Who Gives A Fish Forums

I'm setting up a new 75-gallon tank for my Discus and can't decide on substrate. Sand seems clean but might lack nutrients, while gravel's easier to clean but traps debris. What's your experience with either? My tank's got a Fluval 407, temp at 84°F, and I do 30% water changes twice a week. Plants are minimal, just some Java Fern and Anubias.

Sand's the way to go, imo. It's gentler on their delicate barbels and looks more natural. I've had mine on fine white sand for a year, zero issues. Just gotta stir it during water changes to prevent dead spots. My crew's thriving, 6 adults in a 90-gallon with a pair of Eheim filters.

Gravel's sketchy for Discus, man. Traps way too much gunk unless you're vacuuming daily. I switched to pool filter sand after my last batch got fin rot, and it's been smooth sailing. Tank's at 82°F, weekly 40% changes, and I dose with Seachem Flourish for the Amazon swords.

Coralite wrote: ↑Tue May 06, 2025 5:39 pm Sand's the way to go, imo. It's gentler on their delicate barbels and looks more natural. I've had mine on fine white sand for a year, zero issues. Just gotta stir it during water changes to prevent dead spots. My crew's thriving, 6 adults in a 90-gallon with a pair of Eheim filters.

Yep, second this! My Discus dig in sand like they're at the beach. Using CaribSea Super Naturals, and it's chill for plants too. Running a 120-gallon with CO2, and the Cardinals love it.

Anyone tried bare bottom? I'm lazy with maintenance, and my 55-gallon's got just a sponge filter. Fish seem fine, but it's kinda ugly. Temp's steady at 83°F, feed them frozen bloodworms twice a day.

Bare bottom's efficient but stressful long-term. Discus need substrate to exhibit natural behaviors. I use a 1-inch layer of ADA Amazonia in my 100-gallon, paired with a canister filter and weekly 50% changes. pH stays at 6.8, and the Rams coexist peacefully.

soup wrote: ↑Tue May 06, 2025 10:06 pm Anyone tried bare bottom? I'm lazy with maintenance, and my 55-gallon's got just a sponge filter. Fish seem fine, but it's kinda ugly. Temp's steady at 83°F, feed them frozen bloodworms twice a day.

Bare bottom's a no-go for me. Had a pair stop breeding until I added sand. Now they're back to laying eggs every fortnight. Tank's 75-gallon, temp 85°F, with a UV sterilizer for algae control.

Dark sand mimics their natural habitat best. I use Estes Marine Sand in my 180-gallon, and the colors pop. Filtration's handled by dual FX6s, and I change 25% water daily for fry. Adults get beef heart mix every morning, brine shrimp at night.

Thanks for the input, everyone. Leaning toward sand now, probably the CaribSea Super Naturals. Gonna pair it with more plants and see how it goes.

Sand's def the move, dude. My Discus are way more active since I swapped from gravel. Running a 125-gallon with a sump, temp at 83.5°F, and they're growing like weeds. Feed 'em a mix of pellets and frozen mysis, with the occasional cucumber slice for the plecos.