Who Gives A Fish Forums

I'm setting up a 55-gallon tank for Discus but gotta keep costs low. Got a used Fluval 307 filter, sand substrate, and a basic heater. Water's at 82°F, pH 6.8. Feeding them frozen bloodworms and flakes. Any tips to save more without skimping on their needs? Worried about the filter being enough for bio load.

That filter's decent for a 55, but you'll wanna crank up water changes to 50% twice a week. Discus are messy, and cheaping out on filtration means more manual work. Grab a Python water changer, saves time. Also, skip the flakes, go for homemade beef heart mix. Cheaper long-term and way better for growth.

How old are your Discus? Juveniles need more protein, so beef heart's a solid call. I'd add some driftwood too, helps with pH and gives them hiding spots. Found mine at a local river, just boiled it. Saved like $50.

keeper wrote: ↑Wed Apr 16, 2025 12:59 pm That filter's decent for a 55, but you'll wanna crank up water changes to 50% twice a week. Discus are messy, and cheaping out on filtration means more manual work. Grab a Python water changer, saves time. Also, skip the flakes, go for homemade beef heart mix. Cheaper long-term and way better for growth.

Agreed. Also, test your tap water before changes. Some municipalities spike chlorine levels seasonally. A cheap API test kit beats losing fish to a random spike.

Y'all are overcomplicating it. Get a sponge filter for $15, toss in some live plants like Amazon swords, and call it a day. My Discus breed in that setup, no fancy gear. Just keep the water clean and feed them all well. Oh, and skip the bloodworms, they're like candy—fun but not a meal.

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I'll try the beef heart mix and up the water changes. Python's a bit pricey upfront, but if it saves time, worth it. Gonna check local groups for driftwood too.

jennyfish wrote: ↑Wed Apr 16, 2025 4:12 pm Y'all are overcomplicating it. Get a sponge filter for $15, toss in some live plants like Amazon swords, and call it a day. My Discus breed in that setup, no fancy gear. Just keep the water clean and feed them all well. Oh, and skip the bloodworms, they're like candy—fun but not a meal.

Sponge filters work, but they're ugly and need cleaning weekly. If you're cool with that, sure. But for a display tank, I'd stick with the Fluval. Just add a pre-filter sponge to catch gunk.

Plants are a game-changer. They soak up nitrates, so you can stretch water changes a bit. Java fern and anubias are bulletproof, no fancy lights needed. Just tie to driftwood with fishing line. My Discus love perching on the leaves.

If you're doing beef heart, freeze it in ice cube trays. Thaw one cube per feeding, no waste. Also, mix in some spirulina powder—cheap and boosts color. My red turquoises pop on that diet.

soup wrote: ↑Wed Apr 16, 2025 8:02 pm Plants are a game-changer. They soak up nitrates, so you can stretch water changes a bit. Java fern and anubias are bulletproof, no fancy lights needed. Just tie to driftwood with fishing line. My Discus love perching on the leaves.

True, but don't slack too much. Discus still need pristine water. My rule: if the TDS creeps over 200, time for a change. Cheap TDS meter is $10 on Amazon.