Please help, planning a new discus tank.

[mrFluffy]

I've had a long break from discus - decades, in fact. Since then, I've had my fair share of other tanks - arowana, severum, African cichlids, and even a planted tank with small fish. But discus? Not for a long time. Now I'm planning to get back into it. Please, feel free to critique my plans:

First off, my water company uses chlorine, and the water isn't too hard with a pH of 7.6-7.8.

My setup: a 120g planted tank (72" x 20" x 24") made of glass.
I'll be using two foam filters driven by air pumps for filtration.
For water changes, I'll have a continuous drip with an inline chlorine filter. I'm thinking of using a 2g/hour irrigation emitter with a timer set to 6 hours a day. Based on my calculations, this will give me 41 gallons of original water left in the tank at the end of the week, with 59% new water. The total water change will be 12g/day, which is 84g per week. The discharged water will go into a plastic drum, which I'll use to water my garden.

The substrate will be small black gravel, and I'm thinking of a 6" thick layer.

I haven't decided on lighting yet, but I do know I'll be using CO2.
Tank decor will include driftwood and big rocks.
As for plants, I'm still undecided - any suggestions?

Temperature-wise, my house stays at a constant 78F in the summer and around 70F in the winter. I'd like to keep the tank at 78-80F.

I'm planning to keep 4-6 discus, max 8, but probably 6.
Tankmates will include 8 cory, 4 SAE, and 4-6 ottos.

For dithers, I'm still undecided. I love zebra danios, but can they handle 80F? I think platies might have the same problem?

I'm assuming discus don't do well with changes in water parameters, which is why people do daily water changes instead of weekly ones. I'm hoping my daily drip of 12 gallons of fresh water will keep the water parameters fairly constant. Ideally, I'd prefer to do 8g per day or 56g/week - roughly 50% of the 120g tank.

Any help is appreciated.

[seaquake]

Re: Please help, planning a new discus tank.

1. I'd recommend using a conditioner to remove chlorine from your water, as aging alone might not be enough. Your pH range looks good though.

2. I've considered the challenges of keeping a planted tank with discus, especially during their growth period. Regular maintenance will be crucial to maintaining pristine water conditions.

3. With a planted tank and a decent bio-load, I'm starting to think that sponges alone might not be enough for filtration. Perhaps a more robust system like the FX6 would be more suitable for a tank of this size.

4. I've calculated my water changes based on a continuous drip system, but I appreciate your point about the potential for a higher water turnover rate. I'll need to monitor this closely.

5. I'm aware of the potential risks associated with a thick substrate, including parasites and bacteria. Regular cleaning will be essential to mitigate these risks. And yes, the black substrate might affect the coloration of my discus.

6. I appreciate your advice on CO2 usage. I'll need to ensure that I have the necessary lighting and nutrients to support fast plant growth.

7. No issues with the driftwood and rocks.

8. I'm still undecided on plants, but I appreciate your suggestion to look for species that can thrive at warmer temperatures.

9. I've set my temperature range between 78-80F, but I'll consider adjusting it to 82F for the benefit of my discus.

10. I'm planning to start with 6 discus, but I might consider adding a few more and culling the weaker ones later.

11. I'll make sure to choose corys that can handle warmer water.

12. Tetras might be a good option for dither fish, I'll look into that.

Thanks for sharing your opinion, I appreciate your insights.

I'm planning to get juvenile discus and grow them out in this tank. Would you recommend starting them in a smaller, bare-bottom tank instead?

[mrFluffy]

Re: Please help, planning a new discus tank.

Hi seaquake,

1. I'm planning to use an inline chlorine filter to handle the chlorine issue.
2. I agree with you, growing discus in a planted tank can be challenging, so I'm considering alternatives like an Angel fish tank.
3. I'm open to suggestions for additional or different filters, as I want to ensure the best possible water quality for my discus.
4. I used a water change calculator to determine the amount of water I need to change daily, which is around 12 gallons.
5. Thanks for the info on the color change with black substrate, I'll keep that in mind when choosing my discus.
6. Noted on the CO2, I'll make sure to have the right lighting and nutrients before using it.
9. I understand that 82F is a better temperature for discus, which might limit my options for tankmates.
10. I'll keep that in mind when deciding on the number of discus to get.
11. I'll make sure to choose corys that can handle warmer water.
12. I'd love some recommendations on tetra species that can thrive in my tank.

I'm planning to buy 3-4" discus, do you think that's a good size to start with?

[paddlepop]

Re: Please help, planning a new discus tank.

Hi mrFluffy, I came across this older article on water changes that might interest you - it's from Simply Discus, and it discusses a formula for water changes. Worth a read, I think.