what do i need for a discus tank set up?

rkc772

Fire Eel
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Jan 2, 2006
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i'm thinking of having some discus in my 180 gal tank. it just finish cycling and i have two 8" ornate and two wide bar datnoids. was planning to put some discus in it. i have quite a current on both end of the tank. would discus love water currents? and what else would i need to keep them tip top shape. many internet website has been saying r/o water, everyday water change, and all sorts of stuff. just want to enjoy discus. is it really hard to keep them?:(
 

shermans

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Jan 29, 2006
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First you need a lot of filtration. (sorry I cant spell) thay dont like a lot of current thay get push aroud a lot being so tall and thin. Second some pepole well say Im not changing the water as much as I should but thay are happy I do about 50% once some times twice a week.
Thay can be harder than ather fish. Just keep the tank clean and dont over feed it will meen more water changes for you. I use an XP3 filter on my 50gal tank. I have strang Discus thay would not eat beef hart (but I dont think you need to unless you are planing on breeding them) mine love omag 3 flake food and blood worms. get 3 or more Discus so thay will school. Dont be scared if thay stay hiden tell thay get use to the tank keep the ph around 6 or so dont let it get above 7ph so if you tap has a high ph use part RIO water. For me it is simpel I was useing 1/4 RIo but it made it too soft out of my tap it is 6 to 6.5 so I dont have to do much. But it makes it hard to keep african's
 

Oddball

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Apr 27, 2005
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The pH and temp you'd need for discus will cause stress to your polys and dats. Discus require very soft water with a pH of near 6 and a temp of 82F to 84F. Polys and dats prefer temps of 80F down to 77F and neutral (7.0) to alkaline (7.5 and up) pH.
 

carpediem

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
You need knowledge and experience...

This is not a wise-crack and I'm not being a jerk. You need to do your homework or you'll only end up a frustrated discus owner.

Good filtration
Test Kit
Ample space
Enough heater wattage to attain 85-86 degrees F
Place to hold change water
Access to soft acidic water (RO system?)
Ability and Willingness to do water changes

That's pretty much all it takes.
 

Chad55

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Jun 10, 2005
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I don't know too much about discus but I know that discus are very lazy eaters and that might be a problem with the fish you named. I think it is more personality of the individual fish though.

Chad
 

Carl D

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Jan 2, 2006
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You need knowledge and experience...

This is not a wise-crack and I'm not being a jerk. You need to do your homework or you'll only end up a frustrated discus owner.

Good filtration
Test Kit
Ample space
Enough heater wattage to attain 85-86 degrees F
Place to hold change water
Access to soft acidic water (RO system?)
Ability and Willingness to do water changes

That's pretty much all it takes.
:iagree:
This guys talking sense.If you do the hard work before you buy any, you won't have to do as much any when you have bought them.

By no means do you means do you need to do a water change everyday. In the 125L i change 8L a week, thats all and they are all in tip top shape. I have a lot of filtration though so that might be why i dont change as much water. I still think that maintaining a constant in your water levels is better tyhan constantly changing water. If they are shy try putting in some little tetras to make them feel more confident, or plants.
 

upaquariest

Feeder Fish
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Jun 26, 2006
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Filtration is key I am using a aqua clear 110 on a 55 gallon with 1 discus and several angels, I do every month and other than that just refill the 5 gallons or so that evaporates off the discus is vibrant active and is quickly becoming the dominant fish in the tank at feeding time even the angels which are more than twice its size give it room to eat
 

teamdynasty691

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jun 24, 2006
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I do one or 2 75-80 percent w/cs every week. I feed them whenever i want normally 3-6 times a day. Keep the water at around 86 degrees. My tank is a 75 gallon with 6 discus in there and a motoro stingray with a xp3 for filtration. There not as hard as people say. Im fifteen and it is easy for me to take care of them. There great fish to own. Dont worry about people saying there hard. Discus can adapte to harder more alkaline water pretty easy. My tap water is 7.4 and soft and i just use water straight out of the tap with no problems.
 

Mr.Geoff

Feeder Fish
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Jan 17, 2004
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man seeing you guys doing this huge weekly water changes makes me head hurt. i have done i think maybe 2 water changes since may in my planted discus tank. everything in there is fine and dandy. fish are growing, eating well, not sick. but i guess its all in the etups. i could see in a BB tank maybe doing the weekly water changes but i prolley wouldnt do anything over 50%. but its just finding out what works for you and sticking with it

if you keep juvinile discus you actually want the pH at like 7.2-7.4 or so cause it helps them grow faster. there are more minerals and such in the water. the 6's and such are mainly for breeding.even then, my breeder has had them breed with 100% success in 76* water with a pH of 7.4 so anything is possible.
 

shekes

Jessica Rabbit
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Aug 14, 2005
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You could keep up to 40 discus in 180g.

I keep/kept 8 in 55g with UGF only, doing monthly WCs of some 80%. Obvioulsy these conditions are not optimal but the fish thrive. I just sold two discus 10 minutes ago to a dealer who came to pick them up (six left in this 55g, but there used to be 10 of them + neons, tiny loaches and a little pleco.

Discus were my first fish. I got two adults in a 45g and didn't do WCs for almost 6 months. I didn't know about the cycle.

Most discus were kept in tanks for generations and evolved to survive horrible water condiotions.

So don't worry!

The current they don't like.
 
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