First crack at Discus-Only tank. Major DIY projects.

[djdirte]

So here it goes guys... I will be setting up my tank in my office at my Vape Shop/Car shop.

Picked up a truvu 60gal for $40. :) Not completely sure what i wanna do, as far as the rest of the setup, but i guess ill have time to address that as i go along. It's kinda banged up from being in a storage for a while, so the first segments will be my progress as far as reconditioning my tank.

Tank in it's initial condition after rinsing off the dust. It seems like the person i bought it from tried to wipe off all the dust to put it into nicer looking condition, but instead caused quite a few horizontal minor scratches :(

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Initially, just to do a better assessment, I used my Porter Cable DA polisher with a finishing pad/Meguiars Plastx to see if it would do the trick. Here, you can see the left side compared to the rest. definite improvement already. I thought perhaps a good quick polish would do the trick.

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Closer assessment- I can obviously still see quite a few deeper scratches, they exist both outside and inside. I almost said screw it, n keep it as it is, but I figured I might as well get down with the sandpaper n see how much much of this i can really remove since I have the tank out.

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...okay, that's all for today. Stay tuned for tomorrow(or the whenever i get to it next)

[SNap0283]

If you used a polishing compound with the DA you will need to do a lot of rinsing. Just keep in mind you can use whatever it takes to get the tank looking good as long as you know how to remove any residue before adding fish. Best of luck.

[djdirte]

thanks for the tip. im definitely keeping conscious about the polishing compounds im using. im gonna give it multiple rinses after im all done. gonna fill it with pure tap n i plan to just let it run with the filtration running, minus the filter media, just so any remnants can be washed out. then do a 100% water change after about a day, just as a precaution. then put the filter media on the second day after refilling.

[djdirte]

....i noticed some deeper scratches that i didnt notice at first, so i decided to start with 1000grit sandpaper and do a wetsand.

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... this is my results after wetsanding with 1000 grit. worked in small areas... 8 passes in total per area. 1 pass = sand horizontally down, then up. then sand vertically left, then right. I used a rubberized sanding block so the sanding will be level and even. Yes, looking at my aquarium in this condition really made me cringe n think that maybe ive made a mistake.. but i had faith that my results will be good, since ive done this to my car's paintjob with great results.


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.. then progressed to 2000 grit wetsand. 8 passes per area again. dear god my arms are tired now.

i can definitely see progress after all the sanding. you can actually see a lot clearer through the acrylic with after the 2000 grit vs 1000 grit. I did a test buff on one of the sides after the 2000grit and the results look extremely promising. I will polish everything out tomorow and re-post the results

[djdirte]

...on another note, i tried using an electric sander to speed up the process and save my arms from the incessant sanding, but it seemed to have just way too much 'bite' and it seemed i was causing more swirls than smoothing it out. im assuming this may be because the padding on my sander that sits behind the sandpaper is very worn out and uneven, causing uneven pressure/sanding. Hand sanding with a rubber sanding block seems to be the way to go, despite being more labor.

[Kal-El]

I've follow exactly what this video did before and it restore clearity just find. Perhaps this is what you're doing already if not give it a try.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnIwVp2a7F8

[ericNH]

This is cool, I'll be following this. Thanks for documenting and sharing, this is useful info. My own tank has scratches and needs to be reconditioned. When the day comes I'll have to look into trying this on a glass tank.

[djdirte]

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.....AAAAND DONE!!!! w000000!!! I did a 2-stage polish to get it nice n shiny.

Used my DA polisher & Meguiars M105 with a med/heavy cutting pad to do the major cutting/polishing. 2 passes horizontal & 2 passes vertical with medium pressure. then 2 finishing passes with very light pressure.

Then repeated with ScratchX & a light cutting pad to do a finishing polish. Also used one of those headlight scratch removal kits w/ ScratchX to do the corners. Luckily i had it lying around in my garage from when i polished my headlights a while back.

I forgot to take a picture between the M105 & the ScratchX, but you could barely tell the difference by the way it looked from afar. up close and at a heavy angle, you could still see a very light matte finish. The biggest difference was the way the acrylic felt when you rubbed your finger across it. HUGE difference in the way it felt. Very smooth after the ScratchX, but your finger would still drag slightly after the M105.

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a snapshot of the front panel. There are a few very LIGHT scratches, but nothing i'd get into a twist over. Obviously none that are noticeble enough to be seen in this picture :)

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A picture of materials/tools used. One thing to mention - I used a clean/different microfiber towel for wipedowns with every single step. It's definitely not a good idea to wipe down a freshly polished tank that has 1000 grit acrylic embedded in it.

One last thing - i rinsed the inside/outside 3 times, using nothing but water, and a clean microfiber towel each time. paid extra attention to the corners/joints. im fairly certain i got everything out, but ill be doing a 100% water change once my tank is nice n cycled.



Tomorrow, i will likely be buying my materials for building my aquarium stand. :) Stay tuned.

[djdirte]

This is cool, I'll be following this. Thanks for documenting and sharing, this is useful info. My own tank has scratches and needs to be reconditioned. When the day comes I'll have to look into trying this on a glass tank.

thanks for the follow! though im not sure if this method would work on glass.

[rickztahone]

thanks for the follow! though im not sure if this method would work on glass.

No, it wouldn't work with glass in the same manner.

Good project. I'd be scared of any residual chemicals clinging to the tank walls, but you made sure you rinsed it off plenty of times?

[djdirte]

Rinsed / wiped 3 times. Each time with a new microfiber cloth. I'll likely do it again before doing my initial fill. N then 100% water change once the tank is cycled. N I'm probably gonna run a mix of carbon/purigen at the end of my cycle just for good measure too.

[rickztahone]

Rinsed / wiped 3 times. Each time with a new microfiber cloth. I'll likely do it again before doing my initial fill. N then 100% water change once the tank is cycled. N I'm probably gonna run a mix of carbon/purigen at the end of my cycle just for good measure too.

yeah, I was going to suggest that too. Good luck.

[djdirte]

yeah, I was going to suggest that too. Good luck.

Thanks! Im definitely trying to make sure I do everything i can to set up properly before putting some new guys in. The anxiety is killer. haha

[djdirte]

@rick: I noticed you're from pacoima. Are there any places you can recommend that are local to los angeles/orange county area that u can recommend for possibly picking up some juvies? Im trying to avoid having having them shipped. At the same time, its nice to support local breeders/business

[SNap0283]

After all the work you did find a sponsor on here and GET THEM SHIPPED. You will not find discus in your area even close to the quality that you can have shipped. A lot of people are hesitant to have fish shipped, and once they do they never consider buying fish any other way again.

[djdirte]

Update: I picked up a 29gal glass tank w/ all kinds of extra goodies(filters/pumps/heaters/food) for a really good deal on Craigslist over the weekend.

Yesterday evening(Monday, 2/10) I decided to start cycling my filters for my 60gal using the 29gal while I build my stand. I have an aquaclear 70 filled with two sponges & a biomax bag, and a sunsun 4-stage canister with only the filter media & seachem matrix for now. All media is brand new. Filled the tank up w fresh tap & dechlor. Added a bottle of tetra safestart. Threw in a few really fat pinches of fish flake since I didn't have any ammonia on hand. Did a quick water test just to start- all readings at zero, as expected.

Today(2/10)- picked up a bunch of materials for my stand build. I started on the frame for the stand already, but forgot to take pictures. I Also bought some ammonia for fishless cycle.

tested the water on the 29gal just before adding ammonia, just to see what my numbers were. To my surprise- ammonia 0. Nitrite 0. Nitrate 5!! Less than 24hrs?! I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that the safestart seems to have jumpsarted my cycle. I dosed ammonia to 4ppm, and will check again tomorrow morning.

