Help Deciding on Appropiate Heater and Filter..etc

[BrkD]

Hey everyone,

I decided on getting a 55g juvenile discus tank. The water quality would have to be pristine and very soft. Winter is here and it gets pretty cold in my living room.I want the temperature to be no less than 84 degrees in the tank.

So should I get two 100w or two 150w Visi Therm Stealth heaters? or can i get one 250w heater?

The filter Im getting is either two Marineland Emperor 400 or one Emperor 400 and a Ehiem Classic 2215. Which cominnation should i go with? answer is kinda obvious but I'm on a budget. Would two Emperor 400s do the job or would you guys go with the canister?

Besides an R/O Unit. What other way can i get soft water?

 

[Rbishop]

for me....

Two of the 150 watt heaters.

One Emperor 400 and the 2215.

Combination of peat and driftwood.

 

[Shelby_Tempo_GT]

if cost is an issue, go with a Rena instead of the Eheim.


I also favor multiple heater units.

 

[wesleydnunder]

I wouldn't use ro/di to reduce TDS. Juvenile discus actually grow better in harder water. The only time you need to worry about making the water soft and acid is at spawning time, or if you're keeping actual wild-caught discus. I keep mine in aged tapwater; ph 7.6, kh 16, gh 21. I agree Bob on filtration and heaters.

Mark