I have gone mad over discus. Tore down a 220gal saltwater and now going to discus !!

[Ed Gray]

Hello all. I have kept discus now for about 8 months. I started with a 56 gal column and a 65 gal column
I kept live plants with them and have fallen in love. The 56 tank had smaller 2-3 in fish and the 65 has larger 5-7 in fish. Well I have had a 220 gal saltwater fish set up for almost 13 years now. Nothing really to do with it but enjoy.
After months of playing with my discus tanks I finally couldnt take it anymore. I Bought a 90 gal tank from a friend and set it up for saltwater I have moved my prize fish over to it and added a new led light set up. They are great!!

No I have tore down the 220 Gal tank. Spent 4 days cleaning everything from the tank to the pumps and the filters and the UV light. Yuck it sucked lol. Well I got the tank back painted a nice blue. Added Pool filter sand. And started the water cycling. I have a huge piece of driftwood to put in it. Well it looked huge till i put it up to the tank. Still big but not huge at least not compaired to the tank. I plan to put some plants in it first and then some tetras of some sorts and let it finish cycling before I add the discus.

I also today go 2 new discus. They are wild green tefe discus. I got 2 of them to go with my other 6 that are all over 5 inchs in length. So far they are all happy together. I plan on putting them all in the 22O when its ready.
I got lots of work to do and finish landscaping but I think this is the most fun of any tank. Making it look like you want and having a nice showcase for your fish.

I will have pics up soon and keep you all updated ont he progress.

One question for everyone. Has any one had any problems with longfin bristlenose plecos??
My local store just got some small ones in and I am planing on getting them and holding them in my 65 till the 220 is ready.

Thanks for a place to ramble I just love fish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ed Gray
Richmond Indiana

[lipadj46]

I keep ancistrus (L213) with my discus and they get along fine

[Skip]

aarrrrgghhh!!! what did you do with your LIVE ROCK?? I need some :)

if you do regular water changes.. you won'd need a pleco

[discuspaul]

Sounds like you're having a lot of fun and that's just great !

A 220 gal discus tank will make a super 'monster' showcase for your beauties.

You are going to love a blue background with PFS - that's what I have, and enjoy it so much.

My piddling little 75 gal would pale in comparison with what I'm sure yours will look like.
Here it is for you to have a look-see:

http://s1105.photobucket.com/albums/h357/discuspaul/Sept2011

Love to see the pics of your tank when you're done !!!

[troweler]

How do you keep the sand clean doesnt a lot get syphoned up?

[discuspaul]

How do you keep the sand clean doesnt a lot get syphoned up?

No, not at all - it's dense white silica pool filter sand. You can use a normal vac, placed right down near the sand level. Any sand that gets pulled up - it will only move up 1" to 2" in the vac tube - then it will just tumble right back down. I never siphon any out by vacuuming.
With each WC (I do 2 or 3 a week), I stir up the open spaces real well to freshen it up. Over time it will dirty up somewhat, but every 4 to 6 months, just simply siphon out (using 3/4" tubing) about 10% to 15% of the top layer and replace it with new sand. Presto - just like it was brand new.
The sand you see in my tank has been in there for well over a year when I took the pics, and I've replaced some sand only twice over that time.

[Ed Gray]

Thanks for the post guys. Im very excited. To respond My live rock the best pieces went into my 90 I made salt. The rest I gave to a friend who is getting started with saltwater. As far as the Longfin bristle nose I just thought there were beautiful. If you never seen them you are missing out. Not too many pleco that are that nice. I have the 220 back painted and sand and water in it now. I am going monday out of town to get plants. None of my 2 local stores have much of anything.

My 2 new green tefe are doing great!! Since I got them from the Gerbers they have brightened up and wow what a difference!!
They dont look like the same fish.

Im taking some pics tonight and will post them.

Ed

[ghurlag]

Following along on this. Excited on the size; and discuspaul, your tank is phenomenal - now on my inspiration list :)

[discuspaul]

Following along on this. Excited on the size; and discuspaul, your tank is phenomenal - now on my inspiration list :)

Thanks. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to PM me.

[ghurlag]

Thanks. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to PM me.

You're officially on my list :) And of course I mean that in a good way.