Newbie so please don't get angry

[stevestauberjr]

Hi all, I have a 75 gallon all glass tank that has been set up for 2 months with black gravel substrate, fake driftwood decorations and a tetratec PF 500(gallons per hour) hang on the back filter(with built in heater). My tank is stocked with 6 small angelfish, 4 small clownloaches and a peaceful redtail shark. My question is with proper water changes and another filter is this tank good enough to keep one pair of Discus in? I've read that 6 months of cycling is needed before you add Discus but with all the water changes is this even needed? I can't see how it's possible to ever get the tank cycled with all those waterchanges. Also is it unwise to run carbon with discus since when adding Discus water additives all it would do is remove them. Any answers will be appreciated and once again please don't jump on me for asking dumb questions like I said i'm just looking for good info. THANKS! :)

[April]

hi sounds like youve been doing some reading. so far so good. k..a cycled filter is a cycled filter. no 6 months involved.
i would do bare bottom tank and have a good cycled sponge and yes daily water changes of about 35 to 50 percent if you can. there are some breeders who dont worry about cycling sponges as they just do massive wc;s. but they know discus well so can get away with it. depends on how hard etc your water is also . discus cannot take any ammonia readings or nitrites.
they are not a hard fish if you follow some basic rules. and you dont need additives. just even and stable parameters.
first thing to do is see how hard your water is and your ph level. if anything stored water so it matches.
most dont use carbon. not because it takes the additives but because it leaches back out if not changed constantly. and also has been linked to hith. hole in the head. but not proven.

welcome to simply:wave: and hope you enjoy reading. and hope you give discus a try.
i would recommend you get a group of 6 or..a pair. as two of the same sex could fight.

[Carol_Roberts]

I don't use carbon or any additives. Just good clean water and lots of it.

Black gravel will bring out the pepper on pigeon bloods. Perhaps an adult pair of white snowflakes would look nice against the black. You won't be able to raise babies in a community tank.

[discuskrib]

You got scammed on the 6 month deal. your tank is ready ...now go out and get your discus! ;D

[dgmckay]

If you have test kits, take a sample of the water and check for ammonia and nitrite. If you've got zero ammonia and nitrite readings - given the fish load you've already got in there - then your filter is cycled. Assuming you're performing regular water changes during which you siphon detritus out of your substrate, waiting another 6 months will buy you nothing.

Keep in mind that whenever you change your tank, it essentially goes through another mini-cycle. The additional fish will introduce additional waste, which will result in additional ammonia, then additional nitrite, etc. It takes some time for the bacteria population to increase and accomodate the change, so you may see a bit of an ammonia or nitrite presence in your tank at first. However, given that you've got a 75G tank and you're only adding two more fish, I think the levels of ammonia and nitrite will remain undetectable.

As for carbon, if you're changing it out on a regular basis it won't be a problem. Then again, if you're performing regular water changes - you don't need it.

Regards,

Dave.