New Discus Tank Setup/Parameters

[bradp]

I tore down my 140 gallon African Cichlid tank this past Sunday. I removed all of the crushed coral and carbon from my canister filters. I did a 50% water change and cleaned the media in one of the canister filters.

I have placed a large piece of driftwood in the tank and have used PH down for the last couple of days. I currently have 20 tetras in the tank. My current water parameters are as follows. Breeder's parameters in parenthesis.

Temp - 83.5 (84)
PH - 7.6 (7.4)
KH - 80 (80)
GH - 340 (150)
NH3 - 0 (0)
Nitrite - 0 (0)
Nitrate - 20 (20)

I'm pretty close on the parameters that the breeder is keeping the discus at with the exception of the GH. Should I do another 50% water change prior to purchasing the discus?

[Eddie]

I would have broke the tank down completely and sterilized everything with a bleach/water solution first. You are gonna hear from all sorts of people that it is not required if the previous fish didn't seem to have anything, thats bogus. Break it down, clean it right and save yourself a TON of heart ache, trust me. Start super clean and sterilize everything.

Eddie

[bradp]

How do you start the nitrogen cycle again in a discus tank? I assume that once I clean it out completely and put new media in the filters, I will have to put "starter fish" in to get the cycle started again?

What do you recommend? Thanks for the help.

[mmorris]

I would buy from a reputable source and ask them if they can help you out with a cycled sponge. Be prepared to pay for, or replace, it.

[Chad Hughes]

How do you start the nitrogen cycle again in a discus tank? I assume that once I clean it out completely and put new media in the filters, I will have to put "starter fish" in to get the cycle started again?

What do you recommend? Thanks for the help.

Outside of asking your breeder for a cycled sponge, you can statrt with discus. I may take a lashing for this, but I always cycle with the fish that are going to stay in the tank. This depends greatly on your water change schedule for the first few weeks. You'll need to change 50-75% of your water daily for a few weeks to prevent any issues with water quality for your live stock. If you follow strict water changes and monitor parameters, you'll be fine. If you see a spike in ammonia or nitrite, add a water change. In my experience, this usually takes about 2 to 3 weeks before you are completely cycled.


Best wishes!

[mmorris]

Outside of asking your breeder for a cycled sponge, you can statrt with discus. I may take a lashing for this, but I always cycle with the fish that are going to stay in the tank. This depends greatly on your water change schedule for the first few weeks. You'll need to change 50-75% of your water daily for a few weeks to prevent any issues with water quality for your live stock. If you follow strict water changes and monitor parameters, you'll be fine. If you see a spike in ammonia or nitrite, add a water change. In my experience, this usually takes about 2 to 3 weeks before you are completely cycled.


Best wishes!

Would you recommend a beginner to discus follow this method?

[Scribbles]

I would tear everything down and sterilize it as well. I have cycled tanks with discus before without a problem ( testing twice daily and doing extra wc) but for a first timer buying a cycled sponge is the way to go. I would not use PH Down as you can get PH fluctuations. What is the PH of your tap water? Also put some water in a bucket, aerate it and check the PH after 24 hours to check for stability. Discus can tolerate a wide PH range but it MUST be stable. Are you buying adults or juvies? If you are getting juvies, I would put them in a smaller tank. Little ones might get "lost" and have trouble finding food in a 140. Just my 2 cents.

Chris

[Chad Hughes]

Would you recommend a beginner to discus follow this method?

Yes, as long as they followed strict water change routines and tested parameters regularly until the cycle is complete. I don't think the OP is a beginner. He maintains a 140 gallon african tank and seems to have a grasp on the importance of water parameters. He posted a lot of good information that most beginners would not know to post.

Best wishes!

[discusjoe27]

BRADP is a guy I sent here.:D he saw my discus and I took out my fishing line and he got hooked.

brad I would go to mike-al and besty at usa aquarium and asked if you can have,or buy a cycled sponge filter. clean the hell out of it,start over.
deside if you want juvies or adults. if juvies do a bare bottom. if adults you could get away with gravel or pool filter sand. start the cycle completely over.
you could use something like stability,bio-spara(marineland lab) or mircobelift to boast the cycle along any of those will put benfical bactria in the tank.

for water changes. go to home depot,lowes,wallmart/wally world,or target and get a big round rubber maid bucket, and age your water in that with prime or chloram-x. use a heater in it set to the same temp, as the tank. also use a air pump with a airstone in the water bucket. it will help stable PH.

let me know if you have any problem. reputable places in dfw.
the fish gallery they get hans discus, david nguyen at aquatic wonderland
good prices. boutquie pet shop they gen strakler(spelling?) discus.
mike-al and besty at usa aquariums believe his are walter(wayne NG) discus but don't quote me

[shawnhu]

Outside of asking your breeder for a cycled sponge, you can statrt with discus. I may take a lashing for this, but I always cycle with the fish that are going to stay in the tank. This depends greatly on your water change schedule for the first few weeks. You'll need to change 50-75% of your water daily for a few weeks to prevent any issues with water quality for your live stock. If you follow strict water changes and monitor parameters, you'll be fine. If you see a spike in ammonia or nitrite, add a water change. In my experience, this usually takes about 2 to 3 weeks before you are completely cycled.


Best wishes!

I also recommend this method, but a little something to add to it.

If you are able to, drop the PH under 7 since ammonia will be less harmful in that range. Also, adding some salt will help with the Nitrite when it becomes present. Additionally, having floating plants will absorb most of the Ammonia and still allow the filter to build up it's bacteria.

Hope this helps.

[DiscusOnly]

brad I would go to mike-al and besty at usa aquarium and asked if you can have,or buy a cycled sponge filter. clean the hell out of it,start over.
deside if you want juvies or adults. if juvies do a bare bottom. if adults you could get away with gravel or pool filter sand. start the cycle completely over.
you could use something like stability,bio-spara(marineland lab) or mircobelift to boast the cycle along any of those will put benfical bactria in the tank.

Why would you want to get a cycled sponge, clean the heck out of it and start over? If that is the case, get a brand new sponge.

avionics30 options will work as well. Just make sure you keep an eye on the tank.

[RyanH]

Hi there,

If you are fairly new to fish keeping and don't feel comfortable using your Discus to cycle your filter, you may want to use the fishless cycle method:

http://www.simplydiscus.com/library/water_chemistry/general/pre_cycling.shtml

http://forum.simplydiscus.com//showthread.php?t=40119

I would also recommend thoroughly sterilizing that tank with a water/bleach solution.

[discusjoe27]

Why would you want to get a cycled sponge, clean the heck out of it and start over? If that is the case, get a brand new sponge.

avionics30 options will work as well. Just make sure you keep an eye on the tank.

I would clean it too, a cycled sponge would just spell the cycle along.

[rbarn]

I've had good success with SeaChems filter starter treatment.
Had my 60 gallon up and running and crystal clear water in under 3 weeks.