Show Tank Critique

[jmf3460]

Hi,

I just finished cycling this tank. I added the fish last night after taking the photo, all are doing well just hiding behind the stump for now. I'm curious what you all think of my set up. Especially the two sword plants, I put them in little glass jars and someone came to see it and said that the plants make it look silly. This is a 75 gal tank with a very thin layer of sand, manzanita wood pieces with slate/river rock stones. It has emperor 400 HOB and marineland c-360 canister filtration, jager 300w heater and a 13w uv sterilizer. The fish will be four leopards, two pigeon ss, one golden albino. Fish are from Carolina discus. What does everyone think??

http://i1312.photobucket.com/albums/t526/jmf3460/75gal_zps90467dc9.jpg

[dash]

I think it looks good man. As long as you are happy. Any pictures of the fish?

[camuth8]

Looks good. I also agree that it seems the swords mess up the tank a bit. It looks like the tank is more of a wood tank than a planted tank. Would love to see pics of the fish.

[Meganne]

put the sword on the right over by the other, perhaps just to the left of the smaller roundish rock which is of center left.

[DiscusBR]

Beautiful setup, congrats. I agree on concentrating plants on one side. How did you do the background? Is it just a brick wall or did you attach something to the back glass?

[jmf3460]

The background is just one of those stick on ones from PetSmart. Cheap and easy, it came with the tank so I figured I would use it. I will move the sword at my next water change. Thanks for everyone's advice.

[arielfe]

Hello Jack:

I am new to this Blog and I am also setting up my 72 Gallons Tank you wrote will have in your 75 Gallons tank 7 Discus: "The fish will be four leopards, two pigeon ss, one golden albino".

Are you concern will be enough room when they grow.... I am thinking to have also 5 to 6 Discus, but hesitating about the gallons/disc ratio. :confused:

[jmf3460]

Hello Jack:

I am new to this Blog and I am also setting up my 72 Gallons Tank you wrote will have in your 75 Gallons tank 7 Discus: "The fish will be four leopards, two pigeon ss, one golden albino".

Are you concern will be enough room when they grow.... I am thinking to have also 5 to 6 Discus, but hesitating about the gallons/disc ratio. :confused:

Arielfe,

I am actually going to get 2 more fish for this 75 gallon tank. The general rule of thumb (as I have read on this forum) is one discus per 10 gallons, but you can get away with more if you have over filtration and up your water change regime. I would do 7 for a 72 gallon. Discus are schooling fish, I started with 5 in a 50 gallon and they were so skittish, it wasn't until I added two more making 7 total that they started to really become friendly and confident. That was my mistake though, because 7 discus quickly outgrew a 50 (46 gal really) tank. Hence the new 75.

Good luck with your 72, is it a bowfront? I have a 46 bowfront, even without my discus in it anymore, it is still the most beautiful shaped aquarium I have. What are your plans for decorations? Planted? Bare bottom? sand with driftwood?

[jmf3460]

I think it looks good man. As long as you are happy. Any pictures of the fish?

Here is the first picture I could snap of the fish in this new tank. They are still very timid to come out of the back corner but this was yesterday and this morning they were swimming a little more out in the open. Not good photography skills just as a prelude.

http://i1312.photobucket.com/albums/t526/jmf3460/62c6ef2e-518a-4506-b315-f65fb17c8e1d_zpse693d5e8.jpg?t=1377618654

In the meantime, this is what I have done to the 46 gal that they outgrew. have plans to densely plant it and house the rams that are already in there, with addition to some tetras and rainbows. maybe a pair of apistos also.

http://i1312.photobucket.com/albums/t526/jmf3460/bownew_zps1afbeb80.jpg

[hillbillyamber]

What lighting are you using?

[jmf3460]

What lighting are you using?

Its the Marineland Aquatic Plant LED System. I don't know if it is on the shelves, I have bought two over the past year, they are awesome. built in timer.

[jmf3460]

Its the Marineland Aquatic Plant LED System. I don't know if it is on the shelves, I have bought two over the past year, they are awesome. built in timer.

this is not the lighting on the discus tank, on the discus tank I just have a single bright marineland LED. I thought you meant on the planted one

[jmf3460]

bump

[irodri25]

<a href="http://s1225.photobucket.com/user/dark_angel_itsel/media/IMG_00000123002.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1225.photobucket.com/albums/ee397/dark_angel_itsel/IMG_00000123002.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_00000123002.jpg"/></a>

[irodri25]

<a href="http://s1225.photobucket.com/user/dark_angel_itsel/media/IMG_00000123002.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1225.photobucket.com/albums/ee397/dark_angel_itsel/IMG_00000123002.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_00000123002.jpg"/></a>