[Phillydubs]

JJ,

I have used the tetra safe-start before and it did a nice job for me and I was happy with the results... Just be patient and give it time, don't jump the gun and let it all settle... Sounds like you have to wait anyways as you build your stand so you will be kinda of forced to be patient which is good, not saying you wouldn't be otherwise, just sayin ;)

Just hope you did a thorough job cleaning everything used from the 29 or any other old stuff you are using here as to not pass anything along? What did you do or use to sterilize?

[djdirte]

2/10/16 UPDATE: Got into the shop today, and noticed that a handful of fish in our 125g community tank have come down with a case of ich. The one juvie discus that was left seemed to get hit the hardest. I tried to do an emergency bath with Paraguard and some salt, but he died halfway through the day. *ugh, im still pissed about it.* he was my trooper. I originally purchased 9 juvies from my lfs. 8 died over the course of the last month. but this one was one of the first discus i purchased about two months ago, and i know he was stunted, but i guess the 'first discus pet' attachment was definitely there. yes, i know- bad idea trying to raise juvies in a community tank. i was not a member of SD or familiar with any discus practices when they were purchased. Now i know better. Anyways, I know the ich probably hitched a ride on one of the blue rams that we recently purchased. No quarantine was done on them since at the time of their purchase, we had no tanks available to use for qt- again, another mistake that was made that we'll be paying for. Tank temp raised to 86f. 1tbsp salt added/5gal. carbon removed. tank dosed with with Paraguard. I have some metro on order, and it should be arriving any day, so i will likely be feeding medicated food for good measure once it comes in. this is gonna be a fun 3 weeks of ich recovery. lol

ANYWAYS, my tank stand build continued, despite today's ich mishaps, and despite my busy work schedule. Finished the structure portion of the strand. Here's my current progress:

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The workspace.

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A closer view of the stand.

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Another angle.

I pretty much followed the stand design listed on http://neptunesneighborhood.com/stand.html
I will be adding my own little embellishments as far as the trim, but it is the exact same design, except slightly resized at 48”Lx15”Wx30”T.
So I think either I had a warped 2x4, or I may have made an error in my assembly, as the stand seems to sit slighty uneven on the floor, n rocks just a tiny bit. Im not too concerned though, as the top of the stand seems to be extremely level/flat. If I step on one end, and my friend steps on the other, it seems to flatten out. Im sure that with a 500lb filled aquarium sitting on top of it, it’ll be enough pressure to flatten out the bottom over time. Considering the fact that im not exactly a professional carpenter, I think things are progressing nicely.

I already added the bottom shelf cover, and started staining the interior portions since it's easier to get to all the corners without all the panels/doors on. I hope to be completely done by friday. So i guess that's it for now :)

[djdirte]

Oh, and here's a picture inside my office. The 60 gal/stand will be where it's sitting right now. n that's my 29gal with my filters cycling. Speaking of which, my water test from today showed no difference for yesterday, so looks like i'll have to be patient n let the filters keep cycling. That's part of my record collection in the background. :)

oh yeah, if you didnt notice, i used white automotive vinyl used for making car decals to cover the bottoms of my two aquariums in the case i decide to sell my tanks in the future. The vinyl can just peel right off. :)

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[djdirte]

JJ,

I have used the tetra safe-start before and it did a nice job for me and I was happy with the results... Just be patient and give it time, don't jump the gun and let it all settle... Sounds like you have to wait anyways as you build your stand so you will be kinda of forced to be patient which is good, not saying you wouldn't be otherwise, just sayin ;)

Just hope you did a thorough job cleaning everything used from the 29 or any other old stuff you are using here as to not pass anything along? What did you do or use to sterilize?

of course, i dare not rush a tank cycle. :) But as far as cleaning the 29gal, it had already been draindrained and was completely dry, but i removed all the black gravel substrate, Rinsed with water. Washed thoroughly with a diluted bleach/water solution(1:10). Rinsed 3x afterwards. Filled with new water w/ dechlor. Rinsed again.

[Phillydubs]

Maybe I missed it but where are you planning to get the discus for that tank and what size?

Not the LFS again I hope... seems like you learned that lesson the hardway this time around...

[djdirte]

Maybe I missed it but where are you planning to get the discus for that tank and what size?

Not the LFS again I hope... seems like you learned that lesson the hardway this time around...

I've been browsing quite a few of the sponsors here on the boards, and I will likely purchase through them. Ive also come to realize that one of my buddies owns a b&m fairly close by, and he's kept and bred discus before, so it's possible I may source some through him, but that's pending I can get more info on where he sources his from. It's still fairly up in the air, and whereas I've been doing copious amounts of reading on these boards to ensure I am as educated as possible on proper husbandry for discus, I think perhaps I may just purchase a handful through my friend first, saying everything seems gravy. I do understand that the quality through him will likely be less than through a reputable breeder, but I'd rather learn and make my discus-only tank mistakes with fish that I am more comfortable losing.

My water parameters are kindof the biggest reason, as my ph is at 8.3 after aging, which is quite on the extreme side. After posting in the water section, nobody has been able to give me a definite answer on whether 8.3 is still possible. Watching the Hans video where he stated that 8.5 is certain they will die really got my attention. My longest living juvie lived for about 2 months, but again, tossing him into a community tank was definitely asking for failure. Now as far as a discus-only? I guess I will have to wait and see. If I need to mix in RO to get my ph down just a notch, I guess I'll have to do it and buy an RO system. We actually just picked up a free 130gal tank/stand today for my partner's office. It already has a dual sump in the stand and is pretty much ready to go for SW. I guess this will give me another reason to get one anyways since I'm the one that does all of our tank maintenance. LoL.

Anyways, I guess in a nutshell, I'm just trying to make sure I'm completely ready. If you think I should just go straight to buying from a breeder, I'd really like to understand why.

[djdirte]

2/11/16 UPDATE: Worked on the stand more today. Did the second coat of stain on the interior. I also added the outside panels, trim, and did the first coat of stain on the outside.

A few pictures of my progress below.

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Update on tank cycle: still no change in water parameters. I continue to be patient. lol

[Phillydubs]

JJ,

Stand looks killer! Love it, really nice work, wish I was handy like that! Awesome job!!

Keep being patient! It is the strongest virtue in this hobby!!!

Lastly, you asked for my opinion on where to get your fish... I posted some reasoning in another thread a bit back, check it out here : http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?122948-Stunted-or-not-Your-honest-opinion&p=1196824&highlight=#post1196824

It basically gives my simple math solution on going with an unknown source as opposed to a proven one, breaking down the actual spend...

I didn't like that you said "but I'd rather learn and make my discus-only tank mistakes with fish that I am more comfortable losing." I get that you had a bad experience to start, but you have to also realize that you started with bad stock, didn't have them in ideal conditions nor were you caring for them under ideal husbandry. It seems to me like you have really dug in and are prepared to care for them this time around... If that is the case why would you loose anything? If you are going to feed well, change the water properly and keep the tank maintained, you should not experience losses... All of that being said, if you are going to invest that time and effort, why not do so knowing you are going to be growing out some beauties as opposed to some muts...

Now, this is all granted that your buddy doesn't have the best stuff... For all I know he could have a nice set-up, big healthy discus and could offer you nice stock... If that is the case and that's what you want to do then by all means, but I would vet him first and see...

Do yourself a favor and look at a page like Kenny, see first hand what you could be getting and for how much, do your homework and my simple math problem in the link and make that decision, but if the money isn't that far off, which I doubt it would be, I would sure as hell go with the people who have been doing this for years as opposed to some unknown...

[Jbell]

Great build can't wait to see the final outcome. I just got my first order from Kenny and let me tell you these guys are Fantastic and he was a pleasure to deal with even with my wife and I both emailing him the same questions lol.

