How long should my tank be set up.

[kclarke]

Hi,

Even though I have set up tanks successfully before I am a bit more nervous this time as I want to put in Discus and everyone says they can be touchy.

I'm using an undergravel filter and would like to know if this is alright for these fish or should I use another sort as well?

I was hoping to purchase some Discus later this week, but don't want to do so too early if the tank is not OK.

Also should I also purchase some bottom feeders first to start the bacterial action of the filter?

Only other question at the moment is:

Warren mentioned that I should only keep 2 pair in the tank, but I was thinking of getting young fish and maybe about 8 to see which ones might pair off. If this is not a good idea please advise.

Thanks for all your help so far

[Bruce]

Hi Karen

I kept 6 Discus in a 4 ft tank with U/g Filtration with no problems at all

They were all brought as young ones and put into a fairly established tank

Just have fun with them they are a beautiful fish that will fight occasionally so just make sure they can hide somewhere if they have to

We kept ours in the lounge and they absolutely love the company

Hope this helps a little bit

/Bruce

[Warren]

Hi Karen,

Discus like very clean water and lots of water changes. The better you make their environment, the more colourful they will be. Many top breeder do 90% water changes twice a day! (Too much work if you ask me).

Undergravel is fine, but you won't get the best success growing plants. You should also seriously consider getting and external canister filter to keep the water quality at a maximum.

I'd wait at least 3 more weeks before getting any discus. Certainly get a few bottom dwellers to kick start things. They will also come in valuable later. Discus are voratious eaters of meaty type foods. They often tend to waste bits of food. Bottom dwellers are good to clean up. This is also why a good external canister filter is important. An undergravel just will not keep up with the loading.

Whether you get a canister filter or not, I'd allow 3 weeks minimum to let the biological cycle complete before adding fish. If you do get a canister filter, start the 3 weeks from when you connect it in. Discus are expensive at the best of times. Do not rush the cycling of a tank. Dead discus will not only be costly, but dissapointing as well. If you add a biological starter culture it often kick starts things and can reduce the cycle time by a week, sometimes two. I just use dirt from the garden as it contains the same bacteria. It makes the water a bit cloudy for a day, but it clears.

Discus are amazingly hardy. They are just a bit picky. To be at their very best they need the best of conditions. They will survive ok in less than optimal conditions, but you may be dissapointed if the clours do not show well.

I've purchased or rescued a few discus from people who put them into community tanks. Sometimes thay are fine in community tanks, but mostly they turn grey and lose most of their colour. Once put back into a discus only tank they colour up again with about 3 months.

[Warren]

Bruce's setup was really good. I bought 2 of his fish at the club auction when he decided to change his tank style. They are great fish, strong colours and big - I've still got them.

Don't let me put you off keeping them. They can look really good in a setup like Bruces, all I'm saying is if you want to guarantee results its best to do it the way that is known to work.

[Bruce]

:lol:

[kclarke]

Thanks Guys,

3 weeks at least it is. In the meantime I will read, listen and learn.

Unfortunately I do have a job to go to as well so 90% twice a day might be a bit much for me also. What would be the the best amount to change and how often to keep them nice and happy.

Don't worry, you have not and will not put me off this little challenge, because I think they are absolutely beautiful and really want to give it my best shot. I will invest in an outside canister but that will have to come later I'm afraid.

No doubt, like last time I'll end up with more tanks (it's already going around in my head). Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, room to keep them here is at a premium so I want to make the best of this one first, have fun with it and enjoy just looking at them in my Loungeroom. The TV won't be on as much.

In the meantime I'll get some bottom feeders to start things happening.

Another thing do you know anything about 'GEO LIQUID' and does it work?

Thanks again

[Warren]

Hi Karen,

I'd do 30-50% once a week if you can manage it. The fish will like it.

I have used Geo-Liquid. As far as I can tell it is mainly a floculant. What floculants do is bind particles into larger groups called flocs. The filter can more easily and quickly remove the larger partilces. It works well to clear cloudy water, although it initially makes it really cloudy. I beleive it claims some other magic qualities as well. It probably adds some trace elements or other additives that may make the environment for the fish temporarily better. It seems pretty expensive for what it does. A small bottle of aqua-clear does the same job of clearing the water.

[kclarke]

Hi Warren,

I took your advice and purchased another filter. Even though it is not the external cannister, as I said that will have to wait a bit longer, it is one that connects to the side of the tank and should work fairly well. It has a hose going outside to utilise the air and blows a bit of stream into the tank, but next question is: will the discus like their water moving that much or do they like quieter water? Hopefully you know what I mean.

It's great to have a site where you can ask these questions, sometimes books give conflicting information. Next on the purchase list are the books you recommended ( I have bought one).

Thanks again

[Warren]

Discus don't mind very gentle water flow. If the return water creates a strong current, that will be ok as long as other areas of the tank have a gentle flow. If you put Tetras in the tank they will like the water flow. They will probably spend hours playing in it.

Discus also like lots of plants. If they have good hiding places in the tank they feel secure. They know they have a retreat and usually spend more time out front. My tank is very densly planted. You cannot see the back through the plants in most places. The discus know they can hide and sometimes do. If they are hiding you often cannot see any of them at all! Most of the time they are out in the front of the tank looking very happy and relaxed.