Questions regarding Heckels...

[FLGirl1977]

Hello, I'm new to this forum and have been keeping discus for about 6 months now. We currently live in FL, but might be moving shortly up north.

I've gotten bitten by the Heckel bug and while I know I'm not ready for them yet, I would like to know more about them before considering them in the future. I've read that thier temperment is quite different from domesicated bred discus and also that their pH requirements will not with stand anything higher than a 6? Is this correct? I use RO water for my guys and my current water parameters are:

pH 6.5-7.0
NO3 10 (right before a water change)
NO2 0
KH 0
GH 30

I change out 50% of the water twice weekly, yet my nitrates never go past 10.

I have a 120 gallon sitting empty right now waiting for fish, but since I'm not sure when we'll be moving it will stay empty until we get where we need to go. It's a 4'x2'x2' tank.

I purchased some beautiful long branchy driftwood and plan on using silica sand and a few smooth stones once the tank is setup. No plants... to me they are a pain! :p I want to keep the tank as close to a natural biotope as possible.

So, would I be a good heckel keeper or should I stick with domesicated strains? Regardless, I would love to know more about them, they are just stunning fish and I wonder what areas they differ in.

Thanks in advance! :antlers:

-Renee'

[GrillMaster]

Welcome to the forum Renee'! Put yer readin glasses on an check out this section...http://forum.simplydiscus.com/forumdisplay.php?f=108

Make up yer own mind. ;) :) :)

[FLGirl1977]

Hmmmm.... looks like I have my research cut out for me! ;) Thanks so much for the link, looks like I may be sticking with dom. strains for a while! I won't ever say never though.... after all.... I did admire discus in general from afar for many years before taking the plunge! :)

[billeagan]

Renee,

Your heckel's will do fine with regular conditions (as will all other wilds). I currently have mine in lake michigan water ph 7.6 with a high TDS.

Water changes and proper acclimation are the key.

[GulfCoastDiscus]

I acclimmate all my wilds in 8.0 ph and 250 ppm tds. As long as you keep the water parameters consistent, they should be in great shape.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q180/GCDiscus/0heckels001.jpg

[Dkarc@Aol.com]

I acclimmate all my wilds in 8.0 ph and 250 ppm tds. As long as you keep the water parameters consistent, they should be in great shape.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q180/GCDiscus/0heckels001.jpg

Interesting, my water parameters are similar to yours Dan (8.3pH, ~250ppm TDS) and I have been contemplating wilds for my new tank. How long did it take for them to come around and acclimate to a higher pH?

-Ryan

[GulfCoastDiscus]

Interesting, my water parameters are similar to yours Dan (8.3pH, ~250ppm TDS) and I have been contemplating wilds for my new tank. How long did it take for them to come around and acclimate to a higher pH?

-Ryan

A week..

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q180/GCDiscus/00hecckels003.jpg

[Eddie]

Nice Heckels Dan!

Eddie

[FLGirl1977]

WOW Dan, those are absolutely stunning! Oh, if I only knew when we would be moving I would set up that 120 that I have just sitting empty right now... an empty tank is a sad tank. :(

[Eddie]

Hey FLG, an empty tank might be a sad tank but it sure does give you imagination! I have an empty tank that keeps me imagining about how I will set it up. :)

Eddie

[FLGirl1977]

I just got rid of a 72 bowfront (sold to a friend) that had a nice pangea background (Rocky IV). I loved that tank and so did everyone that came over to drool over it (one friend that bought it). I had a nice Bulu point tropheus colony in there.

Anyway... I've pondered on a nice amazonian background, but I don't think I want to go that route again. Just too permanent. I would like to be able to change the tank if I wanted to, and with a permanent background, it made things a bit more difficult.

I've purchase some really nice driftwood (4 pieces). Long and thin, meant to look like branches, a few smooth stones and silica sand. I want this to look as natural as thier biotope as possible, so no plants. The driftwood gives me the freedom to arrange it around... so I can't wait to set up this tank. :D

[FLGirl1977]

Did I mention how beautiful those heckels are??? :D:D:D;)

[Eddie]

It sounds like an amazing set-up so far. I'm just now converting mine over to a more natural environment. I have the sand and some nice driftwood. I got a hold of some huge anubias yesterday and I am going to be changing the tank around this weekend. I wish I had a 120 gallon tank to play with, it would get all my time! :D

Eddie

[GulfCoastDiscus]

I am now setting up a Heckel tank.. It's a 215 gallon tank.
http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q180/GCDiscus/000tank001.jpg

[plecocicho]

That tank looks SICK!:p

[Eddie]

AMAZING DAN!! Love that wood

Eddie

[FLGirl1977]

Hey Dan! What's my tank doing at YOUR place!!!! :rolleyes: lol! That's EXACTLY how I wanted my tank to look! (Except a black blackground though!)

NICE tank.... when are you putting the discus in there?:D

[YSS]

Hey FLGirl1977, welcome to simply. :) Best of luck with your discus endeavors. And, yes, those are nice heckels and that's one heckel of a tank.

[FLGirl1977]

Hey! Thanks for leading me here! :D

[YSS]

You are welcome. I had to leave the other forum because I couldn't stand that guy name taksan or something like that over there.

[FLGirl1977]

Dan, I just thought.... where did you find such awesome driftwood? Mine is nice, but not as nice as yours! I had to search high and low for something decent.

You would think living near the beach that there would be an abundance of the stuff... but even then I have a piece outside near our pond that we found at the beach and I've noticed that it's starting to rot.... definitely not something I would want to put in any tank. Beautiful piece, but not feasible for aquarium use.

[GulfCoastDiscus]

Dan, I just thought.... where did you find such awesome driftwood? Mine is nice, but not as nice as yours! I had to search high and low for something decent.

You would think living near the beach that there would be an abundance of the stuff... but even then I have a piece outside near our pond that we found at the beach and I've noticed that it's starting to rot.... definitely not something I would want to put in any tank. Beautiful piece, but not feasible for aquarium use.


Hi Renee,
Try using manzanita wood. I combine my own pieces by using stainless steel screws.

I wouldn't use found driftwood unless you know its safe for your fish.

[GrillMaster]

You can order the manzanita branches here. :)

http://www.manzanita.com/sample.htm

[FLGirl1977]

Thanks! Did you order from there? What area on the site did you choose from?