Rescaping and moving my 125

[Adam_Parker]

Hey guys been a while since I've done an update. I acquired 3 Alpha Blue Discus from First Coast Discus a while back and added them to the group. They are doing excellent and growing. That makes 9 discus I current have now. Highly recommend First Coast. Amazing fish!

Anyway, we are in the next few weeks going to be remodeling one of our bedrooms and there is a space in the room to move our tank to, that just about makes it look like the tank was built into the wall. It's gonna be great once everything is done.

With the move, I plan to completely rescsape the tank. I've been pretty unhappy with it lately, mostly due to plants, algae, and just not a great setup (I think).

So I plan on removing all of my Jungle Val. It's done nothing but spread across the bottom and won't grow taller like I want.

I plan to only have Java ferns on the driftwood, and 3 Amazon Sword plants. Everything else is coming out.

Speaking of driftwood, the big piece in the tank is getting cut along the back with the big oval section so that it's not taking up so much of the tank.

I have a nice piece of spider wood I am thinking of adding also in some way. I have a picture of it attached so you can get an image of it.

Does this sound good? Any scape ideas to throw my way?

With the swords and jungle Val only for plants, I'm thinking of going with another set of 36" Finnex planted plus lights. I would want to do the cycle, but on a timer. Start st 6 am every day, go through the cycle and shut off at 10 pm. The cycle never gets completely dark, and I didn't like that. We love the other part of the cycles though.

My current light (Beams work 72" led) gives off too much of an ugly, yellow hue.

I like the idea of having a more fish themed tank and not so much a fully planted tank with the discus. Before I wanted a jungle, but I'm having too much algae and I care more about the fish than the plants.

The last photo is the style tank I'd love to achieve!

Any and all ideas welcome! Thanks

http://i1310.photobucket.com/albums/s654/aparker2005/Fish/20160912_202212_zpsx1lsztwl.jpg (http://s1310.photobucket.com/user/aparker2005/media/Fish/20160912_202212_zpsx1lsztwl.jpg.html)


http://i1310.photobucket.com/albums/s654/aparker2005/Fish/20160912_202240_zpsnkeazoah.jpg (http://s1310.photobucket.com/user/aparker2005/media/Fish/20160912_202240_zpsnkeazoah.jpg.html)


Spider wood I want to add in the middle:

http://i1310.photobucket.com/albums/s654/aparker2005/Fish/20151220_091622_zpsfl2qe4dd.jpg (http://s1310.photobucket.com/user/aparker2005/media/Fish/20151220_091622_zpsfl2qe4dd.jpg.html)


Tank style id love:

http://i1310.photobucket.com/albums/s654/aparker2005/Fish/IMG_2594_zpsm2ngxkkx01_zpsxcu5vew5.jpg (http://s1310.photobucket.com/user/aparker2005/media/Fish/IMG_2594_zpsm2ngxkkx01_zpsxcu5vew5.jpg.html)

[Kyla]

i think that once u simplify the tank u will love it. i recently removed a lot of plants too, it was hard to let them go but i aas surprised to find i didnt miss them one bit

[Adam_Parker]

Any other opinions?

[Ryan925]

I agree with Kyla as I went through the same process as her. I removed most of my plants and just kept my 2 red Amazon swords and a variety of anubias. I run one planted + 24/7 and also a finnex stingray to may the fish pop.

If you are talking about going 4 24/7s that may be a lot of light for just a few plants.

I run my 24/7 in 24/7 mode and have the stingray 9-5. You don't get much par from the stingray but the fish look great. You may want to consider the 2-24/7s and maybe 2- monster rays also
I love my simplified tank and the fish do even more. I had some really nice plants but the difference in the appearance and growth of my fish is bar far worth it.

[Adam_Parker]

Oh no, only 2 36" 24/7s. I also have a 48" Planted+.

I just didn't want that to be too much light and cause algae on the woods. I'm pretty excited about slimming down as much as I love a big planted tank. With the discus, less just seems more.

[Ryan925]

I may suggest that you run one on 24/7 mode and then use the second one on a customer color that shows off the fish.

I'd say it will be a learning curve as far as lighting goes.

Less def is more. My fish growth and vibrance in color changed nearly immediately.

Only downside I have found is about a month later after rescape and sub change I have a diatom bloom. Trying to clean as much as I can and let it run its course. No other algae though to speak of. I suppose the diatoms are to be expected since I essentially started over in the tank

[Adam_Parker]

I'll probably keep the 24/7s in the middle and the planted plus toward the back. That won't be too much light for such a reduction in plants? I'll be dosing excel daily once we move the tank.

I'll keep the planted plus on a timer.

[Ryan925]

I found the 24/7 casts a shadow at the front upper corner of the tank. This is where my fish often like to hang out so I hated seeing them in a shadow with tank lit behind them. Partly is because of the lame hinge on my versa top. This photo you can see position. The front light is the stingray which is off in the photo.

I'm not a lighting expert but I would think to 3 planted + lights would be quite a bit for only a few plants. With just the one 24/7 my plants starter to overtake my 75 in no time. 101418

[Adam_Parker]

Funny how different reviews are for the 24/7. Lots of people say the 24/7 cycle doesn't work for plants and is nothing but an algae maker. When I had it, it was fine. Incredible colors also. Everyone loved the tank when they came over.

[Ryan925]

My plants had new growth all over the place. Vals had to be trimmed all the time. Swords for massive and were sending off runners. My pygmy chain swords took over a whole corner of my tank. My plants looked great but I do believe simple is better
I did have some algae problems but once I started properly dosing ferts it was pretty much all gone.
101424101425

[Jack L]

Funny how different reviews are for the 24/7. Lots of people say the 24/7 cycle doesn't work for plants and is nothing but an algae maker. When I had it, it was fine. Incredible colors also. Everyone loved the tank when they came over.

if the 24/7 only has auto pilot i would NOT buy it.

i have current usa and i can control amounts of color and time and this has been a good thing.

