My New Discus Planted Tank - What do you think ?

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africamonk

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May 9, 2005
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120 Gallon (48x24x24) AGA Twin Overflow
48x24 Solid Pine Black Stand
1x Triple Tube Striplite
1X 48" High Output Compact Striplite
2x M8 Aquarium Air Pump
2x Eheim 2128 Professional II Thermo

SubStrate :
15 lbs Flourite
20 lbs Eco-Complete Plant Substrate
50 lbs Estes Nutmeg Gravel
25 lbs Estes Swift Creek Gravel
15 lbs Estes Bit Of Walnut Gravel
10 lbs Estes Jumbo Jems

Plants :
Coming Soon

Fish :
Coming Soon
 
Mar 24, 2005
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Sounds cool. Don't forget discus are lowlight fish though. The tank sounds awesome though, did you build it yourself? Custom order it? Be lucky enough to find it?
 

NatakuTseng

I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts
Jan 3, 2004
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Discus aren't lowlight fish, they do fine in high and low light, they really don't care. Doing a planted tank I'd suggest you get adults so you don't have to grow the little guys out in that tank Monk. The adults will be a bit more expensive, but you'll have less to worry about with them. If you need some info on where to get some nice fish, let me know I can steer you in the right direction. With the gravel its gonna be a lot of work cleaning the tank like you should for the discus, a lot of stuff gets trapped down in there and the discus aren't as forgiving about the pollution levels in the tank, another reason to get adults though. If you bought Juvis, you'd almost be 100% sure to end up with stunted fish by the time they matured. Adults you can get away with a lot more.
 

Maj0rFiSh

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Jan 14, 2005
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NatakuTseng said:
Discus aren't lowlight fish, they do fine in high and low light, they really don't care. Doing a planted tank I'd suggest you get adults so you don't have to grow the little guys out in that tank Monk. The adults will be a bit more expensive, but you'll have less to worry about with them. If you need some info on where to get some nice fish, let me know I can steer you in the right direction. With the gravel its gonna be a lot of work cleaning the tank like you should for the discus, a lot of stuff gets trapped down in there and the discus aren't as forgiving about the pollution levels in the tank, another reason to get adults though. If you bought Juvis, you'd almost be 100% sure to end up with stunted fish by the time they matured. Adults you can get away with a lot more.
I must say they prefer the low light, if its too bright they tend to be shy and timid and hide, my turqs do it all the time when the lights are too high.
 

NatakuTseng

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Jan 3, 2004
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Thats simply because you haven't let them become acustomed to it. I keep discus in high light situations and after a few days they come completely fine with it. Most of you guys try something once and when the fish become uneasy about it you say it can't be done or fish prerfer this or that. Its not the case. Just happend I'm talking with a breeder right now, and he's seconding my opinion about the lighting, it doesn't matter.
 
Nov 15, 2004
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As for the tank, sounds good, no problems that I see. Get some pics up if you can when you can.

and as for the lighting situation, most fish will adjust to the lighting in time. Just be strong and don't give in. I thought my piranhas would never eat with light on, now they don't even care. This is a good idea for most shy fish. Over time the fish will adjust to the light and learn to eat with it on. They will become more active when they learn that the lights will be on certain times, if not all the time. My piranhas were very shy and timid when the lights were on, but now they eat and chase and just as active as when the lights were off.
 

Emg

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Jan 16, 2005
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Nataku....how would a crop of cories do to keep the dirts down on the bottom of the tank...?

I have 2 emerald cories in a 10 gallon and they keep that gravel sparkling clean...seems if you have something in there to do the vacuming it should help some I would think.

If I did go with discus someday...I would use the "Echo-Complete" for planted tanks substrate. It's black and looks very much like topsoil...very nice !
 

africamonk

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May 9, 2005
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well, heres the pics of my tank ..........

http://images.snapfish.com/3439977523232fp46=ot>232:=6;7=3;4=XROQDF>2323873357379ot1lsi

http://images.snapfish.com/3439977523232fp64=ot>232:=6;7=3;4=XROQDF>232387335737;ot1lsi

http://images.snapfish.com/3439977523232fp4>nu=3239>5<6>2<3>WSNRCG=3232964266473nu0mrj

http://images.snapfish.com/3439977523232fp63=ot>232:=6;7=3;4=XROQDF>2323873357385ot1lsi


the triple t8 tube is 106 watts
the high compact tube is 110 watts

i hope that would be good to accomandate the fish and the plants ......

will def look into adults for the tank .....

also looking to add the following fish to the tank -

2-3 plecos
12-18 corys
15-20 cardinal tetras

what you guys think of the additions ?
 

Maj0rFiSh

L33t 5p34k m0f0!!11one
Jan 14, 2005
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How old is it again? Considering the filtration doesnt look to good (The water).

Andwhat plecos were you thinking to add, there are only a few that are perfect partners for Discus that need the soft low PH water, ill get the name asap. Any algae eating plecos like common will suck to the side of your discus sucking of the good slimy coat.

PS Nak, my uncle was a discus breeder, and i have a friend with a tank with over 500 in, that he bred.
 

NatakuTseng

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Jan 3, 2004
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Well you are vastly misinformed major. Discus DO NOT need soft acidic water, they do fine in hard alkaline water, juvis actually grow better in it because there are more trace minerals to aid in their bone growth. The ONLY time water hardness even becomes an issue is when your trying to breed discus. The eggs just will not become fertilized with harder water. There are many many many plecs that make perfect tank mates for discus. Common plecs aren't algea eating plecs, they are carnivorous, do a bit of research before you say things like that. Bristlenose plecs, gee an algea eater, make super tank mates for discus. If ya don't like plecs, got with farlowella. BTW all plecs come from areas in the wild where the water is soft and acidic, so that point that it being a touchy area, is completely wrong. Most plecs need soft water just like discus to spawn with high fertilization rates.

Major, I don't care who bred what, all I care about is getting accurate info to people, and thats not what your doing.

Monk, if you want good info, and people that know what they are talking about as far as discus go, go check out http://www.discusasahobby.com and http://www.simplydiscus.com/forum

Those people (including myself) know their discus, in their own tanks they do what they would suggest to you. They are practical, and understand the fish better than anyone else I know of. If you think the forums are a bit impersonal, get hold of me and I will give you Cary Strong's phone number (http://www.greatlakesdiscus.com) and Hans' number (http://www.discushans.com) Or another guy Ryan (Orlando Discus). Take my word, too many people on this forum think they know discus when they don't have a clue.
 
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