Substrate for Discus Tank

P

pzuzu

AC Members
Sep 23, 2005
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Hello,

I actually have three questions. Any help would be appreciated!

1) Would Eco-Complete be okay for a discus tank? I would really like a dark bottom that allows me to grow plants. I'm pretty sure, however, that eco-complete affects the GH of water due to one of my other planted tanks' higher gh value at the end of the week when my tap water's gh value is 0dH. I know I gotta keep the GH and KH relatively low for Discus, so I should just use my regular tap water as it is 0gh 0kh and 6.8ph. But I'm not 100% positive on the Eco-Complete. I was also considering black tahitian moon sand, but I'm not sure how good that is to anchor plants down. Anyway, which one of these would you recommend? Or is there an even better choice? I really don't prefer the look of gravel, so I'm trying to avoid that.

2) How many Discus max could I house in a 55g? I was thinking 4-5? Or is that too many?

3) I was thinking of keeping this setup with a 2-65w compact fluorescent fixture for low-light plants. That would be a little above 2w/g. In your opinion, is this too bright for Discus, or should that be okay? All I'm really looking to grow are some vals, anubias, maybe a sword or two and lots and lots of driftwood, perhaps some cryps...no ferts, no c02. Will this lighting work? Should I go for even lower? Higher?

Okay, thanks for any help given!
Fernando
 
I am not a discus guy (yet) so I will not give advice on them. As far as lighting is concerned: If you do not want to add C02 or ferts it is better to keep your lighting down. More light = more C02 and ferts.
 
Eco-Complete contains iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, sulfur "plus over 25 other elements" so yes, it will elevate your gH. if you truly have zero kH, your water is going to pretty unstable with respect to pH ... i'd keep an eye on that.

i think an important point to be made here is you certainly don't need such numbers to successfully maintain a tank of Discus.

While i've never kept Discus or angels, I know of a fellow ACA member in Sacramento that raises Discus -- some 80 breeding pairs, that he keeps in water which is generally 8.0+. He did a number of experiments many years ago, moving pairs from one pH to another (i.e., 6.8 to 7.6 then to 8.0) to determine viability, tolerances, etc. His fish continued to spawn; albeit with a differing hatch rate, but they continued to perform. He also did the same with temperature tolerances and breeding, though I don't recall the numbers there, except to say that he kept his fish lower than what the books call for, and they bred with regularity.

I have read of an Angel and Discus breeder in Los Angeles who did not treat his water (ph a minimum of 7.8, with an average of 8.1 pH), but kept the building at 80°+, ran a drip irrigation method which changed 250% of the water daily on his fish, and he fed extremely well; he had between 15,000-20,000 angel fry a week going and a couple of hundred discus fry.

I've also read numerous accounts on the net and personally know a number of "Discus" guys that use what comes from their tap with good success.

Since few Discus are 'wild caught' anymore, and what is out in the hobby has
acclimated itself to what 'is', you can see significant variation in ranges for fish. Same goes for the 'angel'. The 'scalare' are fairly adaptable, only not succeeding at real extremes, while the newer 'altum' angels require attention to detail in their environment.

It appears that the major driving force in being able to breed most cichlids, including those such as discus or angels, which are "known to be temperamental", in any water is the water quality (lots of water changes/reduced nitrate/nitrite issues) and lots of food. Translate all that to good care.

So, keeping 'soft water' cichlids in other than 'Amazonian water' conditions can happen, and does, with more success than some would anticipate. To be sure, there are probably as many fish that cannot be spawned in other than their 'native' water chemistry as those that can ... but that number is decreasing every year.
 
Thanks for the info so far! So even if I use Eco-Complete for the plants, I don't have to worry about it affecting the Discus? How much exactly will it raise my GH? I have a planted aquarium with pressurized CO2 and my GH goes up from 0dGH to 5dGH...but I don't know how much of that is Eco-Complete, and how much of that is Equilibrium. Not to mention the extra magnesium and potassium from the ferts.

I just wanna make sure the discus won't be uncomfortable.

And I know that higher lights mean added CO2 and ferts...but I'm just wondering how high that should be. For instance, I'm planning 130w for a 55g, about a little over 2w/g. I don't have the fixture yet, but that's what I was planning. Actually, I don't have anything yet but am trying to gather as much info before purchasing anything for the tank.

I do however have the 55g tank already...so step one is completed. I basically am looking for good enough lighting to sustain a fair amount of low light plants, but not good enough for them to turbo-thrive and need the use of CO2 and ferts. I feel that those types of water conditions and additives might become a problem with Discus. I'm just stuck on wanting a more natural habitat.

Hmmm...well any more suggestions would be appreciated...including stocking number.

Thanks again!
 
I suspect you'll be fine with the eco complete.
I also suspect you will be getting young discus?

if that is the case you should feed them 3-5Xper day..as you should many young fish.
you should also expect to do a few water changes per week.

that said discus can and are raised in planted tanks. if you want a lot of light you should consider having cover for the fish too..discus prefer low light .

the 55 will be fine for 4-5 discus..the more the merrier.

I have my discus in a planted tank with angels..they do fine.

make sure the tank has been cycled or you have access to media from an established tank.
 
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