[Jack L]

Hey guys been a while since I've done an update. I acquired 3 Alpha Blue Discus from First Coast Discus a while back and added them to the group. They are doing excellent and growing. That makes 9 discus I current have now. Highly recommend First Coast. Amazing fish!

Anyway, we are in the next few weeks going to be remodeling one of our bedrooms and there is a space in the room to move our tank to, that just about makes it look like the tank was built into the wall. It's gonna be great once everything is done.

With the move, I plan to completely rescsape the tank. I've been pretty unhappy with it lately, mostly due to plants, algae, and just not a great setup (I think).

So I plan on removing all of my Jungle Val. It's done nothing but spread across the bottom and won't grow taller like I want.

I plan to only have Java ferns on the driftwood, and 3 Amazon Sword plants. Everything else is coming out.

Speaking of driftwood, the big piece in the tank is getting cut along the back with the big oval section so that it's not taking up so much of the tank.

I have a nice piece of spider wood I am thinking of adding also in some way. I have a picture of it attached so you can get an image of it.

Does this sound good? Any scape ideas to throw my way?

With the swords and jungle Val only for plants, I'm thinking of going with another set of 36" Finnex planted plus lights. I would want to do the cycle, but on a timer. Start st 6 am every day, go through the cycle and shut off at 10 pm. The cycle never gets completely dark, and I didn't like that. We love the other part of the cycles though.

My current light (Beams work 72" led) gives off too much of an ugly, yellow hue.

I like the idea of having a more fish themed tank and not so much a fully planted tank with the discus. Before I wanted a jungle, but I'm having too much algae and I care more about the fish than the plants.

The last photo is the style tank I'd love to achieve!

Any and all ideas welcome! Thanks

http://i1310.photobucket.com/albums/s654/aparker2005/Fish/20160912_202212_zpsx1lsztwl.jpg (http://s1310.photobucket.com/user/aparker2005/media/Fish/20160912_202212_zpsx1lsztwl.jpg.html)


http://i1310.photobucket.com/albums/s654/aparker2005/Fish/20160912_202240_zpsnkeazoah.jpg (http://s1310.photobucket.com/user/aparker2005/media/Fish/20160912_202240_zpsnkeazoah.jpg.html)


Spider wood I want to add in the middle:

http://i1310.photobucket.com/albums/s654/aparker2005/Fish/20151220_091622_zpsfl2qe4dd.jpg (http://s1310.photobucket.com/user/aparker2005/media/Fish/20151220_091622_zpsfl2qe4dd.jpg.html)


Tank style id love:

http://i1310.photobucket.com/albums/s654/aparker2005/Fish/IMG_2594_zpsm2ngxkkx01_zpsxcu5vew5.jpg (http://s1310.photobucket.com/user/aparker2005/media/Fish/IMG_2594_zpsm2ngxkkx01_zpsxcu5vew5.jpg.html)

the one you love, that guy gave up on discus i think. he logged the build of this tank, so easy for you to clone if you want. he just glued plants to stones if memory serves.

[Jack L]

p.s. i've grown those plants with incandesent, normal flo, cfl, and now led. they are easy to grow and really don't need much light.
too much light = algea

get a light you can fiddle with levels. LED lights are SOOOO cheap compared to what lighting used to cost and to run and replace bulbs... just get good leds that you can configure.

and if you are looking into a redo, see about an overflow and a sump and get the gear out of the tank.

[Ryan925]

p.s. i've grown those plants with incandesent, normal flo, cfl, and now led. they are easy to grow and really don't need much light.
too much light = algea

get a light you can fiddle with levels. LED lights are SOOOO cheap compared to what lighting used to cost and to run and replace bulbs... just get good leds that you can configure.

and if you are looking into a redo, see about an overflow and a sump and get the gear out of the tank.

I agree with the idea of considering a sump and overflow. I've been considering converting but think I will wait 'til I upgrade tanks

[Adam_Parker]

I've always wanted a sump, but where we are moving the tank, I don't think a sump is gonna fit. Won't fit in the stand either. The tank is going in a spot where it's gonna look basically built into the wall with no side space.

There are 2 closets on each side and I'll have access panels cut to put chords and outlet strips.

If I could run a sump I would, but I'd also worry about having water enclosed in a closet.

[Adam_Parker]

Went ahead and took the big piece off the back of the driftwood. It was of course bogged and cut surprisingly easy.

I also took all the jungle val out as it was just a constant mess in this tank. Once we get it moved I'll settle more on a scape but I think it looks pretty good. May put the swords around the driftwood.

http://i1310.photobucket.com/albums/s654/aparker2005/Fish/20160925_190536_zpsi9i2jgrg.jpg (http://s1310.photobucket.com/user/aparker2005/media/Fish/20160925_190536_zpsi9i2jgrg.jpg.html)


http://i1310.photobucket.com/albums/s654/aparker2005/Fish/20160925_190533_zpsoi8e2srp.jpg (http://s1310.photobucket.com/user/aparker2005/media/Fish/20160925_190533_zpsoi8e2srp.jpg.html)


http://i1310.photobucket.com/albums/s654/aparker2005/Fish/20160925_190509_zpswaavseby.jpg (http://s1310.photobucket.com/user/aparker2005/media/Fish/20160925_190509_zpswaavseby.jpg.html)

[Ryan925]

Looks great

[Filip]

Looks much more open spaced this way and cleaner to me . That's just oppinion.
Discus looking good too.