2ft too small for beginer?

[lambo]

Hi, i'm just starting up here and was wondering how many small discus i could put in a 2ft tank. it would only be for 4months, then they will be moved to a 200liter tank. will this work, or should i con my Dad into buying a nice big tank????? :shock:

[flukes]

Better off saving the money and going big to start, just saving your self hassels. Not only can it effect the discus being in smaller groups and not enough space but the larger the water volume tthe easier it is too control water specs.

[africandiscus]

If you do get the 2ft tank, you can always use it later as a breeding or quarintine tank.

[lambo]

unfortnantly the only size tanks i real will b able to get are 2ft tanks.....but i'll work on my farther and see if i can get a bigger tank. what about a 3ft???

[africandiscus]

Use the site below to calculate the number of discus you can keep in the tank. 1 adult discus per 10 gallons

http://www.cidadevirtual.pt/mrf/fixe/

[lambo]

ok then...bein' a noob to discus a think juvi's would be a better fish to start with....i think i might b able to buy a standard 3ft tank, is that going to be big enough to hold 4-6 juvis for 4 months?

[weird]

I would go min 3ft, and I think you will easily be able to look after 4 juvs in a tank that size. 3ft is not that big really, and not really that much more expensive than 2 ft. Good thing about 3 fts is that they are easy to transport, will fit in the back seat or boot of most cars.

[Mattzilla]

2 ft is too small imo

maybe a 3ft if you only have yound discus and only if it is for a short period of time. i would wait till i got the bigger tank. you are better off doing it right from the start.

[kalebjarrod]

the bigger the tank the easier it is to keep the specs constant

the bigger the tank the easier it will be to suceed at the hobby, smaller tanks give more of a chance to make mistakes

[lambo]

i will see if i can buy a bigger tank.....but i don't like my chances

[weird]

Shop around, prices can vary considerably between shops, you may be able to pick up a basic 3ft stand and tank, cheaper than a 2 ft at some places.

Also with discus, make sure your tank is glass covered, don't worry about getting a hood. You need access to the top of your tank. I have 2 hoods sitting in the garage due to this oversight.

Also you might be lucky enough to pick up a good secondhand one, place an ad in the classifieds here ;)

Also factor in the cost of a filter, if you go canister you will need to size it for the size of your tank. I got my last canister through mail order/online retailer, and it was about $150 cheaper than at my nearest retail outlet. Again you might be able to get this second hand, and just replace the media.

Shop around, consider online retailers, secondhand, recommended retailers ... I don't know Melbourne but we have heaps of members from Victoria.

[africandiscus]

You need access to the top of your tank

What does that mean? Doesnt it apply to all fish including discus. What am I missing?

[weird]

With my original 2 ft community tank, I would take the lid off (with the light), and do my weekly water change on the weekend. Not a problem.

With my baby discus, I change 50% of the water with buckets, pulling off the hood every night to get adequate access. If I had to pull off the hood, this could be an additional stress to the fish and a pain for me.

(I am going to automate most of this with submersible pumps to drain and fill my tanks, except I still need access for the daily vacuum.)

It is just my preference, I guess ... I no longer like hoods.

[africandiscus]

Do you do a 50% water change everynight with the baby discus tank?

[weird]

For the last week yes, want my babies to have clean water ! lol

[flukes]

Dave -
Good move, baby discus thrive and have growth spirts with clean water and a varied diet.

I would love too do a test with 2 tanks and the same amount of fish at the same time. Do daily water changes with one and every third day with the other. They would have too be feed exactly the same food though.
Would be intresting too see how much of a difference it would make.

Lambo -

The cheapest retail store is Mentone, I know a standard 4ft with stand from them is about $95. You could get it cheaper though either second hand or by finding someone who makes them.

I normally go too mentone because they are good quality for the price you pay. They will also give you quotes over the phone if you want some thing that isnt standard.