Hey all

[83jase]

Thought I'd introduce myself
Hi! I'm Jason I'm 35 with 3 kids aswell as some challenging mental problems hence why I love fish so much I can just zone out when things get overwhelming and just watch there beauty and grace their personalties and such very peaceful and can help greatly for me so could say therapeutic. My younger years I've kept freshwater and salt water fish then from there being a renter it's hard to move constantly with tanks and I traded that for snakes I kept and breed pythons another obsessive hobby I have this time I want to go discus I've always been fascinated by them but they always seemed to me too hard to keep and backed out spent last 6 months watching you tube abd researching non stop ready to take the plunge in the new year got car problems ATM so they take preference rather wait when I'm more financial then rush


Whilst I've told you my life story lol I hope I didn't bore or scare anyone away yet. Well might aswell tell you about what I have for these beauties setup

4x2x2 tank
2x fluval 306 canister filters
1x jaebo wave maker 500lph to 4000lph can be set run as power head
1x jager eheim 200w heater
1x inline thermostat Controller as fail safe for the jager
1x aqua zonics 4ft plant and tropical led light
1x aqua zonic 18w uvc steriliser
1x surface skimmer

Aquairon sand

2 nice pieces of drift wood

Currently have full pressurised co2 but removing it due to ph swings when it's off at night and staying low tech applying k.i.s.s. method here


Stocking list

6 x discus
2x German blue rams
20x cardinal tetras
10x sterbai or albino Cory cats
With low tech plants wisteria, Amazon sword, Anubias, Java fern water lettuce etc

I'm open to change the stocking list around

Tanks is not active yet just been buying all these pieces new as I go along in the early new year probably at end of January I will start the tank cycling up

If you made it through all that awesome seemed like a journey look forward to Learing much more

[Mr.BigBlock]

Welcome aboard...post some pics when it's up and running.

[Paul Sabucchi]

Hi and welcome to Simply Discus, glad to have you with us. Sounds you are doing things properly by reserarching first. I hope that amongst your YouTube video watching you paid attention to Al's:
https://youtu.be/VXe3VKh7qF8
Not a lot more I can add to what he explains, maybe that the UV is not required, unless you get specific issues. Wavemaker in my opinion is good, I have a 2000 l/h on 24/7 and the fish seem the better for it, their breathing is slower and the flow does not appear to bother them at all

[LizStreithorst]

Welcome to Simply, Jason. You are smart not to have jumped in head first and found yourself in a mess. Poke around the beginners section. There's a ton of helpful info there.

Discus are easy to keep, but they have their rules. If you don't follow their rules you get in trouble. Their main thing is that nothing keeps them happy and healthy like lots of good clean stable water. Be sure make it so your water changes are easy so maintenance doesn't become a chore.

You have have some stuff that you have no need for like the wave maker, surface skimmer, and UV. I've only used UV to keep algae at bay. I haven't done the math on your tank, but you need 5 watts per gallon for Discus. Two smaller heaters are better than one large one. I'll let someone more familiar with your filtration than I am to comment on it.

Best of luck on your way to a satisfying (and addictive) hobby.

lol. I just read Paul's post. Perhaps I'm wrong about the wave maker. I've never used one so I should have not stated an opinion.

[83jase]

Thank you everyone for your warm welcomes and input truly appreciated. Yea been searching thoroughly still feel like I'm on the tip of the iceberg want to get in as much knowledge before hands on and realise I'm up the creek without a paddle

I've seen that video very good and informative and that's how I actually landed here from that video tremendous speech actually watched it twice now

Uvc is just something I've always added in never for a specific reason just found gave that bit better clarity or am I thinking it does that is the question

The skimmer is fluval inline attachment I've used previously just to eliminate any protein film build up looks unsightly plus interfere with oxygen exchange if it gets bad enough

I think I've gone little over board but guess it can't be all bad

The tank I think if I've done it right is around 75g or 300l
I do have a 2nd 200w heater for winter but in qld Australia it's hot all year round winter mid 20s summer mid 30s

