The Great White Hand

Hi Jolliolli I have five discus in an AR980 (215ltr), which is the most I would put in such a tank (it has the Wet/dry filter that comes with it and I added a Aqua One CF1200 with 1500m2/ltr media) My discus are: a 8cm Checkerboard and 6cm San Merah from Redwood Aquatics, gorgeous fish $120 each; a 4cm Turq from John at Organism for $48 and 2 Sunrise at 10cm and 6cm from Robert who is a member of this forum and a highly ruptable breeder of long-standing. His breeding and display set-ups are awesome. I'm not sure about a few discus though, I had the San Merah first, then had to have the checkerboard (beautiful fish!). Then it was out of my hands, I needed more fish to diffuse the aggression, a 10cm sunrise, then I needed to protect the San Merah, so the little turq was added, then to try and protect the San Merah further another smaller sunrise and there is still a bit of agro in the tank, fuelled by the most aggressive dwarf gourami in the world. Regards, TGWH

Hi Southerngirl I'm an idiot, disregard the following advice you specified female bettas! My only fish fatality was a beautiful male betta I put in a well planted 215 ltr AR980 with a dwarf gourami. I know there are exceptions to the rule but most of what I've read and my own experience suggest that male bettas and male dwarf gouramies don't co-habit well. Regards, TGWH

Hi Does anyone have experience with the "Green Killing Machine 9W UV Sterilizer" that they could share? I've had very mild cases of green water usually from overfeeding and letting too much sunlight into the tank but am quite keen on the fact that UV sterilizers might protect my discus from "ich" and other diseases? Regards, TGWH

Hi My cleanup crew is a BN, 8 ottos, 2 Siamese Algae Eaters and some corys who forage through top of the substrate. They certainly deal to algae, and are great fish to keep. Regards, TGWH

Hi Afrikan WOW! I look forward to seeing the updates. Regards, TGWH

Hi Love your pictures. Great idea Reef!

Hi Markoshark Yes, Siamese algae eaters (authentic ones) and Seachem's Flourish Excel, should deal to it. Regards, TGWH

Hi Dimebag, Luke, Discusguru Thank you for the positive feedback and advice, coming from you this is real kudos indeed. I will try and get some better photos with a good camera. Regards, TGWH

Hi Meeshelly I had the same "leaky-tap" problem with my CF1200. I have heard of too many of these for it to be a coincidence. I bought mine from John at Organism, of course he replaced the taps in a flash as you would expect from CHCH's premier LFS. Get new taps, don't use a stop-gap measure like vaseline. I'm sure you will get a positve response from the folk you bought it from! Regards, TGWH

Hi I have an Aqua One AR980. It is extensively planted (variety of swords, crypts, cambomba, anubias, java ferns on driftwood, java moss, dwarf saggitaria, pigmy chain sword, saurarus, straight and twisted vals, glassos, and some others) on JBL,s aquabase and populated with: 1 San Merah Discus (5-6cm), 1 checkerboard Discus (6-7cm), 1 golden Sunrise Discus (8-9cm), 1 Red Turq discus(3-4cm) Blue Ram pair, 1 Dwarf Gourami, 6 Corys, 1 Brstlenose, 8 Otto's, 2 SAEs, 16 neons and 18 harlequins. I use floursih excel, iron and fertiliser, and cycle regularly. I use carban, purigen and phosguard as a bit of a precaution as I probably overfeed, particularly the discus as they seem hungry all the time (tatra colourbits, premium flake, Fd daphinia, bloodworms. and frozen blodworms and discus mix from Redwood Aquatics) Water runs at 27.5 - 28.2c, water parameters good. Water changes 2-3 @ 30% per week. I am currently running the AR980 filter (2000ltr/p/hr), and an Aqua One CF1200 canister. I have got some new lighting, based on what I've read from this site (Arcadia, 2 x 30, 1 x 25, 2 natural 8000k, CRI 1A, and moonlight) Regards, TGWH

Hi I would appreciate your input, I'm starting to feel my tank is getting overfull and I'm still a litle unsure how much to feed. Touch wood, I've had no problems so far fish appear very vital. I have an Aqua One AR980 (gross 215ltr, probably more like 180 net ltr) It is extensively planted (variety of swords, crypts, cambomba, anubias, java ferns on driftwood, java moss, dwarf saggitaria, pigmy chain sword, saurarus, straight and twisted vals, glassos, and some others) on JBL,s aquabase and populated with: 1 San Merah Discus (5-6cm), 1 checkerboard Discus (6-7cm), 1 golden Sunrise Discus (8-9cm), 1 Red Turq discus(3-4cm) Blue Ram pair, 1 Dwarf Gourami, 6 Corys, 1 Brstlenose, 8 Otto's, 2 SAEs, 16 neons and 18 harlequins. I use floursih excel, iron and fertiliser, and cycle regularly. I use carban, purigen and phosguard as a bit of a precaution as I probably overfeed, particularly the discus as they seem hungry all the time (tatra colourbits, premium flake, Fd daphinia, bloodworms. and frozen blodworms and discus mix from Redwood Aquatics) Water runs at 27.5 - 28.2c, water parameters good. Water changes 2-3 @ 30% per week. I am currently running the AR980 filter (2000ltr/p/hr), and an Aqua One CF1200 canister. I have got some new lighting, based on what I've read from this site (Arcadia, 2 x 30, 1 x 25, 2 natural 8000k, CRI 1A, and moonlight) Regards, TGWH

