95 Gal Wave Planted/Discus Tank, Week 1

[DiscusLoverJeff]

Hello Friends,

Here is the start to my planted discus tank. I might have too many plants but what I purchased was amazing from AZGardens. I will think about thinning it out.

Its a start anyway. No discus yet as I want to wait for the plants to get acclimated and water conditions to get nuetralized. My PH is still high 7.2 right now with 50% water changes from tap to RO water.

The water is a bit tanning from the driftwood. My substrate is EcoComplete only. My filtration is AquaClear 110 for now and I am adding a Fluval 405 with pre filter media and bio-max and polishing pads to hopefully help clear the water up.

My lighting is 2 65w 10000k compact flourescents or I can run 4 if needed.

Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated as this is my first planted/discus tank.

Thank you in advance,

DiscusLoverJeff

http://www.winkflash.com/photo/imagew2.aspx?c=8614278&i=404690295&z=0

[scottishbloke]

Pictures?

By the way, you do want a LOT of plants at first so that they out-compete the algae that are inevitably present and will initially try to overrun the tank; after the tank has stabilized and any algae growth is well under control, you can thin the plants out gradually. Bulbs in the 6500-6700k color temperature range are also best for growing healthy plants, though 10,000k will still work, and you might need more than 2 65w for a 95 gallon, 4 would be better. Your substrate is good. Is this going to be a low-tech non-CO2, or high tech tank?

Just a couple of tips from a former planted tank guy,

Colin

[DiscusLoverJeff]

If the picture is not showing up I apologize, first time trying to upload pictures. I used what this website recommended www.winkflash.com. It says my pictures are on their website and I posted the link as per instructed, but nothing appears.

DiscusLoverJeff

[Harriett]

Jeff,
congrats on your planted discus tank, hope you get the photos loaded, I would like to see what you have going on! A few thoughts:
It is hard to over plant a tank, in my opinion! If there is no where to swim, then either you'd need to thin or move things around: first I would re-scape the layout. I fool with mine every 12 months or so[bored....] to update or try new layouts or plants occasionally. What I am doing now that seems to work well is that I have placed most of the plants in the middle 1/3 of the tank front to back, and running the length of the tank--this gives lots of room for the discus to swim and also leaves a bit of space clear in the front where I feed.
I would turn on the other 2 lights, your wpg is a bit low except for anbubias and some crypts. Your pH is FINE, you don't need to tinker so much. You have Lake Michigan water which is fine for growing out discus--mine sits at about 7.6 with no CO2. I shut it down for a while just to see how the tank does--will probably get the Co2 running again, as the plants are in better shape with the Co2 going--I have mine autoset to 6.8pH. Many folks grow out and maintain discus at even high pH, up to around 8. You need to work on that if you were to breed discus for a much better hatch rate, but most likely you wouldn't do that in your big planted tank anyhow, I assume.
Good substrate for the plants, kinda dark for blues and PBs.
I agenerally agree with ScottishBloke's advice.
Best regards, neighbor!
Harriett
[in Evanston]

[calihawker]

Congrats on the tank Jeff. Can't wait to see pics!:)

[DiscusLoverJeff]

[QUOTE=DiscusLoverJeff;658794]Hello Friends,

Here is the start to my planted discus tank. I might have too many plants but what I purchased was amazing from AZGardens. I will think about thinning it out.

Its a start anyway. No discus yet as I want to wait for the plants to get acclimated and water conditions to get nuetralized. My PH is still high 7.2 right now with 50% water changes from tap to RO water.

The water is a bit tanning from the driftwood. My substrate is EcoComplete only. My filtration is AquaClear 110 for now and I am adding a Fluval 405 with pre filter media and bio-max and polishing pads to hopefully help clear the water up.

My lighting is 2 65w 10000k compact flourescents or I can run 4 if needed.

Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated as this is my first planted/discus tank.

Thank you in advance,

DiscusLoverJeff

http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx161/DiscusJeff/P6250008.jpg?t=1277898796

Here is the photo. Sorry for being blurry, will try for a better photo.

[Disgirl]

Beautiful underwater garden you have there and I love that big piece of driftwood? Did you find it or buy it? I guess there won't be an algae problem with all those healthy plants. But yes, you will eventually need to thin out a bit. Great start there!
Barb:)

[DiscusLoverJeff]

Well thank you DisGirl.

I did buy some awesome pieces from F&S website. They had sent me some nice Mopani Driftwood. They have a sale now on it too by the way at
http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+6635+13985&pcatid=13985

I actuall purchased from them 2 large, 3 medium and 3 small pieces and arranged is so that it looks like one big piece. Not bad for my first attempt.

I will thin it out as soon as I know I have a stable enviornment. Then, add some Discus and I will be good to go!

Do you have a planted tank as well?

Thanks,

DiscusLoverJeff

[DiscusLoverJeff]

http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx161/DiscusJeff/P7010031.jpg
A better quality photo and different angle.
http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx161/DiscusJeff/IMG_1096-1.jpg

[Disgirl]

A real underwater jungle of tropical plants! Really nice! My discus tank has mostly artificial plants and plastic wood, but slowly adding real plants on real wood with a white sand substrate. But my angelfish tank is fully planted, with wood and rocks and beautiful gravel. Good luck with yours!
Barb:)

[Wahter]

What strains of discus are you planning to get? Just curious because with that dark Eco-complete substrate, some discus will darken up and many pigeon blood based discus will show peppering.

In general, sword plants (Echinodorus) go really well with discus.

HTH,



Walter

[GrillMaster]

Great start Jeff!! Stuff the tank full of plants and keep em healthy for awhile! Do some readin... :)

You can always scape later... Though I dont know if I would thin anything out. Just rearrange em as they start growin.

Walter has a point though...Stay away from them pigeon blood strains. :D

[Bfreeskier]

Looks like a really great start its going to be a forest in there once it grows out!! congrats.