display tank, with a natural biotope look.