New here, new to discus - maybe! What's with all the BB tanks?

[JimM]

I've been keeping and breeding cichlids for years, Africans, Central Americans - name it. In the past few years I've devoted my time to reef tanks, which have spoiled me in a sense. Now, I want as natural of an environment for my freshwater fish as possible. It's been 4 years or so since I've had a freshwater tank, but now I'm back! (keeping the reef tanks still of course)
Bare bottom tanks are the ugliest, most undesirable things I could possibly imagine putting in my house. Sorry, I just can't imagine doing that to my living room. What a waste! ???
Anyway, I do have an interest in discus as an option for a custom tank I'm putting in the wall. However, it's going to be a fully planted tank. I need references, articles, sites, personal experiences - whatever, from people who have done this.
Anything that any of you can provide me would be great. I'm going to do the freshwater equivelant of a reef tank. Natural, and full of life!
Thanks in advance for any help. :)
Cheers
Jim

Jim, If a planted tank is the path your'e coosing--then I recommend adult fish in it. Joe 8)

[chirohorn]

It can be done. I prefer the planted tank look myself. Check out the "Show Tanks & Biotopes" discussion forum for more planted aquarium info...good luck.

[Ryan]

If you mean "natural" in regards to a discus setup, then you wouldn't plant the tank anyway. From what I have read, discus come from areas of the Amazon where roots and branches are common, but not plants or vegetation. The biotope section of the board is a great place to read about our members who have show/display tanks. Like Joe said, if you're going to put discus in a planted setup, it's best to go with adults. You can raise juvies out in a planted tank but you'll have to put a lot more work and effort into it than if you just got some adult fish.

Ryan

[BlueTurquoise]

Actually, for the ease and the clenliness I can't imagine I could ever go back to planted tank. I spend hours per week on the clenliness of my bb tank as it is let alone a planted tank.

Bb was strange at first but when I think about how much gunk was hiding at the bottom of my gravelled tanks of the past, I shudder to think how I would raise juveniles in a planted tank ever again. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and BB, to me, for what it is, it's beautiful.

Also there is the issue of marine tanks having protein skimmers and not requiring much water change. Discus is the opposite.

I agree about the adults.

As for the "natural" arguement, you will need to aim for sandy bottom with lots of decaying plant matter to the point of tea coloured water and some driftwood. In the discus habitat there is seldom live plants becuase of the PH and other reasons. A fully planted tank with greenery is not natural for a Discus. That is my arguement...

see here:
http://forum.simplydiscus.com//index.php?board=7;action=display;threadid=6499

Takahashi Amano's work is art imitating nature but not nature strictly IMHO...

HTH
Good luck and post pics of whatever you decide to do.
Chong

[Ralph]

Hi Jim and welcome to Simply.
You are doing the right thing though, informing yourself. Read all you can about general care and ask the questions that you can't find answers for. BB tanks are an aquired taste and even though I don't have one, I've come around to recognizing their pristine beauty. But we are about offering people options. If you are set on owning a planted discus tank, it can be done and even an actual discus biotope is a possibility (it is also an aquired taste). And there are several options inbetween BB and Planted that you might look into for your discus. We go into detail (and discuss the problems) in the Show Tank and Biotope Section. The Beginners Section has some essential reading for you too (even though technically you aren't a beginner).

[JimM]

Thanks for the replys and opinions so far. :) Much appreciated!
Jim

[slicksta]

I'm with you Jim..........BB looks like a lab experiment....
.........discus love driftwood....especially when the lights go off and are resting or if they get startled..... I have fake plants....I'm not that ambitious....
but I have to agree with the prior posts.....get young adults....

good luck

John

[mench]

Jim,you should go to the european discus sites,they have info on thier planted tanks,they have some really lovely planted tanks.Try Discus.pagina.nt/ I hope this is the right address. Hope this works.

Mench

[Wahter]

Jim, if you're going to grow out juvenile discus, it's better and easier to grow them out in a barebottom tank. As it's already been said, a planted tank looks nicer, but it's better for keeping adult discus rather than for trying to grow out youngsters.

All fish (even guppies ;D ) will grow out better with clean water/ plenty of water changes - barebottom tanks makes it easier to keep the tanks clean.

HTH,

Walter