King of Freshwater !!

[jack]

Greetings of the Day,

As the topic name suggests we will be discussing about the often called king of freshwater fishes THE DISCUS fish.

Due to some reasons i have decided to stop keeping reef tanks and start back once again to fresh water tank.

I am planning to keep these fishes and have some queries on the same.

The plan is to keep the tank very simple and something that is easy to maintain.


System Objective : To keep it simple and classy yet low cost and easy to maintain

System Type : Discus Tank

System Controlled on : Timers

Planning Started on Date : As soon as i get rid of my reef tank

Display Tank : 6 X 2 X 2

Display Light : will use zetlight with out the blues and reds

Sump : 36 X 24 X 21

Sand : very fine white sand similar to marine

Rocks : river pebbles

Hardscape : Lots of Drift Woods

Filtration : have 4 blocks of marine pure eco blocks, 2 Algae Turf Scrubber, with some carbon (seachem matrix), once a while filter socks to clean the water, lots of jumbo size sponge filters in my sump, filter media like bio balls, sponge and stuff that i have

Water : RO Water

Display water circulation : 1 jumbo sponge filter with few air stones in display tank

Return Pump : 2 return pumps controlled with minimum flow

Plants : low light and hardy plants that can handle 30 degrees of temperature

any information left ??

Here are few of my queries

1) how much water change ?
---------People say 20% to 50% daily and some say 100% and even some say weekly water change. What is you the discus keepers experience. I dont want to breed it just want to grow them

2) which strain of discus ?
---------No wild caught again they need more maintenance

3) what size ?

4) how many nos of discus ?
---------Will be keeping only 2 strains of discus what ever may be, dont wann

5) which other fishes with discus to be kept ?
--------- I am aware of the few but dont wanna over stock the tank. My planning is to keep few bottom dewellers like cory's, Tetras, Pleco,

6) from whom ?
---------I know Shivas discus are much reputed when i was in freshwater but dont know the current scenerio as have not been in touch with the fresh water world of the hobby

Thank You very Much

Awaiting your positive reply.

[sushant]

was reading something about them yesterday and the only useful information i can provide is :adults are much easier to keep and maintain, fries and juvi. require regular water change and constant parameters

[jack]

Yeah i agree adults are better to keep
I am looking at 4-5 inch specimens not bigger

But what i feel is looking at my size of tank, volume and filteration less waterchange will be acceptable

Any idea on the algae turf scrubber on discus tank ??

[KarthikC]

Moved to appropriate section. Any update on your tank?

Cheers,

Karthik


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jack]

Thank you very much

A small update.

Tank is in cycling mode, its been aquascaped and running with 6 hours lights on. Have ditcher fishes in sump for cycling. Have ordered discus and shall be here next week. Till than praying for heat to reduce. Its 46-47 degrees ans according to reports it ll even go worse the coming week.

1 thing i would like to ask the TDS in my TDH pen shows 300-350 is it ok to house 4 inch specimens of discus ?

Thank you

[SCORPIO]

1) how much water change ?
---------People say 20% to 50% daily and some say 100% and even some say weekly water change. What is you the discus keepers experience. I dont want to breed it just want to grow them

I kept discus in planted tank. I changed 50% water twice a week. Please use stored water.

2) which strain of discus ?
---------No wild caught again they need more maintenance

All the discus need regular maintenance. In low maintenance some of discus infested with peppering easily. Blue strains are best and do not appear peppering. So go for blue strains.

3) what size ?

3 to 4 inch need less attention.

4) how many nos of discus ?
---------Will be keeping only 2 strains of discus what ever may be, dont wann

Always keep discus in odd numbers. Once I was talking to Shiva to eliminate aggressiveness.

5) which other fishes with discus to be kept ?
--------- I am aware of the few but dont wanna over stock the tank. My planning is to keep few bottom dewellers like cory's, Tetras, Pleco,

I never advice you to keep other fishes in discus tank. They are slow eaters. If you keep other fast eaters, they will consume food and discus will not get their full diet.

If you want to keep other fishes, keep cory cats.

6) from whom ?
---------I know Shivas discus are much reputed when i was in freshwater but dont know the current scenerio as have not been in touch with the fresh water world of the hobby


Shiva is the best person. He also provides helps.

[jack]

Thank You Rajivji

1) had booked my discus at Shivas only so not to worry about.

2) keeping cardinals, L46 and few Cory for the tank

3) i am not doing planted tank, just sand, wood and may be floating plant Amazon Frogbit

[jack]

here is the picture of the tank



with my little piece of ocean

[SCORPIO]

Looking nice. Add more woods, if you have. Almond leaves will also beneficial.

[jack]

Thank you. I like the tank with less wood.
As more open space for discus to move around and also easy to maintain.
The right wood placement have been changed a bit after cleaning of the fungus.
Also have few jumbo stones lying with me but dont wanna keep it.

After the syphoning i feel there are dead spots in the tank.
Shall i use wavemaker on the tank on timers ?