If you want to check them out here's a link.
http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?122730-January-s-shipment-and-first-order-from-Kenny-(FANTASTIC)&highlight=

[ericNH]

Sweet tank stand. The structure looks extremely solid, and the attention to detail on your outside panels looks superb. Still following...

[Jack L]

is there a photo somewhere of how the buffing came out and i missed it?

[Alight]

Didn't see how the cycling was going. If you started with pH 8.3 water, the ammonia could cause a problem, since it will take your pH to 8.5 and hold it there until it is converted to nitrites and nitrates. The bacteria don't like pH that high, so your could stall the cycling process. You might want to add some acid to bring the pH down a bit to speed up the cycling process, and prevent it from stalling out in the nitrite phase (nitrites are the really deadly part of the cycle).

If you want an inexpensive RO unit, I highly suggest the RO buddy units. They have everything you will need, including a decent RO filter (the same one as most of the high end units) and carbon and sediment filter and an assembly that can be wall mounted. They work just as well as the high end filter unit I have, and are easier to manage and change filters because they have quick release connections. You can get replacement inline carbon and sediment filters for 1.5 dollars on sale at some places right now as well. I have no $ in this company, and don't know anything about this company, I just can't figure out why more discus owners aren't taking advantage of such a great deal.

[djdirte]

94034
.....AAAAND DONE!!!! w000000!!! I did a 2-stage polish to get it nice n shiny.

Used my DA polisher & Meguiars M105 with a med/heavy cutting pad to do the major cutting/polishing. 2 passes horizontal & 2 passes vertical with medium pressure. then 2 finishing passes with very light pressure.

Then repeated with ScratchX & a light cutting pad to do a finishing polish. Also used one of those headlight scratch removal kits w/ ScratchX to do the corners. Luckily i had it lying around in my garage from when i polished my headlights a while back.

I forgot to take a picture between the M105 & the ScratchX, but you could barely tell the difference by the way it looked from afar. up close and at a heavy angle, you could still see a very light matte finish. The biggest difference was the way the acrylic felt when you rubbed your finger across it. HUGE difference in the way it felt. Very smooth after the ScratchX, but your finger would still drag slightly after the M105.

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a snapshot of the front panel. There are a few very LIGHT scratches, but nothing i'd get into a twist over. Obviously none that are noticeble enough to be seen in this picture :)

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A picture of materials/tools used. One thing to mention - I used a clean/different microfiber towel for wipedowns with every single step. It's definitely not a good idea to wipe down a freshly polished tank that has 1000 grit acrylic embedded in it.

One last thing - i rinsed the inside/outside 3 times, using nothing but water, and a clean microfiber towel each time. paid extra attention to the corners/joints. im fairly certain i got everything out, but ill be doing a 100% water change once my tank is nice n cycled.



Tomorrow, i will likely be buying my materials for building my aquarium stand. :) Stay tuned.

somehow, my pictures disappeared. here they are, uploaded one more time.
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[djdirte]

Didn't see how the cycling was going. If you started with pH 8.3 water, the ammonia could cause a problem, since it will take your pH to 8.5 and hold it there until it is converted to nitrites and nitrates. The bacteria don't like pH that high, so your could stall the cycling process. You might want to add some acid to bring the pH down a bit to speed up the cycling process, and prevent it from stalling out in the nitrite phase (nitrites are the really deadly part of the cycle).

If you want an inexpensive RO unit, I highly suggest the RO buddy units. They have everything you will need, including a decent RO filter (the same one as most of the high end units) and carbon and sediment filter and an assembly that can be wall mounted. They work just as well as the high end filter unit I have, and are easier to manage and change filters because they have quick release connections. You can get replacement inline carbon and sediment filters for 1.5 dollars on sale at some places right now as well. I have no $ in this company, and don't know anything about this company, I just can't figure out why more discus owners aren't taking advantage of such a great deal.

i will definitely check ph tomorrow. didnt give that any thought. my parameters still have not moved yet. n yeah, im probably just going to pull the trigger on an RO unit. many seem to be suggesting the RO buddie, just as you have. n for around $70, it really seems like its a worthwhile buy. especially since one of my partners here at our shop just picked up his 130 gal n wants to go saltwater with it.

[djdirte]

Alrighty!! finally finished my tank stand :) I forgot to take pictures of the stand by itself, but oh well.

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So.... for the finish, i realized i went a little too thick on the application on the interior. took the advice of one of my buddies and used two VERY THIN coats of stain. I used the exact same stain as the interior(Minwax Polyshades Black Satin). I used a microfiber cloth to do the application. Basically, i coated fairly liberally initially, and then i rubbed the cloth with the grain to even everything out, kinda 'removing' all of the excess. Coating took a lot of patience to make sure it went evenly, especially since it is black stain. I had originally intended to make it come out solid black, but after two very light coats, it had this very nice sortof rustic, elegant look to it. I left it at that since i liked the way it looked a lot. I probably should have sanded everything smooth before the stain application, because i can actually feel the slightly rough texture of the wood still. If you have any questions about my stand build, ill gladly do my best to explain, and even work up some dimensions for you.

If you are curious what filtration im running: I have a (1) sunsun canister filter, (1) Aquaclear 70, and (1) ATI hydrosponge pro #3.

my 29gal will be set to the side as my QT, and ill likely use my hydrosponge filter for it when it's necessary to do QT.

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a shot of my office as a whole


Now i must patiently await for my tank to finish cycling. In the meantime, a buddy of mine who recently started a business fabricating things out of acrylic will be cutting/building my hood for me out of black acrylic once i can work up a hood design n get him some dimensions. Its nice to have a friend with a laser cutter. Im going to ask him to take some pictures during the build so i can have some documentation of it too. Thanks for following and stay tuned!

[djdirte]

JJ,

Stand looks killer! Love it, really nice work, wish I was handy like that! Awesome job!!

Keep being patient! It is the strongest virtue in this hobby!!!

Lastly, you asked for my opinion on where to get your fish... I posted some reasoning in another thread a bit back, check it out here : http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?122948-Stunted-or-not-Your-honest-opinion&p=1196824&highlight=#post1196824

It basically gives my simple math solution on going with an unknown source as opposed to a proven one, breaking down the actual spend...

I didn't like that you said "but I'd rather learn and make my discus-only tank mistakes with fish that I am more comfortable losing." I get that you had a bad experience to start, but you have to also realize that you started with bad stock, didn't have them in ideal conditions nor were you caring for them under ideal husbandry. It seems to me like you have really dug in and are prepared to care for them this time around... If that is the case why would you loose anything? If you are going to feed well, change the water properly and keep the tank maintained, you should not experience losses... All of that being said, if you are going to invest that time and effort, why not do so knowing you are going to be growing out some beauties as opposed to some muts...

Now, this is all granted that your buddy doesn't have the best stuff... For all I know he could have a nice set-up, big healthy discus and could offer you nice stock... If that is the case and that's what you want to do then by all means, but I would vet him first and see...

Do yourself a favor and look at a page like Kenny, see first hand what you could be getting and for how much, do your homework and my simple math problem in the link and make that decision, but if the money isn't that far off, which I doubt it would be, I would sure as hell go with the people who have been doing this for years as opposed to some unknown...

thank you for your input. i read over your cost analysis, and i completely see your point. ill definitely be sure to inquire with my buddy before i pull the trigger with him, if i decide thats what i want to do. otherwise, im definitely going to go with one of the sponsors here :) It seems likely that will be my route anyways.

[Phillydubs]

That's stand looks really nice ! Love the way it looks and that antique look! Nicely done man

[djdirte]

That's stand looks really nice ! Love the way it looks and that antique look! Nicely done man

Thanks!

