Uncharted Ground here

stang69 · 06-30-2001, 02:08 AM

OK here is the Scoop I want to start a discus planted tank is it possiable with the lighting req of most aquatic plants to do this. I would like to have a CO2 injector in it and was also wondering about substrate. I have heard florite works well to keep the Ph low enough for discus how will this affect the plant life? If you have and links or suggeted reading please let me know. You can email me or also post on here as I am here off and on all day.

Jeff
btw this is going to be a 100 gallon tank. I have bought 4 vho ballasts. What bulbs are recommended? is it like lighting a reef?

Mikeman · 06-30-2001, 02:30 AM

yeah its like lighting a reef, really spasse should be able to answer alot of yur qs

www.thekrib.com has some pretty good info on planted tanks

Strangelove · 06-30-2001, 10:14 AM

The lighting is similar, but need not be as intense. Decent plant growth can be stimulated with as little as 1-2 watts/gallon. Actinics aren't necissary. CO2 injection is great if you have the $ to get started.

Mikeman · 06-30-2001, 06:21 PM

actually you can easily make a DIY co2 injector, I think they give you info on them at thekrib

mr294 · 06-30-2001, 06:42 PM

i have a heavily planted 55 gallon discus tank. its been up and running for a couple years now and doing great. i run a ph of 6.0-6.2 and a temp of 86F. it has 4 wildcaught manacapuru blues as well as a school of cardinals, a pair of rams, and a pair of apistogramma bitanaetia. i run 120 watts of lighting (3 48" NO flourescents). filtration is done with a fluval 304 and a powerhead sponge filter to keep a little extra water movement on the surface. i have had excellent luck with crinium thainium as a background and cover plant (much more durable than val imo), cambomba, water sprite, giant hygro, heteranthera zoisterofolia, mayaca vandelli, micro sword, and banana plants. i dont use CO2 injection of any sort, and i fertilize daily with seachem's flourish iron with weekly doses of flourish potassium and flourish excel and run peat in the filter. my experience has been that light doesnt really bother the discus at all as long as they have plenty of shady retreats if they happen to get spooked.

stang69 · 07-01-2001, 01:36 AM

Ok I have been talking to several ppl and some say that daily water changes are in order a change of 10% how true is this. I have no problems doing water changes but man 10% a day?

Jeff

piege · 07-01-2001, 09:10 AM

I have a heavily planted 75 gallons freshwater tank. I use 4 of the GE bulbs from home depot to light it with the intentions in the beginning to get 6-8 NO bulbs later, but my plants grow so much now, I don't need any other bulbs.

You can control your pH with your co2. FLourite is a great susbstrate. My entire bed is flourite.

Those who say you need a 10% daily...what were there reasons? I think you can have a very successful tank without changing 10% daily.

HTH,
JP

stang69 · 07-01-2001, 09:22 AM

The ppl I talked to about the water changes have several breeding pair and they said that the discus would not grow right. Personally I think he is full of sh** but hought I would ask just in case. Ok now where would a guy get florite and how much does the FW rule apply here 1 to 2 lbs per gallon?

Jeff

piege · 07-01-2001, 09:25 AM

Well I have never bred discus..so I wouldn't know. But I am pretty confident that if you just want to keep them 10% daily changes are not necessary

I bought all the flourite I could find locally at first which was a whopping 3 15lbs bags. I then ordered some from pet warehouse I believe....may have been that fish place and had three more bags shipped to me ground service.

The three bags I MOed ended up being cheaper than local even after shipping for 45lbs! Was like $11 a bag or something.

I used 90lbs in my 75. I just used enough to give me a nice depth where I would have a lot of room for the roots of the plants.

JP

stang69 · 07-01-2001, 09:41 AM

Ideal depth??? 2-3 inches or just visual appeal?

piege · 07-01-2001, 10:23 AM

Yes I would say three inches or so.

JP

stang69 · 07-01-2001, 10:41 AM

Ok Cool and what are your thoughts on the yeast co2 injectors?

mr294 · 07-01-2001, 05:53 PM

as far as water changes go, i do about 25% twice a week and have grown young out from the size of a quarter to adult size with no problems. 10% a day would be great but it is definitely not necessary. if i feed especially heavy one day i might throw in an additional water change.

Strangelove · 07-01-2001, 06:03 PM

I have planted 55 and 90 and run DIY yeast CO2 on both. It works well but is rather a collosal pain in the keister. Given my choice, I'd get the tank/regulator setup. Since I'm in the middle of getting a 90 reef together it's hard to justify the $ right now. Christmas is less than half a year away, tho.

stang69 · 07-02-2001, 11:29 AM

Thank you for all your responces. Is florite available at gardening shops or where at. I know like most I dont want to pay lfs prices grin

Jeff

piege · 07-02-2001, 11:59 AM

Personally I use a DIY co2 setup. A 2 liter bottle and some sugar and yeast works so good for me that I don't mind having to make new co2 every two weeks or so at all. It's also MUCH cheaper than a setup.

I have three other marine tanks, if I minded tank maintenance every now and then I would never have all these tanks.

I think depending on your needs, the diy co2 works great.

JP

Strangelove · 07-02-2001, 08:32 PM

JP,

I'd love to know your yeast secrets. At best, I get 1 week out of mine. The last few batches heven't worked well at all. I'm not sure if I have silicone leaks on the caps or old yeast.

I generally mix 1 cup dominos granular with 1 Tbsp fliechner's in about 1 liter of warm water in a 2 liter bottle.

As far as work goes, I don't mind it. I just bought my fourth tank. I really don't like make-work, though..

stang69 · 07-06-2001, 10:26 AM

Ok Now that the plants ect are spoken for what about the discus do I cycle with them or do I buy a disposable fish to do this with. I have heard both opinions and want some more.

Jeff

Mikeman · 07-06-2001, 02:06 PM

neither, I would use the saltwater method of getting some fresh cocktailshrimp and cycling that way, also anyone out there have pics of there discus tank?

RobG · 07-10-2001, 12:49 PM

I have to agree with Mikeman. Don't use any live creatures to cycle the tank. I used the cocktail shrimp method on my 45g discus tank and it worked great.

As far as water changes go, I do about 30% once a week. This is a non-planted tank, but I can't imagine that daily water changes are necessary. My discus are very healthy and full-size. My first discus did experience some stunted growth (Never got over 3" diameter), but ever since that first one, they've all done great.

I add Kent Discus Essential every week, activated carbon and peat granular in the filter's media chamber...

No pics of the tank right now... I'll make sure to take a couple tonight.