New to Discus [Archive]

RLJSlick

10-10-2005, 02:51 PM

Hiya Guys, my name is Ricky, and I'm from the Wisconsin, just want to say hi, and that I'm very excited about the chance of enjoying discus, and being around people that also enjoy them.
I'm a long time "fish person", I've been rasing Africain Cichlids, and Angelfish for well over 20 years. I tried my hand at discus rasing discus about 8-9 years ago, with very bad results. I lived in a small apartment, and my equipment wasn't near good enough to take care of them, and my patience wasn't that good either. Now I'm a little order, a lot more wise, and I have much better equipment. So I'm gonna try this again, but I wanted to read all I could about it again, to make sure I don't make the same mistakes.
I just want to say hello, and I've been reading great stuff on here. I hope you will allow me to pick your collective brains to make sure I have a lot of success with discus. Thank you.

wolfbane

10-10-2005, 03:04 PM

Hey Ricky! Welcome! Yep, this place is a treasure chest of info. Enjoy the site, come often.

AADiscus

10-10-2005, 03:29 PM

Hi Ricky. Welcome to Simply!!! :)

You will find alot of helpful information on the site. Lots of good reading material and helpful hints.

DarkDiscus

10-10-2005, 03:32 PM

Welcome to the addiction...

Discus are most enjoyable and rewarding. If you can give them the time and care they demand, this is certainly a crossroads for you as a hobbyist.

Best of luck!

John

Carol_Roberts

10-10-2005, 04:29 PM

Hi Ricky and welcome to Simply discus :wave:
Water changes and clean, bare bottom tanks are more important than equipment!

RLJSlick

10-10-2005, 05:17 PM

Hi Ricky and welcome to Simply discus :wave:
Water changes and clean, bare bottom tanks are more important than equipment!
Thank you everyone, I know I will enjoy discus as much if not more then my other fish. I do have a question right away, I was reading one of my new discus books, and it said that a covered bottom was very important to keep the discus from getting confused. So I don't want anything at the bottom of the tank afterall? I hope thats not true, since I'm had my discus tank running almost a moth with nothing in it, hoping to get the tank seasoned enough to except the little guys. Please help! :D

Carol_Roberts

10-10-2005, 05:43 PM

Better to read through and follow the information in the beginner section here and through www.discusnada.org which is the website of the North American Discus Association.

Are you buying wilds directly from the Amazon? If not, domestic discus are bred and raised in bare bottom tanks both here and in Asia. The first time they see gravel is at the pet store - a domestic would not be confused by bare bottom.

RLJSlick

10-10-2005, 09:21 PM

Better to read through and follow the information in the beginner section here and through www.discusnada.org which is the website of the North American Discus Association.

Are you buying wilds directly from the Amazon? If not, domestic discus are bred and raised in bare bottom tanks both here and in Asia. The first time they see gravel is at the pet store - a domestic would not be confused by bare bottom.

OK, I will read up. I went back and reread those pages, and it was about "show tanks" and with them, they suggest bottoms, because of the other fish in the tank. I will read up, thanks a lot!

ppv1951

10-11-2005, 06:55 AM

hi ricky! welcome to the madness!

pat.

Kindredspirit

10-11-2005, 10:09 AM

Hi Ricky!

Great place to learn and ask dumb questions!

I am the queen of dumb questions!!! But everyone is soooooo cool about it...

Marie!:angel:

KIWI13

10-11-2005, 11:55 AM

Ricky, A BIG KIWI WELCOME TO YOU :)

Well Marie is not the queen of dumb questions, she just likes to ask alot of questions, all the time. LOL But she has spirit and thats what counts here, we like people who like people.

Welcome to Simply

Jason

Condor

10-11-2005, 02:43 PM

Hi Ricky glad to have ya here!!!

Adrian

ps what kind of set up do you have?

RLJSlick

10-11-2005, 03:22 PM

Thanks guys, I'm a new to Discus, but I not to fish, and I have to try to unlearn certain things. I will learn. Right now I have a 65gal Hex, and I'm running a Magnum 350 can filter now, moving to a Eheim 2227 professionel Wet/ Dry Canister filter as soon as possible. I'm a huge Eheim user. I also use 2 250 sub heaters, can't think of the name, oh I got it, Hagen Tronic Heaters.

The Ph is at 7 and the water is right around 15-18ppm, we have really hard water in wisconsin, but I have a nice size driftwood in the tank now, and I will use peat if I have to, but don't want to. Don't know the Alkalinity in the water yet, but hope to get my kit this weekend. The temp is at 85deg. I just released half dozen Cardinal Tetras in the tank, and they are doing well. I also have a few plants in the tank.
I read up pretty much everything on here, I just have one question....how you keep them alive? :D

RLJSlick

10-11-2005, 03:25 PM

Ricky, A BIG KIWI WELCOME TO YOU :)

Well Marie is not the queen of dumb questions, she just likes to ask alot of questions, all the time. LOL But she has spirit and thats what counts here, we like people who like people.

Welcome to Simply

Jason

Jason, I do have a lot of questions, I'm about 2-3 weeks from getting my first discus, and I have to admit, I'm a bit nerves, I didn't do well the first time, but I'm much more prepared now. I'm so glad that I have somewhere to go, to ask the big questions, before I do something really bad, I didn't have that option 8 years ago. ;) Thanks a lot again.

RLJSlick

10-11-2005, 03:26 PM

Better to read through and follow the information in the beginner section here and through www.discusnada.org which is the website of the North American Discus Association.

Are you buying wilds directly from the Amazon? If not, domestic discus are bred and raised in bare bottom tanks both here and in Asia. The first time they see gravel is at the pet store - a domestic would not be confused by bare bottom.

Thank you for the site, I will go there ASAP. Anything will help.

Kindredspirit

10-11-2005, 06:22 PM

What are you saying, Jason??

http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/15/15_3_32.gif

I have my smilies now, so ya better be nice!

RLJSlick

10-11-2005, 06:45 PM

What are you saying, Jason??

http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/15/15_3_32.gif

I have my smilies now, so ya better be nice!

Opps, I meant to say "All" :)

KIWI13

10-13-2005, 05:41 AM

Marie, your going nowhere till you me where you got those smilies from ??????????? I WANT EM ALL.... lol PM me with some info.

Wow heres a welcomed change, now I get to ask you for things... LOL

Jas;)

Kindredspirit

10-13-2005, 07:53 AM

http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_2_20.gif