[Jack L]

this came out nice!

you can get some stability or a filter squeeze from someone w/ a clean established setup to speed it up.

i've always used fish to cycle, and i never lost one. they seem to go for the ride of cycling one they are in there. the only issue i had LONG time ago was i dropped a plec in mid cycle ( i got lazy with the testing and assumed it was done) and it died w/ minutes. it was high nitrite

[djdirte]

this came out nice!

you can get some stability or a filter squeeze from someone w/ a clean established setup to speed it up.

i've always used fish to cycle, and i never lost one. they seem to go for the ride of cycling one they are in there. the only issue i had LONG time ago was i dropped a plec in mid cycle ( i got lazy with the testing and assumed it was done) and it died w/ minutes. it was high nitrite


thanks!! yeah, we have a cycled 125g up in the front of our shop. i wouldve squeezed out some of the buildup in the filter medium to kickstart my cycle, but that tank came down with some ick right before i was about to do it. last thing i need is to intro some parasites to my new tank. ill just continue to be patient, and hope something starts to happen soon.

[Jack L]

thanks!! yeah, we have a cycled 125g up in the front of our shop. i wouldve squeezed out some of the buildup in the filter medium to kickstart my cycle, but that tank came down with some ick right before i was about to do it. last thing i need is to intro some parasites to my new tank. ill just continue to be patient, and hope something starts to happen soon.

It will work, just takes time. Matrix sells stability to jump start it.

[djdirte]

It will work, just takes time. Matrix sells stability to jump start it.

I added some Tetra Safestart already. If things dont move at all in the next day or two, i may just try it.

[djdirte]

UPDATE: no water parameter changes after checking this morning. my patience is growing thin. considering its been over a week since i added safestart, and not even an ounce of change. after researching heavily on TSS, it seems Tetra recommends NOT adding any dechlor/prime before adding TSS, as they state it will affect it's efficacy. I remember using some prime prior to seeding my tank. It seems i may have 'killed' the majority of whatever bacteria that were existent in that bottle due to the prime + higher ammonia concentration(4ppm) at start. Ive since changed water down to 2ppm. Also, went to my lfs to see if they could sell me any seeded media, and they sold me a 500g bag of seeded media for $10. I shouldve gone this route in the first place, but didnt due to the fact that i didn't want to transfer any potential baddies that may be present in their media. I figure im going to have to wait about a week from this point anyways, since A) I still want to check via fishless cycle to see if the amount of bacteria in the newly bought media is enough to handle the 4ppm ammonia dosage overnight and B) i still need to shop around for stock anyways + shipping time. I figure since im doing a 100% water change before adding new stock, i can avoid the majority of whatever potential bad stuff may have been transferred.

Tank is currently dosed at 2ppm ammonia. I plan to wait til it drops down to .5 or less, then redose to 3ppm, then 4ppm until i can dose at 4ppm and get a full ammonia & nitrite drop within 12-24hrs.

[rickztahone]

UPDATE: no water parameter changes after checking this morning. my patience is growing thin. considering its been over a week since i added safestart, and not even an ounce of change. after researching heavily on TSS, it seems Tetra recommends NOT adding any dechlor/prime before adding TSS, as they state it will affect it's efficacy. I remember using some prime prior to seeding my tank. It seems i may have 'killed' the majority of whatever bacteria that were existent in that bottle due to the prime + higher ammonia concentration(4ppm) at start. Ive since changed water down to 2ppm. Also, went to my lfs to see if they could sell me any seeded media, and they sold me a 500g bag of seeded media for $10. I shouldve gone this route in the first place, but didnt due to the fact that i didn't want to transfer any potential baddies that may be present in their media. I figure im going to have to wait about a week from this point anyways, since A) I still want to check via fishless cycle to see if the amount of bacteria in the newly bought media is enough to handle the 4ppm ammonia dosage overnight and B) i still need to shop around for stock anyways + shipping time. I figure since im doing a 100% water change before adding new stock, i can avoid the majority of whatever potential bad stuff may have been transferred.

Tank is currently dosed at 2ppm ammonia. I plan to wait til it drops down to .5 or less, then redose to 3ppm, then 4ppm until i can dose at 4ppm and get a full ammonia & nitrite drop within 12-24hrs.

Well, at this point, you have bypassed the idea behind a fishless cycle because you introduced foreign (potential) pathogens. You can keep up your "fishless" cycle going, but just know that if you happen to have issues down the line, you cannot rule out an introduced pathogen by way of LFS media.

[djdirte]

Well, at this point, you have bypassed the idea behind a fishless cycle because you introduced foreign (potential) pathogens. You can keep up your "fishless" cycle going, but just know that if you happen to have issues down the line, you cannot rule out an introduced pathogen by way of LFS media.

This lfs has all separate tanks, and the one they keep the seeded media in is in a separate room with only a few tetras in it for the sole purpose of ammonia upkeep. Its the only reason I figured the risk behind the purchase would be minimal, if at all. Maybe i shot myself in the foot, but ill also hope not. This decision was at the recommendation of another friend of mine who owns multiple tanks, and has gone this exact same route as well, with no ill-effect.

by no means am i trying to negate or rationalize your statement, and i agree with you completely about the potential hazards.

[rickztahone]

This lfs has all separate tanks, and the one they keep the seeded media in is in a separate room with only a few tetras in it for the sole purpose of ammonia upkeep. Its the only reason I figured the risk behind the purchase would be minimal, if at all. Maybe i shot myself in the foot, but ill also hope not. This decision was at the recommendation of another friend of mine who owns multiple tanks, and has gone this exact same route as well, with no ill-effect.

by no means am i trying to negate or rationalize your statement, and i agree with you completely about the potential hazards.

So long as you understand them and are looking out for any potential signs of illness at onset then you will be fine. If something were to happen it would happen in the first few weeks.

[djdirte]

So long as you understand them and are looking out for any potential signs of illness at onset then you will be fine. If something were to happen it would happen in the first few weeks.

gotcha. I already have paraguard, metroplex, kanaplex, methylene blue, and prazipro on hand for any potential illnesses that may arise, as well as my 29g for qt on standby in case any of my anticipated arrivals may need immediate separation as they're settling in.

[rickztahone]

gotcha. I already have paraguard, metroplex, kanaplex, methylene blue, and prazipro on hand for any potential illnesses that may arise, as well as my 29g for qt on standby in case any of my anticipated arrivals may need immediate separation as they're settling in.

QT is very important. Hopefully you will never have to use any of the meds ;)

[djdirte]

QT is very important. Hopefully you will never have to use any of the meds ;)

im hoping so too. :)

[ericNH]

I really love the clean look of your rimless. One day,t maybe far in the future, I will have a rimless tank too. Great choice, it looks beautiful in your office. Btw, what is "vaping"? I see it on the banner behind your chair...

[Dave-UK]

I really love the clean look of your rimless. One day,t maybe far in the future, I will have a rimless tank too. Great choice, it looks beautiful in your office. Btw, what is "vaping"? I see it on the banner behind your chair...

It's a referenceto e-cigs I think :p

[djdirte]

I really love the clean look of your rimless. One day,t maybe far in the future, I will have a rimless tank too. Great choice, it looks beautiful in your office. Btw, what is "vaping"? I see it on the banner behind your chair...

its actually not a rimless. it has the eurobracing on the top.

and yes, vaping is in reference to ecigarettes. I have my own eliquid line(the liquid that goes inside the ecigs), and part of our front shop is a retail store for ecigarettes. My shop is also a car performance shop - we fix up a lot of imports... you know, fast n the furious type stuff. i own the vapor side of our shop, plus im one of the installation guys for the back shop. :)

[Phillydubs]

JJ. Have you decided on didcus yet ? Source ? Strain ? Did you talk to that local guy?

[djdirte]

UPDATE: tank cycle has finally kicked in!

Yesterday: Ammonia - 2ppm. Nitrite - 0ppm. Nitrate - 5ppm

Today @ 12pm: Ammonia - .5ppm. Nitrite - .5ppm. Nitrate - 20ppm

Re-dosed tank up to 4ppm ammonia.

