After debating how and when to start up my Discus tank - I decided to follow Discus Paul's advice and opted to wait until I actually had the 55 gallon and use my current 33 gallon tank for angel fish. In the 55 gallon, I was thinking of either just putting a large piece of driftwood in the tank and nothing else or adding some pool filter sand, a 3 sword plants, and a medium piece sword plant. My current sword plant has 3 baby sword plants growing... so I would use those. I have a Fluval 306 but don't have a light yet. Would 5 adult Discus be ok in either setup? I am not planning on breeding Discus and I will be making a trip to see Hans over the next few months (once I cycle the 55 gallon) so I am pretty sure the fish will be healthy. It'll be up to me to keep them healthy! I read about the various pros and cons about having a gravel and plants and because I am new to Discus I want to start a step at the time and make it "easier" to not mess up with my first Discus tank.
Substrate or not substrate for Discus?
- Thread starter Merlot
- Start date
Die-hard discus owners will tell you bare bottom tank. I've done it both ways. I hate the look of a barebottom tank. I use pool filter sand with a couple of easy to move around pieces of driftwood and a few rocks. If you are getting adults it is not as much of an issue...you can knda choose what you want. If you get juvies that need to be fed more often ease of care is a consideration.
I would leave the driftwood out and maybe do some tall potted plants in a bare bottom.
p.s. I have never kept discus but I don't think putting 5 discus into a 55 is advisable. Just seems like it's not much space, hence the reason I said leave out the driftwood.
p.s. I have never kept discus but I don't think putting 5 discus into a 55 is advisable. Just seems like it's not much space, hence the reason I said leave out the driftwood.
The often quoted rule of thumb for discus is 1 discus per 10 gallons. It is however, highly dependent on tank maintenance. I have as many as 15-5 inch fish in a 55 gallon growout tank. However, this is not advisable for those wishing a nice display tank with minimal maintenance. I might also add this tank recieves two a day water changes one of 80% and the other nearing 50%.
I have the sense that by now, Merlot, you're well aware of the pros and cons of keeping discus in a planted environment vs. bare-bottom.
If you keep your decor of sand substrate, driftwood and plants to a reasonable minimum, and you're fully prepared to undertake a good quality, regular tank cleansing routine with attendant waterchanges, then there is no reason why you can't successfully keep 5 healthy (they will be from Hans) adult discus in your 55 gal.
Best of luck to you and keep us informed.
If you keep your decor of sand substrate, driftwood and plants to a reasonable minimum, and you're fully prepared to undertake a good quality, regular tank cleansing routine with attendant waterchanges, then there is no reason why you can't successfully keep 5 healthy (they will be from Hans) adult discus in your 55 gal.
Best of luck to you and keep us informed.
Hello! Personally, I would go bare bottom with discus simply because of the water quality issue. Discus are extremely sensitive to poor water conditions. You can make a bare tank look great with potted plants and driftwood. If you are a stickler with your tank maintenance, you can do substrate like pfs. If you go with substrate, I would go with a planted substrate and heavily plant the tank. The plants will help with water quality, and Discus do very well in planted tanks. JMO, and good luck!!
Let me clarify- NOT heavily planted. Lightly planted. I'm sorry that I said heavily planted. I didn't mean to confuse anyone, or give the wrong information. Sorry!!
Maribeth
Over the decades I've kept discus in bare bottom, no frills tanks all the way up to densely-planted hi-tech tanks with almost 5 wpg, fert and co2 injection. Substrates for my discus have varied between fluorite to blasing sand to pool filter sand. The substrate I enjoyed most was a half inch of pool filter sand. I kept a couple potted crypts and some driftwood with anubias attached in the tank also. It is so cool to watch the discus looking for food on the bottom by blowing a puff of water at the pfs while trying to uncover food. They are very adept at getting to live blackworms that way. Pool filter sand, in a thin layer, is almost as easy to keep clean as bare bottom. I would suggest it to a novice discus keeper.
Mark
Mark
