AQUARIUMSUPPLIESNZ Posted April 2, 2014 Report Share Posted April 2, 2014 I thought I'd start a topic on plants suitable in a discus aquarium. I have been unable to find anything similar NZ specific... The main purpose is to gain some understanding on members experience with plants in a discus tank. Given the temperatures discus are kept, most plants just melt away in the heat. I have had success with Indian Fern, Amazon sword, anubias barteri, java moss & some others. Would appreciate some feedback on your experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godly3vil Posted April 2, 2014 Report Share Posted April 2, 2014 I kept so many different types of plants in my discus tank with great success. If you search for my tank build thread you should be able to get some idea of which ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 Same as Godly3vil. If you search my name back from mid 2012 to about the end of 2009 you will see the many plants in my discus tank ( details are in the posts but a few pics are attached here. The ones I have in with my discus atm are anubias (nana petite, nana and anubias barteri ), 3 or 4 sorts of crypts,magdalensis chain sword, glosso, rotala macaranda, windelov fern and christmas moss. I don't recall ever having a plant melt due to the extra heat in the tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AQUARIUMSUPPLIESNZ Posted April 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 Appreciate your responses and I have had a look. Godly3vil! OMG! I have seen that huge tank you have built! I am stuck with a little 350L and the wife will not allow bigger, but you have now inspired me to work on the boss lady in adding a biiig one. Adrienne, would you be able to confirm whether your results achieved are with excel dosing or with the help of a CO2 pressurised system? I have found my glosso and pennywort did not do well in the heat at all. That was mainly due to a rookie error at the time, since then subsequent research have shown these do not like warm temperatures (28+) at all. From what I can work out I face another issue and that is the need for a pressurised CO2 system, as opposed to the continued Excel and Flourish dosing. My results are very good and my plants are flourishing, but I want great results. I am looking at adding a pressurised CO2 system with PH controller. Really love the results achieved with these, but I find the cost for this equipment a little unpallatable in NZ. It appears importing these is a challenge too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godly3vil Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 It's really not that expensive to set up a pressurized co2 rig, everything apart from the cylinder you can import from fish-street.com and if you didn't want to shell out a few $100 for the cylinder you can just rent one from boc for around $15/month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamH Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 I am looking at adding a pressurised CO2 system with PH controller. Really love the results achieved with these, but I find the cost for this equipment a little unpallatable in NZ. It appears importing these is a challenge too... You don't need a pH controller, this just complicates things. All you need is a regulator with solenoid needle valve, a diffuser and some CO2 tubing. Then buy a cylinder for $200-$300, not particularly expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camtang Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 I am currently keeping my plants at around 28-29 as I am planning on adding discus. They are mainly swords, with a couple of lotus some starr grass, and floating indian fern. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AQUARIUMSUPPLIESNZ Posted April 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 What a pleasant surprise! I will be ordering this shortly. Appreciate the feedback. I see the regulators are chinese made. Very cheap... I hope there is no end of tank dump issues with these... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamH Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 I see the regulators are chinese made. Very cheap... I hope there is no end of tank dump issues with these... You'd be hard pressed to find anything affordable that isn't Chinese made, doesn't mean they're not good regulators. I've had success with two regulators from fish-street. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AQUARIUMSUPPLIESNZ Posted April 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 Done. I have purchased the items. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 In this tank no CO2, and only T8 lights. The tank is 60cm deep. Substrate was Daltons propagating sand and Daltons Aquatic mix. Very little excel either discus really don't like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fmueller Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 In this tank no CO2, and only T8 lights. That is super impressive - especially the lawn look you have achieved in the foreground. All my tanks used to be T8 and no CO2. I have never been able to pull that off, and it hasn't been for the lack of trying! I eventually convinced myself that CO2 would be needed to achieve that look, but apparently not! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 That front plant is sagittaria microfolia - I do not know if it is available in NZ any more - the chch earthquakes put paid to the main grower of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted April 5, 2014 Report Share Posted April 5, 2014 viewtopic.php?f=2&t=61317 viewtopic.php?f=4&t=45578 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AQUARIUMSUPPLIESNZ Posted April 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2014 Phoenix44, those are pretty inspirational pics! You definately have the gift for aquascaping. I can see you have used a pressurised CO2 system with multiple filtration systems, I am really impressed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted April 7, 2014 Report Share Posted April 7, 2014 Thanks. IIRC the last pic (densely planted) was all DIY CO2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
si_sphinx Posted April 7, 2014 Report Share Posted April 7, 2014 A few people on here have had great success keeping a fully planted tank at 28-30deg c. High light, ferts, co2 and and a dedicated tank owner is all u need. My tank build is on here somewhere too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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