Discus tank conversion, bare bottom to planted

[Tequila]

Time zones dude, give the dude a chance

Yeah I keep forgetting that everyone else sleeps more than half there lifes away. Unlike me who is awake during all time zones. Except maybe tonight, god I'm tired gotta go lay down for a spell.

 

[Loulou]

Here's what the changes do to my tank, no ferts, no CO2, no florite....

Thank you for posting such a nice picture. Can we please get the specifications of that tank? That is:

• L x B x H
• Filtration
• Water change regimen
• Number of fish
• Plants (types)
• Lighting (type and schedule)
  
• CO2
• Substrate used
• Fertilisers
• Etc

It makes no doubt that you have a very successful planted discus tank, my friend. Please share with us what you do to achieve that.

Thank you.

 

[Loulou]

No they don't read above, sensitive discus are relatively a thing of the past unless you get true wild ones. Most captive breed discus are fairly hardy these days.

Last comment on the water change debate, I only answered because you asked

I like discus - they are beautiful fish. But I've heard so much about how sensitive they are that I have always been reluctant to keep them... ah well, maybe one day...

 

[Tequila]

Sorry bro, don't wanna get into it........obvious we have a difference in opinion! My tank works, my plants and fish are healthy and grow.......so to each his own. I believe it doesn't hurt, and many plant folks say water changes are good for plants too.....Yeah plants are natural filters to an extent, they don't filter out all the organic waste though.....it's about balance......I'd also like to point out that the majority of really nice tanks out there that are planted and have discus have folks changing water more often than what's been suggested..........again, IMHO.......
Here's what the changes do to my tank, no ferts, no CO2, no florite....

Let me start by saying NICE tank! Looks to be a 75G~90G? You neglected to mention how long you run your light for and what there rating is.

If I'm not mistaking Yanbbrox does or used to do something like 40%~50% water changes every week and 8 gallons per day every day, so that was like
48 gallons plus a 50% water change on the last day of the week. Please note Yanbbrox lives on the otherside of the moon, where his water quality is perfect for Moon Monkeys, if the PH was any higher he'd have calcium pebbles fresh out of the tap. So he uses a R.O. system to get to a more suitable water chemistry. Plus, as if that wasn't enough he used to keep whats known by many as BB a.k.a. BAUBB tank.

Where he is right now as I understand it, is he has added a great substrate that doesn't mess with his water chemistry at all, but is Great for plants (not just because I think so), he has cut down on those 8G per day water changes to like 4G. His chemistry hasn't gone AWOL yet, his fish are fine. And a couple of his plants aren't doing well, though the rest are just fine. I don't think he needs to throw in the towel and go and start changing massive amount of water because of a few plants going south.

I gotta ask if your doing all these water changes every other day and you don't add any ferts, use any florite, laterite or C02 etc., I gotta ask where are your plants getting their nutrients. I see you have at least 10 Discus and a few other misc fish, but if your doing the water changes the way you say you do and your running a good quality filter then I'm guessing that those plants are recent additions to the tank.

The only people I know that do those kinda massive water changes are trying compensate for their over feeding of their fish. Or it's a Discus thing. Side bar: I used to know this Discus breeder that insisted on using filtered bottled water to do his water changes with. Ran into him about year or so back, crazy dude.

 

[Yanbbrox]

Sorry bro, don't wanna get into it........obvious we have a difference in opinion! My tank works, my plants and fish are healthy and grow.......so to each his own. I believe it doesn't hurt, and many plant folks say water changes are good for plants too.....Yeah plants are natural filters to an extent, they don't filter out all the organic waste though.....it's about balance......I'd also like to point out that the majority of really nice tanks out there that are planted and have discus have folks changing water more often than what's been suggested..........again, IMHO.......
Here's what the changes do to my tank, no ferts, no CO2, no florite....

Very nice, thanks for sharing the picture

Rather than post the same thing 3 times:

Thank you for posting such a nice picture. Can we please get the specifications of that tank? That is:

• L x B x H
• Filtration
• Water change regimen
• Number of fish
• Plants (types)
• Lighting (type and schedule)
  
• CO2
• Substrate used
• Fertilisers
• Etc

It makes no doubt that you have a very successful planted discus tank, my friend. Please share with us what you do to achieve that.

Thank you.

I agree please provide the info, Lou loves this stuff

Let me start by saying NICE tank! Looks to be a 75G~90G? You neglected to mention how long you run your light for and what there rating is. Covered above

If I'm not mistaking Yanbbrox does or used to do something like 40%~50% water changes every week and 8 gallons per day every day, so that was like
48 gallons plus a 50% water change on the last day of the week.
When it was bare bottom I used to change 8-12 usg every other day
Please note Yanbbrox lives on the otherside of the moon, where his water quality is perfect for Moon Monkeys, if the PH was any higher he'd have calcium pebbles fresh out of the tap. So he uses a R.O. system to get to a more suitable water chemistry. Plus, as if that wasn't enough he used to keep whats known by many as BB a.k.a. BAUBB tank. Please excuse master Tequila, he has a thing about bb tanks

Where he is right now as I understand it, is he has added a great substrate that doesn't mess with his water chemistry at all(all 21kg of it), but is Great for plants (not just because I think so), he has cut down on those 8G per day water changes to like 4G. Twice a week 4g changes. His chemistry hasn't gone AWOL yet, his fish are fine. Yes and yes. And a couple of his plants aren't doing well, though the rest are just fine. I think I'm the only person every to kill java moss I don't think he needs to throw in the towel and go and start changing massive amount of water because of a few plants going south.

