New Setup - Long

[Ekar_Ogrit]

Trying to become less of a lurker here, so I thought I would let you guys know how my latest project is going.

I'm currently setting up a 240 US Gallon planted Discus tank. I got tired of "little" tanks and having to trim back my Big beautiful plants so much. I got the tank about 8 Months ago, and have been building an Oak Stand and Canopy from scratch. Quite a scary undertaking since it had to hold up about 2 tons and had to look beautiful enough for my wife to allow it in the living room. Don't worry, I have had the tank filled for over a week now with no problems and it sits directly on the foundation (around a foot of concrete).

I'm currently trying my hand at PVC plumbing, because I bought the Rainbow-Lifegard filtration system. A triple mech, 2 triple heaters, Sandbed, and external CO2 diffuser. This way I hope to reduce clutter in the tank to minnimum ?sp?. My only dilema is how to position the return tube to make sure of good circulation through the tank w/o too much surface agitation and keeping the piping from being visible as much as possible. My current plan is to run a tube along the bottom in back with holes drilled along the length of it pointing upwards. You guys will have to let me know what you think of that Idea. I've got about 500 watts care of AHsupply, and I found a new fish store here which gave me a deal on 20 Bags of flourite! I didn't do the undergravel heaters, since every few months I like to rearrange everything. I figured it would end up being more of a nusiance than anything else. Living here in Dallas, it probably wouldn't do much anyway. My planned tank inhabitants are as follows:
6 - 8 Discus
25 Cardinal Tetras
3 Pearl Gouramis
3 3-spot Gouramis
3 Moonlight Gouramis
5 Blue Rams
12 Cories (2 schools)
(My wife loves Gouramis)

Now I just need to find a good and inexpensive online plant store to get enough plants to break-in this big boy. Once it's broken in and I'm sure the plants are out-competing the algae. I'll work more on aquascaping with Driftwood and such. I assume it's best to start off with a tank packed with fast growers at first though.

Anyway, that's the plan. I'll grab a few pictures to post soon, and I'll keep y'all updated as things progress.

[ChloroPhil]

Ekar,

It sounds like you're doing everything right, especially your assumption on the fast growers. I've got a tank full of different Hygrophilas, Rotalas, and Ludwigias...surprisingly it doesn't look too bad! Rather than have your spraybar pointed up try pointing it towards the front or even slightly down so it follows the slope of your substrate, you'll get better water-leaf area contact.

The only thing I would be sure to do would be put your plants in a week before anything else to let them establish themselves before adding any nutrients into the tank. Startup is also a good time to get your hard decor, wood and rocks, in place before planting do you disrupt your substrate as little as possible.

Other than that you've done everything the way I wish I had to start with. Keep the pictures coming..

Phil

[Ralph]

Here is a thread on online plant suppliers:

http://forum.simplydiscus.com//index...;threadid=5380

That is some setup, and like Phil, I can't wait to see pictures. Progress pictures are real good for helping others. I'd like to see the filter/CO2 diffuser setup too.
You've obviously done your reading and/or have a lot of experience and should be giving advice rather than getting it. The only thing that comes to mind though is maybe the depth of the tank. Lighting of course penetrates water poorly if the depth is three feet or more.
20 bags of Flourite, wow.

[ChloroPhil]

Hehehehe. Ralph, those ahsupply setups would blind the sun if it looked directly into one. I'm willing to bet the 240 is 8X2X2..the perfect size tank. I'm working on an Amazon biotope for some Angels of the same dimensions. (dimentions? hehehe)

[Ralph]

Busted
Lighting is not my forte, I was right though that Ekar didn't need any advice.
Phil, are you up to doing a thread on lighting? Just a synopsis of what kinds of lighting are available and their benefits/drawbacks.

[ChloroPhil]

Would you like me to?

BTW, Ekar; check out www.aquabotanic.com Robert's got all sorts of great plant packages. His Algae Buster assortment is very cost effective and is just what you're looking for. It's also good for getting credit at your LFS with plant cuttings..

[Ekar_Ogrit]

It's 8x2x2. I was thinking of posting a breakdown of what setting up a tank like this really costs(Which is a considerable ammount) and where I got everything from. I got my Reactor 1000 from aquabotanic. Very friendly. I have nothing but positive experiences shoping online. I just only order from places that I have heard many, many people recommend. I also call them. It's amazing how much smoother things go when you call versus ordering on the web or emailing them.

