Hello from south florida

[ferngully329]

Hello everyone,

I've been in the fish keeping hobby for over 10 years, switched to low tech planted tanks about 4 years ago and I am now switching to discus. I currently have 6 juveniles (nickel size) in a 60g tank with 4 small amazon swords and 1 large amazon sword. About 1/2 inch gravel in front and 2 inches in the back. I do 30% water change every other day. Ive read bare bottom is the way to go, just couldn't part with my plants, I eliminated most of the plants, but the swords were my first plants. Any advise

[discuspaul]

Welcome to the forum.

Unfortunately, your experience in growing out small nickel-sized discus in a planted tank with gravel substrate, and a 30% wc every second day, will very likely be unsuccessful, and disappointing. Within a few months, if you haven't lost some of those fish to poor water quality, at best you'll likely be faced with several stunted specimens, or others that may or may not be healthy & well-shaped.

Suggest you remove all plants & the gravel substrate without much delay, and grow those fish out properly in a bare-bottom environment, providing them with large (minimum 50%) daily wcs, and several feedings a day to be successful raising them well. There's really no other way around it - the planted environment won't work for you.
Also suggest you do some essential homework on keeping discus by reading through the Stickies here in the Discus Basics for Beginners section.

Apologies for being blatantly honest and sounding harsh, but it needs to be done for you to avoid serious disappointment.
Best of luck to you.

[Second Hand Pat]

Hi and welcome to Simply. Consider placing your plants in pots and then go BB. Your discus will do way better without the gravel. You will be amazed at the amount of gunk in your gravel so best to remove the fish from the tank into a bucket with airstone and heater, remove the gravel, wipedown the bottom and sides and do a 100% wc. Add the fish back to the tank. Be aware that the tank might go thru a mini-cycle so several large WCs over the next week or so is a good idea. :)
Pat

[Boyd Luth]

Great suggestions from Paul, and Pat. One other thought, separate the plants & fish, purchase a Craigslist 29-55 gallon for grow out of babies, then feed the plants seperate in the other tank. I have done this, along with reading threads to help myself on all topics associated with " grow out " water changes, etc. after some time, you will be able to have your Discus/planted tank, possibly with sand bottom. Read, read, read :-)

[ferngully329]

Thank you for all your advice. I don't mind the firm responses, that is one of the reasons I joined this forum. I'm a rookie and I need to learn. Thanks again.

[discuspaul]

Properly done, it should take approx. 5-6 months or so to grow those discus out to a near adult size when it will be 'safe' (in growth & health terms, i.e. 4.5" or larger)) to place them into the planted environment that you desire.

[ferngully329]

Does it matter if I over filter. I filter the 60g with an overflow with a return of 750g per hr. I also placed a HOB (100g per hr) in the sump so I can filter the filtered water. I know that sounds weird but I always thought it's never too much filtration. The tank has little to no current since I split the return to circulate water better

[discuspaul]

It probably won't matter much, if at all, if you "over-filter".
What may make some difference though, in terms of how quickly & healthily you can grow those fish out to larger than 4", depends on how thorough your daily tank cleansing routine is, and what quantity/percentage of water changes you do daily. The larger the volume of water you change, and the more pristine you keep the tank, the better.

And incidentally, you don't need, nor want, a heavy water current with discus.

[ferngully329]

Thanks duscuspaul you've been a great help. The gravel will be coming out tomorrow.