New discus tank idea

[neon]

I just bought 55gal tank. The light that came with the tank is 4blub t5 light. The guy I bought from said used it for saltwater. Will this be ok for lighting? What do I need to setup the tank? How many discus can I put in the tank? What other fish would go in with the discus and be ok? I would like discus community with other fish not just discus.:confused:

[Kevin22]

better not to use it. too much light, discus like dim lighting

[rickztahone]

how many watts each bulb? once you get in the high end of lighting most people use co2 but its usually do to plants. what are your plans for this tank? bb/plsnted/high tech-low tech? it really depends what you are planning. if you are just doing a BB then all that light is not necessary jmho

[neon]

I was planning to do a planted tank.:thumbsup:

[rickztahone]

I was planning to do a planted tank.:thumbsup:

how many watts per gallon? i believe 2wpg and above would benefit more with co2 in conjunction. i'm in the process of trying to setup a co2 setup myself but am also worried i do not have enough light. another thing to consider is the type of plants you plan on putting in there. lastly, do you plan to raise juvies or get adults?

[neon]

how many watts per gallon? i believe 2wpg and above would benefit more with co2 in conjunction. i'm in the process of trying to setup a co2 setup myself but am also worried i do not have enough light. another thing to consider is the type of plants you plan on putting in there. lastly, do you plan to raise juvies or get adults?

What is better to start with juvies or adults?

[Jhhnn]

Juvies need a *lot* of food to grow out properly, and very good water quality at the same time. That's a tough assignment in a planted tank with much population density at all.

Discus also do best in groups of 5 or more of the same size, and need 10 gals/fish, once they get past 4" in length. Won't leave much room, if any, for other fish. A mated pair would likely do well, and leave room for more of a community. Some pairs play well with others, some do not, and may strive to kill anything you put in with 'em.

Very experienced aquarists can and often do crowd discus more than that, but it's not really a good idea, especially for beginners.

I'm still a beginner, myself, having come back to the hobby after many years of no fish at all, and I'm glad I listened to those who told me the same things I offered above. It's led me to a very positive experience, so far...

[Eddie]

What is better to start with juvies or adults?

Adults, they can be more forgiving but still require excellent tank upkeep.


Eddie

[mkv]

I have a 96w compact over my 55 gal and the fish are not stressed in anyway. I use a 50/50 bulb from coralife. 3.5 to 4 is a good size to start. Smaller ones will be more fragile to stressful conditions...