For the wavemaker thought it would be great to have near bottom stir up any feacies go through the filter and other muck seen some tanks with and some without

but definitely agreed some of it is questionable now it's been pointed out


Only real question I have at this point is using the python safe pumping chlorine and or chloramine directly into water column safe treating with prime for whole tank volume prior refilling or am I better off sticking to old way of premixing tubs use pump to refill

Many thanks too all again :)

[Paul Sabucchi]

I think that having a big container to age the water is really beneficial. Although it takes up a bit of room and it takes a little more organizing than just refilling straight from the tap I think it is worth the inconvenience

[Second Hand Pat]

Hi Jason and welcome to Simply. Sounds like you are doing your research. :D If your tank is 4x2x2 feet then that should be 120 gallons which will easily handle your proposed bio-load.
Pat

[two utes]

Welcome to Simply Discus Jason.
Its always nice to see another Aussie discus keeper within our mists. You'll find lots of great information on here on how to keep and raise discus. Like Liz mentioned, discus are easy to keep providing you do regular water changes and keep up the maintenance.

I've kept things simple doing 30% water changes every 4 to 5 days, straight out of the tap (Melbourne Water), and only adding some prime, and have been getting some good results over the last 2 or so years.

Good luck with your new project....Which part of Australia are you from?

Cheers.

Joe

[83jase]

Wow it's really nice to see welcoming amount of people here compared to other forums already feels like home I've been cruising through the beginners section and few others already times are not wasted :)

With water I think your right not point going half hearted at this point something about dumping straight tap water not mixed made me feel uneasy esp for discus lucky here don't need r/o ATM the water is rather soft and good quality

That's really embarrassing on my behalf with the gallon to litre conversion never a strong point of mine

Will deffinetly post up pics just bare bones ATM things sitting everywhere unorganised in the cabinet was all setup now pulling the co2 just have to clean it up replumb it

I'm from north gold coast Australia seems we both have quality water some folks aren't as fortunate as us forced to r/o alays good to see a fellow Aussie

Only water problem We have is phosphorous is a little high and battling diatoms in the qt for last 6 months when I decided what I'm doing I setup the qt so it's well matured for the stocking of my tank fish in the qt goes to my sons tank

One thing I'll be doing which I have never done before as mentioned in the video link above will be worming in qt

[Paul Sabucchi]

I am glad you find this forum not only informative and interesting but also friendly and generally a pleasant place to be. Mostly it is thanks to our fearless leader Al, aka Brewmaster. Not only is he busier than a blue-arsed fly, constantly buzzing around wirh new ideas but he also makes it very clear that this forum is his house and this is how he likes it. Some fishkeeping groups, particularly on Facebook, can be quite *****y - seems folk there feel they have something to prove- while here we tend to go out of our way to be nice to each other. I find it a pleasure to contribute in whatever small way I can and hope that you will continue sharing your new fishkeeping adventure

[snxtif]

Some fishkeeping groups, particularly on Facebook, can be quite *****y -

Hangman anyone?

[danotaylor]

G'day Jase, welcome to the community mate. I'm an aussie living in Ohio, USA. Looking forward to tracking your set-up progress. Av a goodun bloke!

[83jase]

It's been nothing but pleasurable so far every time login having a good hats off to the forum founds and mods
I find that alot like you said it's like they have something to prove or it's there way or the highway certainly do so far co2 sold listed canisters up forsale to go a sump unfortunately slot of wasted money as I wanted hi tech planted and tetras and thoughts that boring rather beautiful fish and low tech plants tank but it happens and the end results are worth it have nothing but time one my hands good few months so no rush

Know of ain't forum in particular starts f ends with e unless you profile pic with boobs out you go ignored the thirst is really over whelming and I'm sure the girls feels the same way there to learn and talk about fish otherwise there's tinder for that lol

Ohio living the dream mate I had the cash I'd move in a heart beat to the U.s plus I heard they love us Aussie is that right cobber?

[danotaylor]

Ohio living the dream mate I had the cash I'd move in a heart beat to the U.s plus I heard they love us Aussie is that right cobber?
Bloody oath mate!