First time Discus Owner :)

[WmTasker]

I have had aquariums all my life and I actually had a small aquarium store for about 6 years where we kept discus (short term) once in a while when I had someone that wanted me to get them in. I can't even count how many tanks I have setup over the years. I bread Rift Lake Cichlids for many many years until I crossed over to saltwater and went crazy with reef tanks. I have pretty much done saltwater for 15 years but I have always loved discus. So this year I am going Discus. I have sold off all my saltwater and Im planning my next aquarium setup. I have always believed that taking care of aquariums should be simple so I've kept my setup simple as possible. Don't get me wrong, I like having cool gadgets and toy for my aquariums but I still keep it simple. No matter what your setup is, the best way to keep consistent quality water parameters is to keep up on water changes. If something is looking bad, do a water change. Its worked so far and from my reading I believe it will work here also.

I always made my own stands and I'm planning on making a stand to hold two tanks over/under each other. My setup was going to have 2 of each over/under:

55 gallon aquarium
Glass Versa tops
Marineland Emperior 400
Ehiem Jager 250w heaters
Current USA Satelite freshwater LED light
Hydor Sponge Filter IV



I don't know yet if I am going to go bare bottom of gravel. All my reef tanks have been bare bottom but I have always had gravel in freshwater. Not a lot, less than an inch of natural gravel to cover the bottom. These tanks will be in my main living area and I would like them to look nice. I like having an extra sponge filter or HOB filter running in the tank to help with the bio-load, oxygenation, and it can always be pulled to use as a quarantine/hospital tank if needed. I always have a spare 10/20g setting around just in case. I have been pricing tanks and for only about another $70 I can have 75g tanks instead of 55g. I have always believed that its easier to keep parameters consistent in a larger tank. I just don't know.

The plan is to buy 2 different strains with 6 in each group then keep a strain in each tank. I would also like to have some tank mates and I was leaning toward the ever popular Cory cats and Tetras. I was planning on keeping my feeding simple with about 3 different frozen foods (bloodworms, beef heart, mysis or brine shrimp) and I would like to get everyone used to a good pellet/flake food. I always sold and used Omega-One food. I've never had a problem in the past with it but I never used with discus.

Questions?

Suggestions on where to get Discus?
55g or 75g?
Suggestion of tank mates?
Types of frozen foods?
Types of flake/pellet?
bare bottom or gravel?



Thanks for any help you can give. I'm really looking forward to getting this started.
Billy

[Phillydubs]

B1. Check the sponsors section here. 2. Def go 75 3. Corries rummies cardinals bristle nose pleccos hachets

[Phillydubs]

Light sand for gravel or buffer rocks that don't trap anything.

Throw thengammet at them w food

[Quintin]

Welcome

[WmTasker]

B1. Check the sponsors section here. 2. Def go 75 3. Corries rummies cardinals bristle nose pleccos hachets

I have been looking through the sponsors and Discus Hans seems like the best place and selection of discus. I think there are definitely 75g in my future. I saw a video that had tetras with two white dots on its rear fin. They looked pretty cool and I might have to look for them.


Light sand for gravel or buffer rocks that don't trap anything.

Throw thengammet at them w food

My experience with sand has never been good. It has always been so hard to keep clean and my filter always blew it all over. What are you talking about when you mention buffer rock? Is there rocks that help buffer pH? What is thengammet?


Welcome

Thank you. I can't wait to get going :)

[Fish Tank Travis]

If you're looking for 75 gallon tanks, I believe that Petco has their $1/gallon sale going on right now, and also believe for the first time they included the 75 as the largest tank in the sale instead of stopping at 55.

[Phillydubs]

Sorry Billy, my big paws often stumble over themselves when I type on my iphone ;/

I meant "bigger rock" certian rocks will alter and change your ph, so you do need to know what is going in there. Most do not make much of a difference but some could... I meant bigger stones as a substrate. If you check my old domestic tank I posted a lot of pics on here, I used to have these bigger pond stones as a substrate. They were larger rocks maybe like nickle size to quarter size. Unlike that crap gravel the LFS sells that basically traps toxins, these rocks are easy to move, vac and clean. Whatever you do don't get that gravel junk. I hear what you mean about the sand, it can get tricky and messy. in the end you need to be comfortable.

also my big hands meant to say throw the kitchen sink at them when it comes to food. try diff stuff see what they like and tank, just dont over feed or leave uneaten food laying around to decay.

[CammieTime]

If you're looking for 75 gallon tanks, I believe that Petco has their $1/gallon sale going on right now, and also believe for the first time they included the 75 as the largest tank in the sale instead of stopping at 55.

YES! Petco has the best deals on new tanks. On Black Friday I got a brand new 45 gallon tank with hood, light, and nice stand for $125. Half price.

[WmTasker]

If you're looking for 75 gallon tanks, I believe that Petco has their $1/gallon sale going on right now, and also believe for the first time they included the 75 as the largest tank in the sale instead of stopping at 55.

This is where i was planning on getting them. My store is out and hopefully they come in Monday with it being a holiday.



Sorry Billy, my big paws often stumble over themselves when I type on my iphone ;/

I meant "bigger rock" certian rocks will alter and change your ph, so you do need to know what is going in there. Most do not make much of a difference but some could... I meant bigger stones as a substrate. If you check my old domestic tank I posted a lot of pics on here, I used to have these bigger pond stones as a substrate. They were larger rocks maybe like nickle size to quarter size. Unlike that crap gravel the LFS sells that basically traps toxins, these rocks are easy to move, vac and clean. Whatever you do don't get that gravel junk. I hear what you mean about the sand, it can get tricky and messy. in the end you need to be comfortable.

also my big hands meant to say throw the kitchen sink at them when it comes to food. try diff stuff see what they like and tank, just dont over feed or leave uneaten food laying around to decay.

Thanks. I plan on feeding anything and I also like the larger rock look. I will just have to see what I can find around local.

[Poppa Ryno]

Rams are a fun beautiful tankmate for discus.

[WmTasker]

Can anyone tell me what type of fish is schooling here? Im thinking its a Denison barb.

105973

[Kyla]

it is the Denison barb. if u check out this thread in "tankmates for discus", someone else just recently asked about them too:

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?126904-Redline-barb-with-Discus