About lighting, I have 110W(ahsupply) on a 29 gallon. When you crank up the intensity like that, you HAVE to stay consistent with dosing/Co2/WCs or algae comes in fast and hard. That's what planted tanks are all about though. You figure out what your tank needs and then you have to keep consistent with the maintenance. I can't even skip a WC on that 29 gallon. Could have something to do with my fishload also
I wanted to keep the Big Discus tank a little easier balance. I'm wondering if I'm not already overstocking this big boy.

[Ralph]

If you can, I think people would like to read all the details of setting up a tank that size, along with a cost breakdown. People who aren't planning a tank like that are probably dreaming about one. I like reading about what worked, what didn't work, and how you solved the problems. If you want to. Pictures are great too.
I like the light fish load approach (now ask me if I have a tank with a light fish load). It's much closer to plant/fish ratios found in the wild and probably better for the fish and the plants (though minimum schooling size is a factor too) and easier to maintain.

[b3dlam]

Ekar_Ogrit,

Good to see another big planted discus tank! ;D

I'm currently trying my hand at PVC plumbing, because I bought the Rainbow-Lifegard filtration system. A triple mech, 2 triple heaters, Sandbed, and external CO2 diffuser. This way I hope to reduce clutter in the tank to minnimum ?sp?. My only dilema is how to position the return tube to make sure of good circulation through the tank w/o too much surface agitation and keeping the piping from being visible as much as possible. My current plan is to run a tube along the bottom in back with holes drilled along the length of it pointing upwards. You guys will have to let me know what you think of that Idea.

Get black coloured plastic if they can be seen inside the tank. I am assuming that you will be painting the background black as well. This will make them less conspicuous. I would not use spray bars, instead, have you thought about spliting the flow so it returns from each rear corner? Two smaller pumps might be better in your case as there is some redundancy built in. With one large pump, you wouldnt get any filtration during that time. Just a thought....
The discus in my tank love to swim against the current in between meals... They are swimming against the outflow of 2 x Eheim 2026 filters and loving it. However, it is also important to have large 'sheltered' areas so they can rest and eat easily.

I strongly suggest that you do not put gourami's and/or rams in there with the discus. They WILL outcompete the discus during feeding times. With the discus bickering among themselves during feeding times and the smaller and faster fish eating, smaller discus will suffer.

Get more cardinals....at least 100. That is what i have in my tank atm, but that number is 'barely' adequate....

Last but not least, get good test kits. Are you going to use a pH controller?

Best of luck!! I can't wait to see the pics!

Pics of my tank are here: http://www.pbase.com/b3dlam

[Ralph]

I was going to make the same suggestion about the larger number of cardinals. Watching a large school is one of the real advantages of a large tank. I spend as much time watching my 20 rummynoses (even stronger schoolers than cardinals) as I do my discus and I would love to have 50 of the tetras.
I have no idea about the gouramis but I haven't had problems with my rams. They are in a different tank from my discus, but they don't even outcompete my pencils. And mine are strong bottom feeders too. It could be just the two that I have though.
I also use your suggestion about offering two different flows. It is a basic rule of keeping wild pets is when possible, offer them choices. That goes for open space/hiding spots, a temperature gradient across the tank, different flow rates, strong lighting/darker areas, food choices, etc.

[Ekar_Ogrit]

I thought about the 2 pump system also. Due to space constraints and the filter system I chose, though I had to go with one. I always have a few well seeded sponge filters for emergencies though. I might try out splitting the flow to the corners. Beauty of PVC is it is cheap enough to try out different ideas(I do have the Black/Grey type for inside the tank). I currently have pearls in with my discus and they all get along just fine. My problem is usually the Discus eat their BW, BH, and other foods without too much help from the Pearls, and then the Discus proceed to eat all the flakes that I put in for the Pearls. By the way, have you guys ever noticed that most fish do not like the red flakes? I have never had Rams before though, and yes I too would like a larger school of Cardinals. Maybe I'll skip the Rams, but my wife has pretty much decided that there WILL be gouramis. Can't create any confilcts over fish in the marriage arrangement! Especially one who let's me put 240 in the living room.

[Ralph]

Sometimes life seems like a long series of compromises. The gouramis are a small price to pay for having a dream tank. You made the right choice.

[yellow sub]

Ekar_Ogrit

That all sounds great, a dream come true.

What puzzles me is that you are worried about the plumbing

What I want to know is how in the world did you get you wife agree to put the 240 in the living room

LOL, keep us updated, I would love to see some pics and live vicariously..

Stephen

[Ekar_Ogrit]

Here is the tank.

[Ekar_Ogrit]

Here is the CO2