[djdirte]

UPDATE: Tank cycle is still currently underway.

Fri 2/19 12pm - 2ppm ammonia / 5 ppm nitrite / ~30ppm nitrate - redosed tank to 4ppm ammonia

I had a convention to attend over the weekend, so i have no numbers for saturday.

Sunday 2/21 11pm - 0ppm ammonia / 0 ppm nitrite / ~35 ppm nitrate - redosed to 4ppm ammonia

Monday 2/22 12pm - 2ppm ammonia / 5ppm nitrite / 40pm nitrate - no action taken
10pm - .5 ammonia / 5ppm nitrite / 45ppm nitrate - redosed to 2ppm ammonia

looks like things are going nicely as far as cycling. it seems my ammonia converting bacteria are almost up to par, but the nitrite converting bacteria is still building. i cant wait for the cycling to complete. :P

[Braydon00]

It all looks fantastic, its going to look even better once its stocked and running! How much time and money did it take to build the stand? Im thinking of doing a DIY stand. Thanks!

[Phillydubs]

JJ,

Not sure if you saw this but I was curious...

"JJ. Have you decided on didcus yet ? Source ? Strain ? Did you talk to that local guy?"

[djdirte]

JJ,

Not sure if you saw this but I was curious...

"JJ. Have you decided on didcus yet ? Source ? Strain ? Did you talk to that local guy?"

no, havent quite decided yet. however, Juvies from Hans seem to be appealing to me. I have also gotten in contact with Kenny, and am possibly ordering from him. Also, alcastro has been a recommended local hobbyist breeder, and his current stock is BEAUTIFUL. i will be going by my buddy's LFS this friday as well to chat it up with him, and take a closer look at his discus. Now that ive been doing countless hours of staring at discus, i think i can make a better assessment of the quality that he has available. if he has a bunch of odd shaped ones, i will not go that route.

So many options.

[djdirte]

UPDATE: 2/23 12pm: Ammonia 0ppm / Nitrite 5+ ppm / Nitrate ~50ppm

Tank Redosed to 2ppm ammonia

[Jack L]

Just keep in mind they change as they grow, though some things are obvious

But the small ones cost a lot less, and observing their development interesting

[djdirte]

UPDATE: W000000. I think im nearing completion of the cycle.

2/24 3pm: 0 ammonia / 0 Nitrite / did not test for nitrate, since i know its stupidly off the chart at this point.

Dosed tank to 4ppm ammonia. Lets hope tomorrows numbers are zero'd out again. :)

[djdirte]

Just keep in mind they change as they grow, though some things are obvious

But the small ones cost a lot less, and observing their development interesting

yes, i completely understand this. I know its more immediately rewarding to go with larger discus right off the bat, since it's a surer bet that you will get what you're looking for as far as quality. I also understand there is less likely of a chance of losing your fish. However, I am preferring to get them smaller-sized, because I want to experience that challenge of raising discus from a juvenile standpoint. If I can take care of them and raise them as juveniles, then it will be obvious that i will be ready to spend the 5-10x the amount on adults, and successfully take care of them, and maybe even be fairly prepared, husbandry-wise, to tackle on raising fry, if any of mine happen to pair up and breed.

These fish are going to be my company for every second that I'm in my office for my personal enjoyment. I think getting to watch them grow in front of my desk for 60+ hrs a week will definitely be a rewarding experience. :)

[djdirte]

95084

My view from my desk. :) Pardon my messy desk.

[rickztahone]

I would love to see my tank every day at work! However, I probably wouldn't get much work done, lol.

BTW, my initial group of 25 discus were acquired from Al ;)

[djdirte]

I would love to see my tank every day at work! However, I probably wouldn't get much work done, lol.

BTW, my initial group of 25 discus were acquired from Al ;)

oh... well, if it helps you get an idea, all my projects on my journal were done while i was at 'work' lol

[rickztahone]

:laugh:

[Braydon00]

It all looks fantastic, its going to look even better once its stocked and running! How much time and money did it take to build the stand? Im thinking of doing a DIY stand. Thanks!

[djdirte]

It all looks fantastic, its going to look even better once its stocked and running! How much time and money did it take to build the stand? Im thinking of doing a DIY stand. Thanks!

Thanks for the compliments! Materials by itself cost about $70.

I lost the paper I had everything written down on, but the rough materials I bought were:

7x pine 2x4s.
1x 1/4" thick birch plywood.(4'x8') Used for my finishing panels / shelving.
2x 1/2" thick plywood for the doors(i can't remember what size sheets i found, but it was like a 21"x23"
~60" of trim for the corners.
1 quart of polyshades stain
1 box of 3" wood screws

I pretty much followed the exact build design on http://neptunesneighborhood.com/stand.html

If you just want to build a basic stand with just some 2x4, and a plywood top/bottom shelf without all the fancy trim pieces like I did, or the stain, you can easily get all the materials you need for about $40. Also, if you have exact measurements, they can cut all the panels n 2x4s to the exact sizes you need at the hardware store for like $1/cut, n it'll save a lot of hassle if you don't have power saws etc.

[Braydon00]

Thanks for the response, I really like the way yours turned out. I think I will try it out. Keep us updated on stocking and setup!

[djdirte]

UPDATE: I think it's safe to say my cycle is pretty much complete. After dosing tank to 4ppm ammonia, the ammonia seems to zero out after about 8 hrs, but the Nitrite takes close to 24 hours to zero out.

Unfortunately, i've hit somewhat of a standstill as far as what i can do with my tank. We hit some unforeseen financial circumstances with my business, and I've had to dip heavily into my discus tank fund to the point where it's almost completely tapped out, just to compensate for my partners' shortcomings. It kinda sucks when you're the one that's a little more stable, and you have to man up where others fall short. I guess that's just part of it when your business is still developing. So as far as being able to afford my livestock and complete my canopy, it will have to wait for now.

On the bright side, the RODI unit I purchased before those circumstances popped up should be arriving in the next few days, so at least I can do updates with that. I am planning on using a RODI/tap mix since my water parameters are just a hair higher than I am comfortable with after aging:

PH: 8.35
KH: 6
GH: 18
TDS: ~450

If anyone would like to chime in on my parameters, I'd definitely appreciate it. Of course, should any of my future discus pair up and breed, it will definitely be an obvious necessity.

other reasons for my RODI- i plan to re-set up a reef tank at home hopefully later this year(ive had two in the past, but didnt use RODI- bad idea. it held for a handful of months, but i was constantly trying to get my parameters where i wanted. for those going reef - SAVE YOURSELF THE TROUBLE AND START WITH RODI). Also, one of my partners came up on an extremely clean 130gal glass aquarium with built in overflow, matching canopy and stand. Dual sump setup in the stand. They even included bioballs and the return pump. FOR FREE. Its gonna sit pretty in his office. lol. It's likely going to be a fish-only to start, since it's pretty much gonna be plug an play at this point, and obiously, funds are pretty tight. I know this is a discus forum, but maybe i can start a separate journal here for it if everyone would like?

One last reason - Since my shop is also a performance car shop, we do quite a bit of detailing here on the side, n being able to get that "spot-free rinse" with RODI is definitely a plus. One of our detail guys is even offering to buy some for his water tank in his mobile detailing truck once i get the unit in, so it seems I may be able to use that to contribute to the fish fund.

Either way - I figured, for $127 shipped on ebay for a 6-stage 150GPD unit... why the hell not??? :P

anyways, that's all for now.

[djdirte]

UPDATE: 3/2/16 W00000... look what the nice fedex guy delivered today....