I gotta ask if your doing all these water changes every other day and you don't add any ferts, use any florite, laterite or C02 etc., I gotta ask where are your plants getting their nutrients. I see you have at least 10 Discus and a few other misc fish, but if your doing the water changes the way you say you do and your running a good quality filter then I'm guessing that those plants are recent additions to the tank. Agreed, and also interested to where the plants are getting nutrients or if they are replaced every so often, I know a lot of people do this.

The only people I know that do those kinda massive water changes are trying compensate for their over feeding of their fish. Or it's a Discus thing. Side bar: I used to know this Discus breeder that insisted on using filtered bottled water to do his water changes with. Ran into him about year or so back, crazy dude.

Filtered bottled water? and you say I spend too much on water by using RO, again filtered bottled water?

 

[DigThemLows]

Sorry I've been out today....
60" x 24" x 19.5" 125 gallons. Coralife 2x65 watt 10K bulbs. Fert Tabs under some of the plants, I don't vacuum the sand where the plants are so the poo is fertilizing. Lights are run for 12 hours. 10 discus, 25 H. Rasboras, 12 Rummynose, 5 otto cats, 2 albino bristle nose plecos, 5 rosybarbs, 2 medium size clown loaches, 2 SAE, 1 lone neon, and a few ghost shrimp that manage to hide well.....Water is 83 degrees, ph is 7.2. I have a 30 gallon shrimp tank with cherry shrimp breeding that's straight playground sand with no ferts and the stem plants are growing like mad.......my tap water must contain some good nutrients. I change that water once a week though......I feed the discus tank 3-4 times a day so they poop a lot, the plants grow slow, but are doing great!

 

[Loulou]

Sorry I've been out today....
60" x 24" x 19.5" 125 gallons. Coralife 2x65 watt 10K bulbs. Fert Tabs under some of the plants, I don't vacuum the sand where the plants are so the poo is fertilizing. Lights are run for 12 hours. 10 discus, 25 H. Rasboras, 12 Rummynose, 5 otto cats, 2 albino bristle nose plecos, 5 rosybarbs, 2 medium size clown loaches, 2 SAE, 1 lone neon, and a few ghost shrimp that manage to hide well.....Water is 83 degrees, ph is 7.2. I have a 30 gallon shrimp tank with cherry shrimp breeding that's straight playground sand with no ferts and the stem plants are growing like mad.......my tap water must contain some good nutrients. I change that water once a week though......I feed the discus tank 3-4 times a day so they poop a lot, the plants grow slow, but are doing great!

Thank you again for the beautiful pictures and for the tank specifications It makes no doubt that, with time and care and when the plants fill up more (especially the background ones), this tank would be a major stunner

Any chance you could add more carpet plants for a nice lawn?

 

[Tequila]

Sorry I've been out today....
60" x 24" x 19.5" 125 gallons. Coralife 2x65 watt 10K bulbs. Excuse me did'nt you state that "Here's what the changes do to my tank, no ferts, no CO2, no florite...." So what is this "Fert Tabs" under some of the plants, " I don't vacuum the sand where the plants are so the poo is fertilizing". "plants are natural filters to an extent, they don't filter out all the organic waste though" Lights are run for 12 hours. 10 discus, 25 H. Rasboras, 12 Rummynose, 5 otto cats, 2 albino bristle nose plecos, 5 rosybarbs, 2 medium size clown loaches, 2 SAE, 1 lone neon, and a few ghost shrimp that manage to hide well.....Water is 83 degrees, ph is 7.2. I have a 30 gallon shrimp tank with cherry shrimp breeding that's straight playground sand with no ferts and the stem plants are growing like mad.......my tap water must contain some good nutrients. I change that water once a week though......I feed the discus tank 3-4 times a day so they poop a lot, the plants grow slow, but are doing great!

Dude either you use or you don't use plant Ferts, you can't say I don't use plant Ferts except that I put Fert Tabs under some of my plants. It's like I said "The only people I know that do those kinda massive water changes are trying compensate for their over feeding of their fish. Or it's a Discus thing".


Well Good Luck with the tank.

 

[Loulou]

These discus are beautiful... I am really liking them a lot... maybe someday...

 

[DigThemLows]

Dude either you use or you don't use plant Ferts, you can't say I don't use plant Ferts except that I put Fert Tabs under some of my plants. It's like I said "The only people I know that do those kinda massive water changes are trying compensate for their over feeding of their fish. Or it's a Discus thing".


Well Good Luck with the tank.

like I said, don't wanna get into it with you. When I said ferts I meant dosing daily or weekly with liquid ferts, sorry! As far as the poo goes, My plants only take up 1/4 of the bottom space, so I vacuum 3/4 of the tank and leave the rest......like I said plant work to a degree, you can't tell someone that plants will make up for water changes.....Sorry for not being clear, I tend to post broad generalizations, since there are many things that work in this hobby, my bad!..................My tanks work for me, yours, I'm sure work for you.........and the OP's tank will come into it's own and be a joy I'm sure.........

Oh and of course it's a Discus thing, It's a planted DISCUS tank! You have to find a balance right? Sorry for posting pics of my tank in the thread, didn't mean to hijack