New planted tank getting back into Discus

[planter]

Hi Everyone, After several years away from discus I've decided to start keeping them again. I currently have a 90 gallon tank that I've been running for a few years but recently tore it down because I had to move it so I decided to design it to be a little more discus friendly. I was finally able to find a local breeder with some fantastic stock. I've been toying with the idea of keeping discus again for some time now and I am really looking forward to be tending to a group of them again.

I'm looking at buying a group of six in the next week or two. I'm going to monitor this tank before I buy the discus in that time. If everything goes well with this tank I'll add the Discus after their QT period I hope to have them in there right around Christmas.

I removed the aquasoil that was in the tank and added fine white sand about 1/4" high. I also decided to keep only the one plant species that I have had success with growing at temps above 80 degrees. The rock scapes are glued together and hopefully will hold up long term. I glued the hell out of these rocks so I can move them to clean under them. I am running co2 but not close to the levels I normally do as I found over the years that Pogostemon helferi doesn't really need much of it to do well. I intend to keep the tank running at 80 degrees.

The tank is currently stocked with


20 cardinal tetra's
5 Datum Angels
5 Scalare Angels
4 Platinum Rams
1 lonely otto
6 amano shrimp
5 nerite snails

The otto and the 5 Scalare angels are on the way out to make room for the Discus. All of these fish are juvenile the larger angels are are about 3in in length the marbled ones younger. The last fish that were introduced to the tanks were the rams about a month ago.


- For filtration I'm using an ehiem 2217 and a 2215. I will be adding prefilters to the intakes the next time I clean them before the discus are added.

- temp will be at 80 degrees

- lighting 2 x 54w T5HO. Also a low powered led fixture that slowly ramps up the light intensity over the span of an hour.

- tank dimensions are 48L x18 W x24H

[fljones3]

If you want to keep a planted tank as in your picture, I would remove the center piece. That would give you the center for feeding and cleaning. I have a sand bottom 75g and there is a lot of waste to vacuum.
Also, 80F is too low for discus. They like 84-86F, although I have heard some do 82F. Some thoughts for your consideration.

[planter]

Hi fljones3. The center piece can be placed anywhere I'll move it further back if needed. As far as the temp is concerned 80 is what I've kept them at before in the past. I suppose there is no harm in taking it to 82. both their tank mates and the plants can handle that warmer temp.

Turns out the breeder has sold the group of adults that I wanted to get. All he has of the left of the strains in interested in are at the 3.5 - 4 inch range. I may setup a 75g BB tank to raise them if I can't find another group of adults.

[pastry]

I understand what Frank is saying and agree but at the same time I really like where that centerpiece is. Breaks it up. So tell us about the deal that fell through. Was it a good bargain on a group of adults? What strain?

[fljones3]

Sorry to hear you lost your adults. Look forward to more pics as you move forward.

[planter]

I understand what Frank is saying and agree but at the same time I really like where that centerpiece is. Breaks it up. So tell us about the deal that fell through. Was it a good bargain on a group of adults? What strain?

I'd say it's an average price $950 cnd for a group of 6" blue diamond red eye discus. Hard to put a "good price" on discus I mean these are locally raised in the same water as mine and I get to see and pick the ones I want it's hard to put a price on that. He informed me today that someone grabbed the 12 he had in stock. Out of the 12 he had it looked like 2 pairs had already formed. I just wasn't ready to take them. I should have left a deposit but I'm not a fan of doing that. These fish were stunning so a little more money is not a big concern to me.

As far as the center piece is concerned yeah it's in a nice spot. I'll see what happens when I start feeding.


Sorry to hear you lost your adults. Look forward to more pics as you move forward.

Thanks fljones I will definitely post some pictures once I get a group. He has some 4" one's priced at $70 each much better price but then again much more work and time before they see my display tank.

[danotaylor]

$150CND is reasonable for a 6" quality discus... especially if you have seen them in person and are happy...are the 4" blue diamonds as well? Are they from the same parents as the 6" ones?

[planter]

$150CND is reasonable for a 6" quality discus... especially if you have seen them in person and are happy...are the 4" blue diamonds as well? Are they from the same parents as the 6" ones?

Yes same parents.

[planter]

I'm also having thoughts of aging my water. I've never done so in the past and I've never had problems. However the breeder I'm dealing with really convinced me that it's really a practice I should get into. I'm not looking forward to starting a bucket brigade up and down the staircase with 45 or so gallons every day. I can't put a barrel on the same floor as the tank so I'm asking if anyone has come up with a system of how to pump water from a barrel on a lower to level into their aquarium.

[danotaylor]

I have a 55gal food grade blue HDPE barrel in my basement and a 125gal in my kitchen area. Here is the set up I use. I use a regular garden hose to drain my tank into a drain in the basement and then connect the black hose on the pump to the garden hose fitting and pump it up my tank from the aging barrel. A 55gal wc takes me about 15 mins total using gravity to drain and the pump to refill.
125586
125587
Be sure to use rigid hose on the intake side of the pump as the suction pressure will collapse a flexible hose. The outlet side doesn't matter. Hope this helps!

[planter]

Here are a few pictures of the tank residents

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm286/filipem1/fish/20191108_161356_zpslnedr7av.jpg (http://s299.photobucket.com/user/filipem1/media/fish/20191108_161356_zpslnedr7av.jpg.html)

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm286/filipem1/fish/20191108_161337_zpsy7fluhlp.jpg (http://s299.photobucket.com/user/filipem1/media/fish/20191108_161337_zpsy7fluhlp.jpg.html)

[planter]

I have a 55gal food grade blue HDPE barrel in my basement and a 125gal in my kitchen area. Here is the set up I use. I use a regular garden hose to drain my tank into a drain in the basement and then connect the black hose on the pump to the garden hose fitting and pump it up my tank from the aging barrel. A 55gal wc takes me about 15 mins total using gravity to drain and the pump to refill.
125586
125587
Be sure to use rigid hose on the intake side of the pump as the suction pressure will collapse a flexible hose. The outlet side doesn't matter. Hope this helps!

It does thank you I'll look for that pump. I'm guessing the pump is not submersible

[fljones3]

Daniel, what gal/hour is that rated? At 55g*2 in 15 min, I get 440g. Of course, you have the head of how many feet?

[danotaylor]

No mate, mine is not, but you could use a submersible sump pump as an alternative for sure. When I was bare bottom I used this set up to drain and clean my tank. Easier with the wand set up I have :)

[danotaylor]

Frank I haven't looked at the gph actually, it's a 1/2HP pump. But I gravity drain the tank cause I gravel vac every wc and the pump is too powerful for my gravel vac. To refill I use the pump. The head height is about 13'

[planter]

now that I think about about it I might have a sump pump kicking around somewhere. I know it needs a new impeller I might try that before I get one of those

[pastry]

Dumb question time: what's CND?

[danotaylor]

Dumb question time: what's CND?

Canadian dollars Elliot :)

[pastry]

Canadian dollars Elliot :)

Yep, I never would have figured that one out :antlers:

Well I can't wait to see this tank set up because I'm a sucker for single discus strain tanks or 2 similar strains.

[fljones3]

Frank I haven't looked at the gph actually, it's a 1/2HP pump. But I gravity drain the tank cause I gravel vac every wc and the pump is too powerful for my gravel vac. To refill I use the pump. The head height is about 13'

You actually answered my real question ... suction coming from the pump for gravel vac. I need something a tad more powerful than my python but not enough to drain my tank in an instance. 1/2 HP would be way too strong.