95400

My new 6-stage RODI system. 150gpd. I was supposed to have ordered the model with all clear housings, but i made an error in my selection. No biggie. It came with a 5 micron sediment filter, 5 micron GAC filter, and 5 micron carbon block filter. It was supposed to come with (2) 5 micron carbon block filters, but im not concerned too much about that, as i will likely be going with better cartridges when it's time to replace them anyway. The kit also included the auto shutoff valve and manual flush valve, as well as the feed water valve and drain saddle valve(which i probably wont be using). The tubing that was included is a bit shorter than the lengths i need, so it looks like ill be making a trip to the hardware store for extra line. Also, the float valve for my storage can has yet to arrive, so i probably wont be able to do the installation of it for another few days. Will document my installation once i get that underway.

btw, i got my system for $127 shipped from ebay.

[rickztahone]

That is a really good price, and as you say, you can use upgraded parts on this unit anyways, so why pay the top dollar? :)

Are you using full RO on this tank? Will you be raising juvies? Is your tap water bad?

[djdirte]

That is a really good price, and as you say, you can use upgraded parts on this unit anyways, so why pay the top dollar? :)

Are you using full RO on this tank? Will you be raising juvies? Is your tap water bad?

My current specs(after aging in a brute trash can w/ an airstone & heated for 24hrs):

PH: 8.35
KH: 6
GH: 18
TDS: ~450

water is treated with chloramine in my area. i finally found a copy of our water report for this area the other day to confirm.

I only plan on using as much RO as needed to really get my PH just a hair lower. Will likely be using the RO wastewater as my mixer since it'll have already ran through the carbon. Im going to be shooting for 7.8-8.0 since i plan on getting juvies. It'll definitely come in handy if any pair up later on and i decide to dabble in the breeding game.

Plus, as i stated above, my partner came up on a full 130gal setup w built in overflow/plumbing, stand, dual sump w bioballs, n return pump for FREE(im so jealuos). N he wants to go saltwater n possibly reef, so this will definitely be needed for that, since im pretty much gonna be setting it up for him.

Plus, since we do some car detailing here in the back, rinsing with RODI is gonna be nice for that "spot-free rinse" :)

[rickztahone]

My current specs(after aging in a brute trash can w/ an airstone & heated for 24hrs):

PH: 8.35
KH: 6
GH: 18
TDS: ~450

water is treated with chloramine in my area. i finally found a copy of our water report for this area the other day to confirm.

I only plan on using as much RO as needed to really get my PH just a hair lower. Will likely be using the RO wastewater as my mixer since it'll have already ran through the carbon. Im going to be shooting for 7.8-8.0 since i plan on getting juvies. It'll definitely come in handy if any pair up later on and i decide to dabble in the breeding game.

Plus, as i stated above, my partner came up on a full 130gal setup w built in overflow/plumbing, stand, dual sump w bioballs, n return pump for FREE(im so jealuos). N he wants to go saltwater n possibly reef, so this will definitely be needed for that, since im pretty much gonna be setting it up for him.

Plus, since we do some car detailing here in the back, rinsing with RODI is gonna be nice for that "spot-free rinse" :)

All very good reasons to go RO. 150g/day is a very good rate as well. Lots of waste water, but I'm sure you can use that for something else around the shop?

[djdirte]

All very good reasons to go RO. 150g/day is a very good rate as well. Lots of waste water, but I'm sure you can use that for something else around the shop?

im still trying to figure that out.. i'd really hate for it to go down the drain, which is the #1 reason im trying to use only as much as i need.

[rickztahone]

im still trying to figure that out.. i'd really hate for it to go down the drain, which is the #1 reason im trying to use only as much as i need.

Do you have a patch of grass in the front or something similar at the facility?

[djdirte]

Do you have a patch of grass in the front or something similar at the facility?

we have planters in the front, but property management already schedules the sprinklers regularly, plus when i do water changes on our 125gal community aquarium in the front shop area, i drain it via a water hose into the planters.. some of the plants up there where i typically drain to seem to be suffering slightly from this already. lol

[djdirte]

UPDATE: Still not enough funds for my fish, but in the meantime, i completed another small project. I ordered a STC-1000 temp controller on amazon. I ordered this one: http://www.amazon.com/Inkbird-All-Purpose-Temperature-Controller-Fahrenheit/dp/B00OXPE8U6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1459323539&sr=8-1&keywords=stc+1000

Instead of wiring it up with a standard two prong extension, I used a grounded cord with a 3 outlet plug at the end. i forgot to get a picture of the entire cord, but its pretty much similar to this item: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-15-ft-14-3-Banana-Tap-Extension-Cord-AW62618/100661456

I decided to go this route because, well, you never really know when you might need the outlet to be grounded. I figured i might as well do it now before anything.

Anyways, there's been quite a few writeups on how to wire it up, including many youtube vids, so im not going to really go into any detail. However, instead of using standard connectors, i decided to solder my connections together, and then triple wrap the connections in electrical tape.

96318

a picture of a few of the connections already soldered together.

96319

a picture of the controller. i got this model because it also has Fahrenheit readings. many of the STC1000s do not have readings in Celsius.

anyways, that's it for now. :)

[rickztahone]

Cool JJ. Mine is in Celsius and although at first I hated it, I have adapted and have learned something new along the way about temp haha

[djdirte]

UPDATE: 4/11/16-

As stated earlier, my original plan was to have my hood built out of acrylic through a friend that that has a business building things out of acrylic, but after some suggestion from a friend, they thought it would probably look a lot more elegant if i were to build custom built my hood to match my stand. ...so that's what i did. After some calculations, i figured it would be cheaper anyways. So here's my build. :)

96598

96599

The first two pictures are of the frame of my hood. I used 2"x2"(1.5"x1.5" actual measurement) beams for my frame. I decided to go with a two piece design where the entire front would swing up so access to the tank would be a little easier, and i wouldnt have to go over any of the hood to service the tank. The first picture is of the frame in the correct orientation, and the second picture is of it flipped over, so you can see how i desined the bottom. The fame was built pretty much to the exact dimensions of the top of the tank, and the 'beauty panels will be sized so that the bottom lip will hang lower than the top of the tank.

96600

96601

A few more pictures of the progress of the build. the second one is with the build completed, and ready for stain. I used all 1/4" maple finishing board for my beauty panels, including the top and bottom border trim. pinewood corner trim pieces. The hole is for the addition of my temp controller

96602

The first coat of stain/sealant applied.

96603

Here is the hood already completed and opened. I used clear sealant for the inside of the hood, so hopefully, it will add to the 'brightness' of the overall tank, considering my tank has a black background. towards the right, you can see the inside installation of the temp controller. also, if you look carefully towards the right, you can also see what im talking about how i had my beauty panels hang lower than the frame, so they would cover a small portion of the top of the tank.

96604

A closeup of the temp controller. It's still warming up the water, but i have it set for 83deg F, just in case anyone is wondering

96605

96606

....aaaand done. the color match in the picture seems really off, but i think that's because of angle of the lighting to the hood vs the stand. the second picture shows a better angle of the final color. :) definitely a fun build to do, and I think im a lot happier with the result than if i went with an acrylic hood. It took about 4 days to complete the build. Frame built on day 1. Beauty panels/trim on day two. then two days of staining. 24hr cure in between coats. I still need to figure out what kind of lighting im going to go with, but i have more than enough time to figure that out. im thinking perhaps a current satellite plus, or maybe the pro, since it's possible i may go lightly planted in the future once my fish have grown.

okay, that's all. let me know if you have any questions!

[rickztahone]

That came out really nice. Did you treat the inside of your hood? You don't want moisture to mess that up in a few months.

[djdirte]

That came out really nice. Did you treat the inside of your hood? You don't want moisture to mess that up in a few months.

yessir. two coats of clear polyurethane. i kept it clear on the inside to keep the interior brighter to avoid as much peppering down the road.

im also using 1/4 acrylic sheets to directly cover the openings of the tank. you can see them in one of the pictures. :)

[rickztahone]

yessir. two coats of clear polyurethane. i kept it clear on the inside to keep the interior brighter to avoid as much peppering down the road.

im also using 1/4 acrylic sheets to directly cover the openings of the tank. you can see them in one of the pictures. :)

Very good. I have used white under the hood in the past and it actually helps the lighting look even brighter.

