planted discus tank help

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keydiver

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 15, 2010
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miami.fl
alright, so I have a 40B with 2 discus (planning on getting more once I get everything else set up), 3 emerald cory cats, a BN pleco, and i'm planning on adding a schooling fish, hopefully silver hatchets. Up until now, my tank has been low light, low tech with just java ferns and anubias barteri/nana. I want to redo it, so I ordered a fishneedit T5HO 2x39 watt fixture, and the medium tech + package from pfertz.com. I would highly like to avoid pressurized c02, but i'm not sure if I can get away with it. I'm planning on stocking swords, medium light mosses, vallisneria/saggitaria, wendtii's, and various anubias. Do you guys think I can go without a pressurized c02 system? If you have any advice to ensure a successful tank, please feel free to share. I want to get medium tech right the first time, so I don;t keep throwing money at it after I've killed all the plants.

Also, what other plants would do well in a medium tech discus tank?
 
If you don't want co2, then stay away from T5HO, especially two bulbs. I had a 2x39w T5HO bulbs over my 57g, and I had a lot of co2. I would still get the occasional algae problem. With that much light, you'll be high tech whether you want to or not (light determines your setup). You can't pick and choose whether to add co2 and ferts, it will be a requirement. Scale back on the lighting if you want to avoid co2. Stick with normal T8/T12 or PC fixtures.
 
If I were to do c02, since my parents already ordered the light for my birthday, what kind of c02 would you recommend? Would it have to be pressurized, or could I use a simple yeast culture and diffusion pump? I don't want to blow 200 bucks on a c02 system, and if I were to get one, I would like to keep it under 100 dollars. I'll be adding liquid fert as well as root tabs.
 
I'm new to C02 also, and using it on a 40b with twin T5 HO's, first thing is that the light needs to be about 8 inches above the tank and even then you'll still be in the 'High' range but at least you're not 'Off the scale'. For C02 I decided to go with the Hagen fermentation kits that petsmart sells (I know people say the refills are expensive, but there are plenty of articles on how to make up your own mix) I have 2 of these kits with the ladder difusers one on each side towards the back of the tank and they are only visible if you look for them, the fermantation chambers hang on the back of the tank. Between the two C02 'fermenters' I get an ave 30 bpm and by the time the bubbles reach the top of the ladders they are almost entirely gone.
Plants seem to be doing pretty well and any algae I do get is soon taken care of by my four otto's.
Like I said I'm new to C02 as well, so someone may well point out that my setup is totally wrong and is all going to crash, just wanted to share how I did it (and maybe look for feedback - sorry if that's hi-jacking your thread)
 
how long have you been using the T5HO's? How heavily is your tank planted, and are you seeing good growth from your plants? And are you using any kind of fertilizer?
 
Have been using the T5's for 3 weeks, the first two weeks the plants were just left floating in the tank untill I had time to get it all setup (was waiting for driftwood to finish soaking). I have sagittaria subulata, cabomba furcata, , 1 sq ft micro-sword mat, Aponogeton undulatas, Pogostemon stellata Eustralis, Kleiner Bar Sword, Cabomba caroliniana and something Petsmart have labelled as Peacock fern but which is something else as it grows fantastic in my other 6g planted tank and Peacock fern is not supposed to grow submersed. I also have a moss wall covering the whole of the back of the tank made with java moss. In the first two weeks (while free floating) the cabomba furcata actually flowered which is unusual in an aquarium setting (at least thats what I read) since planting a week ago I have noticed new growth on just about everything. I have been dosing with flourish and Nutrafin 'Plant Gro' (free with the C02 kit) twice a week but need to change as the 'Plant Gro' is now finished.
 
alright, well my light and pfertz medium tech+ package came today, so I installed it, put in a fresh batch of fermentation for c02, and put some extra gravel so I can have plants, because I really didn't have enough. I did a large water change, but now the question remains. I dont want my tank to go to hell due to algae growth, but i'm not quite sure I want to invest in a pressurized c02 system. I just want to get your guys opinions before I add any more livestock like plants or otos because I dont want to lose anything when I do start to add plants(I'm goign to be ordering online, so I'm getting most of them at the same time. Please let me know what you guys think.
 
I would'nt put oto's with discus. many discus keepers report that the oto's suck the slime from thier sides. a bn pleco is much safer. also remember that discus prefer warm water of at least 82. many plants don't do well with high temps and large wc's. best of luck.
 
keydiver;4778123; said:
1. alright, so I have a 40B with 2 discus (planning on getting more once I get everything else set up)

2. 3 emerald cory cats, a BN pleco, and i'm planning on adding a schooling fish, hopefully silver hatchets.

3. so I ordered a fishneedit T5HO 2x39 watt fixture

4. I'm planning on stocking swords, medium light mosses, vallisneria/saggitaria, wendtii's, and various anubias.

5. Do you guys think I can go without a pressurized c02 system?

6. Also, what other plants would do well in a medium tech discus tank?
Click to expand...


1. I would honestly stick with ONLY 2, discuss need a lot of SIDE to side swimming.
2. I would drop the hatchets and go with Rummynose, and also add 3 more cats
3. I would look into hagen single bulb T5ho comes with timer (no bulb)
4. I would drop the swords and go with more Vals. Swords get really big and takes up a lot of swimming space from your Discus
5. YES easily with the plant you have chosen, but if you go with the lighting fixture you suggested you might be forced into Co2. Also rememeber you can not use excell with the vals. It has been noted that excell can kill vals. So you do need to find some carbon source.
6. Java ferns, anubias, dwaf sag, Vals, anubias, some crypts.
 
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