Hi Luke Question aimed at CHCH buyers who might be interested in your discus (Green Teffe x Royal Red on TM) or these melons. Any CHCH buyers who would like to go in on shipping some discus to CHCH (assuming you're willing of course?)? I think I saw some of your discus with Rob T.? How big are the melons now? When might you be looking at selling them? Regards, TGWH

Hi Nav Welcome to the FNZAS forum! I'm doing the planted Discus tank thing and am a somewhat aberrant for a forum member as I only have one tank set up. Regards, TGWH

Hi FISH LUVA How big? and how much might you be looking for ? Regards, TGWH

Hi jolliolli Your tank is looking great! What have you used as the background? How many litres (300)? Are you going to put more fish in? You know this beautiful planted tank is screaming out for Discus (I've now got three in my planted AR980). Regards, TGWH

Hi Loopy Keep up the good work! Sorry can't make it as we're going to Blenheim for my mums birthday. For about 6 years we virtually never CHCH as we had a beautiful English Cocker Spaniel who had epilepsy and seperation issues who didn't travel and required a lot of attention. We lost her at the beginning of January and I guess we have been making up for lost time. We do hope to catch up with you soon. Regards, TGWH

Hi Aquarium Dude Can only reiterate what others are saying regards establishing substrate. In my AR980 I used JBL's Aqua Basis (20mm) and a really nice fine dark gravel from John at Organism at about 40mm. If you're going planted you've got to get it right from the ground up. Regards, TGWH

Hi penguinleo I'm loving your tank! I have gone down the planted line and was very keen on more dwarf cichlids (I've seen pictures of yours plus some you had from TM), but have stuck with my one beautiful ram pair and bought my first (of 5) discus. I lovely San Merah called lucy. Will post some pictures of my set-up when I get my act together. Regards, TGWH

Hi I would appreciate your opinions. My new San Merah discus has been in the tank about 48 hrs, is eating well and is showing ok colour, but he/she is laying pretty low in a 30cm x25cm grotto of plants and driftwood with a large sword in the middle. He/she has been out into the main part of the tank 10-12 times I'm aware of. Hovering above the sword plant is the dwarf gourami, not actually being aggressive as such, they have shared meals under the sword with no obvious agression. I thought about putting the DG into isolation, but don't want to stress it by overreacting? Regards, TGWH

Hi Needed to share this - today I bought my first Discus, a beautiful Checkerboard. You can admire it out at Redwood Aquatics, I though a fish of its magnificence should be on public display so its directly in front of the door. Truth is I haven't told my wife and am trying to figure out what to do with it - but you must understand I had to have it! My tanks ready I think, but not sure whether to start with the one or add some others, there is an awesome San Merah out at RA too. Yours incorrigibly TGWH

Hi I would appreciate your opinions on feeding! I feed my fish in the morning: 2 pinches (1/2- 1 teaspoon) JBL Gala flake 1/2 teaspoon JBL freeze/dryed boodworms 1/2 teaspoon JBL f/d Daphinia 2 tabs JBL plecochips 2 tabs JBL novatabs (broken into quarters) Given the fish below, do you think this seems too much, too little, about right? The fish seem to eat for about 10 mins or so maximum. I have an AR980 which has been set up for about 3 months. It is extensively planted (variety of swords, crypts, cambomba, anubias, java ferns on driftwood, java moss, dwarf saggitaria, pigmy chain sword, saurarus, straight and twisted vals, glassos, and some others) and moderately populated (Blue Ram pair, 1 Dwarf Gourami, 6 Corys, 1 Brstlenose, 7 Ottos, 16 neons and 20 harlequins.) I am currently running the AR980 filter and a Aqua One CF1200, with Purigen, carbon and Phos-guard. The water chemistry appears good (0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, Ph 7, no nitrates and very low phosphates, probably gone with Phos-guard). I do 25% water changes twice a week, and am using Flourish and Flourish excel for the plants. Thank you in anticipation! TGWH

Hi Thanks for the advice! I think I will rinse rather than change the wool in future and I 've heard good things about bio-max so will look into that as well. I currently use Purigen, Carbon and Phos-guard (I suspect I overfeed a bit so want to take phosphates out of the equation) as well as the sponges, noodles and bioballs. Regards, TGWH

Hi slimNZ My tank is extensively planted (variety of swords, crypts, cambomba, anubias, java ferns on driftwood, java moss, dwarf saggitaria, pigmy chain sword, saurarus, straight and twisted vals, glassos, and some others) and moderately populated (Blue Ram pair, 1 Dwarf Gourami, 6 Corys, 1 Brstlenose, 7 Ottos, 2 SAEs, 16 neons and 20 harlequins. I change the filter wool frequently but dont interfere with the ceramic noodles or bio-balls in either filter. Any comments most welcome Regards, TGWH

Hi In my CF1200 I use the same configuration as JoandWilly, which is what Aqua One recommend. I,ve probably got mine overstuffed with filter wool though, which I change every 2 weeks I'm a little disappointed in the clearness of my water, I'm running the CF1200 and an inbuilt 2000ltr/per hr wet/dry in my AR980, I've got carbon and Purigen, yet my water is still a bit flecky when you put your face up to the glass? I've put a little foam in thw wet/dry outlet to stop it stirring up the water so much. Chemically water chemistry is grest, Its a mystery to me! Regards, TGWH

Hi My dwarf gourami killed my beatiful betta in a well-planted 215l tank several months ago when i started keeping fish. My posthumous research suggested gouramies and betta are not a safe bet (there are plenty of exceptions that prove the rule! and there are many ways to manage instinctive aggression). I researched before I bought the betta, but allowed myself to swayed by an ill informed staff member at A*******. Regards, Guy