[djdirte]

UPDATE: 4/25/16- Discus FINALLY ordered today. :) Ordered 8 juvies from Hans. They will be arriving on Thursday.

4 blue diamonds
4 silver pigeon blood.

I am hoping to get a pair(or two) out of them. My main plan is to raise them up, and hope some pair up. Even if not, i will likely just pick a few of the best ones, and then add other strains down the road... Many pictures to come later this week! IM EXCITED!!! FINALLY.

[Kyla]

cant wait to see the blue and white colour combo as they grow. tank looks real sharp. i love when ppl mount the temp display so its visible

[rickztahone]

Congrats on your discus order. Hans has some great discus. You've done well ;)

[djdirte]

UPDATE: 4/28/16 - MY DISCUS ARE FINALLY HERE!!! This morning, i somehow did not hear my alarm, n didnt make it to my shop early enough to catch the FEDEX guy when he came to deliver at 9:30am this morning. I actually woke up to a call from Hans letting me know I missed the delivery. Strangely enough, even though i wasnt there, one of my partners was, however, i think the front door to our business was still locked. Luckily, FEDEX showed up again 3 hours later around 1230pm.

The package arrived nice and warm. Pulled the new arrivals out n put them into their new home. So here are the initial pictures:
97370
97371

4 Silver Pigeon Blood. 4 Blue Diamond. These were taken about 20 minutes after dropping them in. All extremely skittish. A few were lying down on it's side for the first long while.

97372
97373

After a couple hours. A little less pale. Still very weary, but definitely finding comfort in their little groups

97374
97375

First full group photos. :p

97376

This one seems to be a little more recluse than the rest. Hans called a few hours after the fish arrived to check and see if they were received in good shape. I informed him of a couple lying down initially, and the one that is still in the corner, and he assured me that this is perfectly normal and went so far as to tell me that when he gets his shipments from Germany, the majority of them will be behaving like this, but will act normally after some time.

I really must say- Hans's customer service is second to none! I definitely was not expecting the follow-up calls like he did today. He has definitely earned more of my business for future purchases.

I put in a very tiny portion of live Caifornia Blackworms, ordered from aquaticfoods, which also arrived today, but there is still little interest in food, as expected. a few are slowly picking them off, and im sure they will all be eaten before evening.

For now, i will just leave them be. With every moment that passes, they are getting less and less anxious n seeming a lot more curious. It's barely at the 4hr mark at this point.

Im still debating if i want to take a prophylactic approach with any medication, or just leave them alone and monitor them. Any input on this would be helpful.

EITHER WAY, IM SO STOKED TO FINALLY HAVE MY FIRST BATCH!!

[rickztahone]

Congrats. It isn't uncommon for the discus to go to the bottom like this. They will start acting normal soon. They need to get used to the new digs and the new location. Try to keep the lights off the first couple of days and I tend not to feed the first day and very sparingly the second day as well.

[nolefan]

Nice hopefully as they settled in the peppering will fade .. Looking forward to seeing the progress of these guys

[kira ken]

I always add prime and stability from seachem to new setups. somehow it make it easier for the fish. Make sure to check water parameters daily.

Great build, wish you good luck with those pretty discus :D

[John7429]

Great thread. Thanks for sharing!

[djdirte]

Congrats. It isn't uncommon for the discus to go to the bottom like this. They will start acting normal soon. They need to get used to the new digs and the new location. Try to keep the lights off the first couple of days and I tend not to feed the first day and very sparingly the second day as well.

Noted. My aquarium light wont be here until Saturday anyway, so all light going into the tank is just the ambient light from my office.


Nice hopefully as they settled in the peppering will fade .. Looking forward to seeing the progress of these guys

By the end of today, just about all peppering went away. It would show briefly at moments, but the one in question is slowly coming around. :)


I always add prime and stability from seachem to new setups. somehow it make it easier for the fish. Make sure to check water parameters daily.

Great build, wish you good luck with those pretty discus :D

Thanks!


Great thread. Thanks for sharing!

Thank you for following!

[DomiDiscus]

I can't wait to see these guys grow out! Hoping to get some Alenquers from him in the future!

[Phillydubs]

Been following this one for a while. Nice to see fish in there finally!!!

Enjoy! Just dropped you some good advice I recently got hope it helps!!!

May I ask why you went with these two strains? Don't think I am questioning your selection. Just curious and love hearing the thought process of other hobbyist.

[djdirte]

Been following this one for a while. Nice to see fish in there finally!!!

Enjoy! Just dropped you some good advice I recently got hope it helps!!!

May I ask why you went with these two strains? Don't think I am questioning your selection. Just curious and love hearing the thought process of other hobbyist.

I read your advice on the other thread. Im definitely doing my best to just relax with them, but I do want to ensure I'm taking proper steps as well. :) These discus will keep me company for every second I'm in my office, so they will probably have more of my attention than anything.

I picked these because frankly, I love their coloration. My plan is to hopefully get a pair or two out of this batch and try my hand at breeding. I doubt I will be keeping all of them down the road because there are so many other strains I want to have. Im likely going to choose two of each strain, and then sell the rest. I suppose part of my reasoning on choosing only two strains right now is the fact that I know im still very new to discus care, despite the fact i feel i have a firm grasp on the needed husbandry. I know that the possibility of losing some to illness, especially due to their age is a very big possibility. I figured, at the end, id like two of each strain, paired or not. since i ordered four, and lost one or two, at least i can still pick two from the remainders, and the possiblity of having a breeding pair still might remain.

I already get the feeling Im going to be in this discus game for quite some time. Even after only 24 hrs, i can tell how different their personalities are from other aquarium fish are, and it definitely excites me.

[djdirte]

UPDATE 4/29/16

Well, It seems they are finally coming out of their shells towards the end of today. most of the day, they spent huddled together in the corner, but as one or two would get daring, the rest would follow. Their colors are definitely beginning to show, pretty much all of the peppering that was showing yesterday has disappeared, and as i type, they seem to be getting a little playful with each other. Always in their group of 8. Their amount of caution is still showing, as expected. Fed some live blackworms twice today, and they slowly picked at them until they were gone both times. I decided to use live blackworms for the moment so they can remain in the tank for extended periods of time without dying and fouling the tank. It seems this was a pretty good idea it would coax many of them out of the corner for a quick bite. Now most of them seem to be swimming around in discovery mode. I am already very optimistic at this point, and will do a water change towards the end of today. Here's some updated pictures.

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[Phillydubs]

Some nice blue showing already!!!

Those silver pigeons mystify me... No disrespect but they always look so blah and crappy as juvies there is like nothing to them... Then they grow and fill in and become so beautiful. They are on my list for sure one of these days

[Jack L]

Nice work

[Debow]

Do you mind sharing where you bought your STC-1000 controller in Fahrenheit?

[djdirte]

UPDATE: 5/2/16- The light I ordered finally came in a few days ago, and I installed it on the this past saturday, the 30th. I decided to go with the Current Satellite Plus with ramp timer. I was about to go with the pro, but I read a few threads that the pro was fairly bright for their discus. I got the 48-60" model. I had to do a few small modifications to my canopy in order to get it to fit, as well as remove the legs from the light itself. Here's a few pictures of how i have it installed:

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Ramp timer mounted next to the temp controller

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A picture of it mounted inside the canopy. It is not attached to anything, but just resting on the framework of the canopy, so i can move it if need be. Eheim autofeeder & Aquaclear 70 in the background.

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Picture of the whole tank with full spectrum setting on.


