Stephanie

I have brutal green algae covering the front of the tank and keep forgetting to get decent blades to sort it out, but, even though it's  still not showing nitrates and I'm getting annoyed, it's starting to fill in. Lighting looks a little weird because one light is off to be checked and get new perspex. I'm super excited about this now, but I need some colour next!

FYI - The eheim 2010 is only hanging in there while I shuffle the other tanks around, just in case anyone is concerned about my filtration.

Thanks!
I'm pleased you think that about the hardscape, I've been halfway in the tank trying to make it appealing for the last two months ha ha. I sit and wonder what to shuffle next. Who even needs TV anymore? 
There is actually a window right next to the tank, so I did sort of anticipate a bit of extra algae growth from that. It's been going through some weird changes lately but now that's all that remains. No more stringy brown algae yay!!

Discus are hard to keep and not recommended for a beginner, especially as you say the only fish you have bred are platies and I suspect you didn't specifically breed them, they just did it all by themselves requiring nothing specific by you. This is not to put you down, just saying you have jumped from an easily bred fish to one that is a lot more difficult with specific requirements.
You seem to be going all over the place in your ideas for fish to breed. I suggest you sit down, decide exactly what fish (1 species) you would like to try first, then research to find out what conditions are required to be successful and if you are able to supply those conditions, or able to buy the fish for that matter.
You say you are short of time and money so your fish selection should keep this in mind. Discus will take more time as they require excellent water conditions all the time and plenty of water changes too. Good discus are not cheap and, if you want to breed fish, you should choose the best you can find, not the cheapest.
I know when you first start you get all excited and enthusiastic but if you jump in over your head, things will not go to plan and you will get disillusioned and give up and we don't want that. We want you to enjoy the hobby for years to come!
Something that is cheap to do, and easy since you live in Auckland with more constant higher summer temperatures, is to breed semi-tropical fish, like barbs, in a hard sided kiddie's swimming pool. I used to buy 6ft diameter ones from The Warehouse ($24.99 last time I bought one a few years ago) and set them up outside (in summer only as it is colder here in winter than where you are). Fill the pool with water and get a pile of oxygen weed from a local waterway somewhere (free). Add bunches to the pool and anchor each bunch with a rock. Once the temperature has warmed and stabilised at a minimum of 18C overnight, add the barbs and leave them to it. I have bred golden and Odessa and ruby barbs this way (not all at the same time in the same pool of course!)
I don't want to put you off, and it is good to see such enthusiasm, but step back and have a good think about what you want to do and what is required to do it, then RESEARCH before doing anything else. Continue to ask questions here by all means but read books, search for information and consider joining the local fish club if there is one near you.
Good luck

The algae on the glass is being caused by too much light getting to the front of the tank - could be indirect light so coming from a window across the other side of the room.  It looks very very good - your hardscape is beautiful imo and the plants are coming along well.

While we were going a bit made waiting for it to clear we took off all the panels we had built, painted them and made a hood for it. It was at this point I was beginning to feel a lot happier about how things were going.

While we were going a bit made waiting for it to clear we took off all the panels we had built, painted them and made a hood for it. It was at this point I was beginning to feel a lot happier about how things were going.

While we were going a bit made waiting for it to clear we took off all the panels we had built, painted them and made a hood for it. It was at this point I was beginning to feel a lot happier about how things were going.

I will be updating i'm sure, but magical tank has been sitting in my garage since 11pm last Tuesday while we wait on the lounge flooring to be done! Sooooo frustrating.
Ooopsy! I picked up the lights, bought my partner some dinner to win him over then persuaded him to just go and have a look at the tank...600kms later I came home very happy and organised a truck for a few days later hahaha. Auckland really does have all the good things, but I am sick of travelling and traffic!