DISCUS HELP PLEASE

[KIWI13]

Hello there everyone, I am new to this site, I normally frequent simplycichlid but seeing as how i have a question about discus, I thought I'd ask the pro's on discus.
Heres my question: How many young or adult discus can I house in a 35 gallon tank?????? the dim are L:39" W:11" H:19", i would appreciate any feedback. Also on filteration requirements too.

[Robin764]

10 gals per adult is the going ratio. However, a 35 gal tank is rather small, being only able to house 3 discus. They are a schooling fish and do much better in groups of at least 4.
Filtration would depend on your water change routine....

Hope this helps
Robin

[Carol_Roberts]

That is a nice size for an adult pair or to grow out a group of 6 juveniles for a couple of months while you are cycling a 55. I like aqua clear filters or simple airdriven sponge filters. I use an aqua clear 110 for a 55 gallon tank. Juveniles are best kept in groups of 6 or more. Read the stickied thread in the beginners section for more information.

[Jeff_NZ]

Go for a couple of sponge biofilters.

I find 1 of my tanks with the sponge filters to be doing better than the one with an external eheim filter. So im soon going to change it.

[KIWI13]

Hey thanks a bunch for the rapid replies. I will most probably end up with 6 young discus of an average size of 6-8cm in lenght which works out to around 3.15 inches long and I'll will look at putting in a FLUVAL 404. Why FLUVAL you ask, well cuse back in good ol New Zealand I had a discus tank which worked up to around 130 gallons and I ran a FLUVAL 404 and it seemed to do the job, NOW if any of you suggest better and cheaper, I am more than willing to listen. When you mention internal sponge filters does that refer to an internal box filter with a sponge??

[nacra99]

I'll will look at putting in a FLUVAL 404. ....you mention internal sponge filters does that refer to an internal box filter with a sponge??
Hi Kiwi13,

Were you thinking of using the Fluval 404 in the 35 gal tank? If so, it might be a bit strong for discus. I used 404's in 55 gals and even so depending on how you place it, it packs quite a punch.You might consider using a smaller filter for a 35 gal.

Generally pple like sponge filters that look similar to this
http://forum.simplydiscus.com//showthread.php?t=40648

Box filters tend to only allow H20 flow from the top (or wherever the holes are in the box). It works nicely for small tanks or if you want hold filter media (charcoal or ammonia chips etc). Open sponge filters are nice because it allows water flow from all directions (well almost all). It allows for a greater flow rate and greater area for exposure to the good bacteria.

hth
Cheers
Marc

[Cb4h]

Welcome to the site. First off i would just like to say that i am by no means a discus expert. I do however know quite a bit about angels and am learning quickly about discus. First off i have a couple tanks of discus and i have found that the tanks with the sponge filters are doing the best. I highly reccommend using Hydro Sponges i use those in all my angel and discus tanks. I have found a guy who is very reasonable priced on all items. That is kensfish.com check it out if you want supplies. I have right now 3 55s with discus in them only 5 in each. They are about 4-4.5 inchs and recieving waterchanges 4 times a week if not more (30%) each time. Well sorry i am so long winded :o But again welcome to Simply and happy discus keeping

Cb4h

[Jeff_NZ]

this was the sponge filter i was talking about (sorry about the crappy pic, was rushed)
http://images.nzhondas.com/albums/My-carz/filter.sized.jpg

we dont get hydro sponges here in NZ. I think that one ^^ is the next best bet.

[ronman]

hi Jeff NZ, can't see the pic of your sponge filter.
I'm sure you can get hydro sponge in NZ.

[KIWI13]

Once again thanks a million for the input guys. You simply rock. Well I am totally new to the sponge filter thing cause as Jeff mentioned it, I have never seen one in NZ. However, I am a Kiwi living a little far away from home now cause I have relocated to france with the whanau (means family in maori) and so i hope to track one of those filters down over here. I wouldnt use a 404 on a 35 gallon cause that would recreat a white water rpid and my poor discus will end up in the other tank next to it. LOL no i was hoping to run something similar with a canister containing ceramic , sponge n carbon but this whole internal sponge filter has shed some new light on filteration and thanks a million for the link to the photos thats one hell of a cool contraption.

When I get this tank up and running, I will hunt down one of these filters and while on that subject, I was wondering what you guys think of the discus tank??? as in if fully planted is the go or just the bare tank. i noticed the sponge filter in the bare tanks so I guess they dont perform as well in fully planted aquariums???? or am I wrong???

[KIWI13]

Thanks once again NACRA99 n CB4H for the warm welcome and the links for the filteration. I guess a photo is worth more tha a thousand words. Cheers Jeff for the info however the photo doesnt work, care to try once more... cheers

[KIWI13]

While I am still here, I forgot to ask one more stupid question, What does this hydrosponge connect up to?? I went to KENSFISH.COM and checked it out and yes they are cheap but ofcourse they need to connect up to something, so please explain the system of hydrosponges for a dummy. I had around 10 tanks in NZ but I ran FLUVAL 404's and AQUACLEARS and to me those were all that existed in filterations. ofcorse I was aware of the other makes but these two seemed to have worked the best for me. Please elaborate on the sponge if possible.

[ronman]

Hi KIWI13, the sponge filter need to be connected to an airpump. all sponge filter are air driven.

hth.
ron

[KIWI13]

Cheers for that ron

[Jeff_NZ]

Hey Kiwi,

Could you not see the pic clearly or did the pic just not come up at all?
Ill try get another asap.

Jeff

O yeah and go bare bottom, easier to clean. Discus DO grow faster in clean bare bottom tanks as ive learnt.