My discus seemed to still be getting themselves accomodated to the new tank and now a new light. I knew i was not going to be around all day Sunday, so I came by to feed them once, and left for the whole day- This seemed to really give them time to get adjusted, because when i came in this morning, they seemed very excited that i was there, and their eagerness to eat really came out this time. :) Their colors as they are at this point are really starting to show especially under the new lighting. The peppering on the Silver Pigeons is minimized, and only shows for brief moments at a time, and typically when they are displaying some caution. Im pretty certain the peppering will not be an issue down the road.

I also decided to do my first water test since they've arrived. Here are my current specs:

WATER: 60% Tap. 40% RODI. Aged/heated in brute trash can for 24hrs with airstone. Prime added a few minutes before transferring to tank.

Ammonia- 0ppm
Nitrite - 0ppm
Nitrate- ~5ppm
PH- 7.9
KH - 6
GH - 13
TDS: 240

I am pretty satisfied with my water conditions, and intend on keeping it at this ratio. 70% water changes done daily.

Anyways, here's a few updated pictures.

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And lastly, i knew it would probably be a good idea to add a prefilter sponge onto my Sunsun canister filter, but i wasnt sure how to add it since the original intake screen was so big, so I went out on a limb n took a guess that the intake pipe was about the same diameter as the aquaclear 23/30/50. i was correct, and it fits perfectly! now i am using an aquaclear intake pipe and prefilter sponge for my Sunsun. Here's a picture of that:

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If you are wondering, those are two temp probes next to the intake- one goes to the temp controller, and another goes to a battery operated digital thermometer mounted out of view, just so i can have a little redundancy as far as temperature monitoring.

okay, guess that's it for now. :)

[Dhavalsp]

fish look really nice...I am sure they will grow very quickly...any plans of adding a solid red in there? I have a feeling it will look amazing with the stand and background....

[djdirte]

fish look really nice...I am sure they will grow very quickly...any plans of adding a solid red in there? I have a feeling it will look amazing with the stand and background....

Yes, definitely! I only plan on keeping two of each of these color strains, and selling the others. I will likely be going with deeper colored red strains on my next addition.

[rickztahone]

coming along nicely. with continued care these will turn out to be real stunners.

[alron2]

Do you mind sharing where you bought your STC-1000 controller in Fahrenheit?

This looks like a great deal on Ebay at $11.56 and 0 shipping:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Digital-Temperature-Control-Controller-Thermostat-10A-110V-58-194-Delay-Sensor-/161334908138?tfrom=151608580615&tpos=top&ttype=price&talgo=undefined

[djdirte]

Do you mind sharing where you bought your STC-1000 controller in Fahrenheit?

Mine, i bought off amazon for $16. it does both C & F

http://www.amazon.com/Inkbird-All-Purpose-Temperature-Controller-Fahrenheit/dp/B00OXPE8U6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1462225092&sr=8-1&keywords=stc-1000

[Debow]

Thanks just ordered one.

[djdirte]

Thanks just ordered one.

nice! I am planning on ordering another one for our community tank in the front shop. its a very worthwhile investment.

[Phillydubs]

Really looking awesome! Can't wait to see them in a few weeks/months!

[djdirte]

UPDATE: 5/3/2016- I came to notice yesterday that one of them is not eating. It will show some small curiosity in food, and get very close to it, but not take. I have not noticed any strange symptoms. The other guys have only really started to show their enthusiasm when it comes to eating yesterday. I will keep monitoring for a day or two more before attempting any treatment.

In the meantime, ive raised tank temperature to 86deg F. hopefully that will give him em a little nudge on the hunger.

[rickztahone]

No treatment should be necessary until something serious is observed. For now, observation and WC's are all that is needed.

[djdirte]

No treatment should be necessary until something serious is observed. For now, observation and WC's are all that is needed.

understood. Im crossing my fingers, and just hoping its just a little late to the food party.

[rickztahone]

understood. Im crossing my fingers, and just hoping its just a little late to the food party.

This is typically the case. Remember, in ANY group, there is always the bottom one in the totem pole.

[Phillydubs]

Yea I would treat normally. I wouldn't even raise the temp honestly but that's your call. They are very new, young and timid. Give them time and let things progress naturally.

[djdirte]

UPDATE: 5/4/16- All discus eagerness is still growing by the day. A few even grew courageous enough to start picking off the FDBW cube in my hand before i had even stuck it to the glass this morning. However, the one the one that has my concern still has not eaten. If it has, its when im not paying attention. He sticks to the whole group, but just seems to wander around whenever food is present. Will continue to monitor him and keep upon regular husbandry/feeding schedule.

[rickztahone]

It will eat eventually, especially if all others are eating.

[djdirte]

It will eat eventually, especially if all others are eating.

Im keeping very optimistic. Im certain it will follow the lead of the rest of the group. The rest of the group has taken to quite a variety of foods ive tried so far- FDBW cubes(aquaticfoods brand). FD Beefheart mix cubes(from a sample pack that came with my FDBW). NLS pellets-takes a while for them to finish them since they're fairly hard at first. Zoomed spirulina flakes. N of course, live cali blackworms(direct from aquaticfoods-they go nutso over these).

I am going to try one of the beefheart recipes from here soon.

[djdirte]

ugh. so.. i noticed shortly after my last entry that the one in question was acting quite recluse. it was staying away from the group and in the corner facing the backwall. upon extended observation, i noticed it was occasionally swimming with one clamped fin for a little while at a time, and scratched a few times on both the aquarium floor, as well as the water heaters.

any suggestion at this point would be helpful

[rickztahone]

Seems bad but these things can happen. Keep the water clean, keep observing it, and if any new symptoms come up, let us know.

[djdirte]

Seems bad but these things can happen. Keep the water clean, keep observing it, and if any new symptoms come up, let us know.

definitely. i dont want to jump to any conclusions just yet. just did a 75% water change. i will likely do two tomorrow just for good measure.

[djdirte]

UPDATE: 5/5/16- First feeding of today- it seems another blue diamond has decided not to eat. and a 3rd seems to show very little interest. I fed live blackworms in hopes to entice the original one in question, but it seems something is affecting a few others.

The other 5 were eating normally, however two of the silver pigeons are displaying some peppering but their curiosity and attitude still seem positive. im not sure if this has anything to do with the others.

I decided i am going to start a thread in the emergency section after i do a thorough test of my parameters.

[djdirte]

UPDATE: 8/4/16 Well... its been a hair over 3 months since my last update. I havent taken a single picture of my crew since my last update because i wanted to just surprise myself with my progress. They have been growing steadily on a diet of home made beef heart mixture and FDBW. They love both and always seem hungry for more. They are fed anywhere from 3-5 times daily, depending on my work load/schedule, and also based on the how long it takes them to finish the last feeding. My current water water parameters have been extremely consistent, and are as follows:

Ammonia: 0ppm, Nitrite: 0ppm, Nitrate: ~5ppm, KH: 5ppm, GH: 12ppm, TDS: 210, PH: 7.8. Using a mixture of 60%tap/40%RO(I was using RODI in the beginning, but am currently bypassing the DI) Water temp: 83F

Unfortunately, the BD that was reclusive did not make it. It never brightened up or showed any confirmed signs of illness. Its unfortunate, but I feel lucky that the other 7 seem to be doing well. Anyways, here's my updated pictures:

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The silver pigeons seems to have grown a little bigger than the blue diamonds, but not by much. They were inititially a little bigger anyways, so im guessing they are just a few weeks older. Peppering comes n goes in the silvers, but I had expected that due to my black background. One of the blues seems to have a much deeper blue tone to it than the others, and I am very anxious to see how his coloration develops. If i had to guess, i would say they've all grown about 1" in the last 3 months or so. I am not sure if this rate of growth is as expected, so hopefully someone can chime in.

I am probably going to be doing updates more regularly, from this point, so stay tuned!