[irodri25]

http://i1225.photobucket.com/albums/ee397/dark_angel_itsel/IMG_00000123002.jpg (http://s1225.photobucket.com/user/dark_angel_itsel/media/IMG_00000123002.jpg.html)

[irodri25]

This is my tank if anyone can tell me what I can fix that would be great :)

[jmf3460]

irodri25,

Is this tank intended for discus?? if so there is not nearly enough swimming room. your tank is absolutely beautiful. coming from someone who has three fully planted tanks and only one tank that isn't planted. I think it is beautiful, but as discus need a lot of swimming room, it wouldn't suit IMO. Plus the more things you add for your discus to hide behind the more they will hide. I like the wood. I would def remove the water wisteria in the middle, that stuff will take over your whole tank soon. maybe keep a few of the stem plants on the right and a few of the anubias/swords on the left and take everything else out if you want to add discus. You could keep the foreground plants that look like crypts. I saw your photobucket. somewhere in there was a pic of your tank starting out, when there was only plants on the two sides and none in the middle, that would be more of a discus tank in my opinion. I will tell you that having all the stem plants makes it really hard to vacuum out all the fish poo, uneaten food and nitrates that are really harmful to discus fish. I think your tank is awesome btw, just not really much room for discus.

[irodri25]

Thanks so much for the critique:) i agree on the swimming space. They don't have much room I do need to re aqua scape to suit the discus. Kind of heartbreaking because it took me forever to get it that way :( But I like change and I can change it and I agree on the stem plants they are pretty hard to clean the bottom, and yes those pictures of the tank when it was starting out was me experimenting with the plants until I got them the way I liked. Might do a different scape this week coming up any ideas on the placement of the driftwood or the plants

[jmf3460]

how about leave the driftwood to the left like it is but bring it to the front, and plant swords or vals all around it so it kind of curtains and engulfs the wood. then on the right side of the tank only do low growing plants like your crypts and other foreground plants. this will be more like a two sided tank, like it has two bedrooms. kind of like this one I had for my discus when they were in a different tank that I wanted planted. it was kind of a compromise between planted and un planted...

http://i1312.photobucket.com/albums/t526/jmf3460/discustank_zpse949e45f.jpg

I pushed all the plants to one side, which suited my rams because it was thick and dense cover for them, and my discus loved having the open swimming area all to themselves.

[jmf3460]

Updated Picture of Tank with Fish that finally are not scared to come out and have their picture taken.

http://i1312.photobucket.com/albums/t526/jmf3460/roomshot3_zps76ec357b.jpg

http://i1312.photobucket.com/albums/t526/jmf3460/fish1_zpsfa7ffedb.jpg

http://i1312.photobucket.com/albums/t526/jmf3460/tankshot4_zpsf66e434e.jpg

This is currently my favorite tank. The lighting on it is not that bright, no where near the high lighting LED's on my planted tanks but it is enough to keep the sword plants pretty and the fish seem to be happy.

[flutterbug]

I think it looks great. Nice looking Discus too.

[jmf3460]

I think it looks great. Nice looking Discus too.

Thank you flutterbug! I am considering adding some moss to the piece of slate in the front left portion of the tank. Got some riccia and netting now that I am hoping will work for it.

[Mandalawi]

Very nice looking. Simple yet very pleasant.

[flutterbug]

I read Riccia works in Discus temps. here.. I use Excel in my current planted tank so I haven't tried Riccia personally. Maybe if my new tank can get away with out excel I can try it. I would love to see how it works for you. :)

[discuspaul]

Your tank & discus look real good, jmf - Congrats - nice job !

[jmf3460]

I read Riccia works in Discus temps. here.. I use Excel in my current planted tank so I haven't tried Riccia personally. Maybe if my new tank can get away with out excel I can try it. I would love to see how it works for you. :)

Flutterbug, so far the riccia is doing well. it has been netted to the piece of slate for 1 week now with no c02 nor no excel additions to my tank. No weeping, browning or melting as of yet. I will try and get some updated pics with the riccia tonight.

[jmf3460]

Your tank & discus look real good, jmf - Congrats - nice job !

Thanks discuspaul, I love it, I just get frustrated sometimes by how shy the discus can be.

[BODYDUB]

That's a nice looking set-up...........

[flutterbug]

Flutterbug, so far the riccia is doing well. it has been netted to the piece of slate for 1 week now with no c02 nor no excel additions to my tank. No weeping, browning or melting as of yet. I will try and get some updated pics with the riccia tonight.

Good to know! Thanks :)