Question ! Regarding plants..

[II j L c II]

Hi guys,
Currently my tank is having some cloudy browness problem and i'm not sure how to get rid of it. I think it's the driftwood, but it's the driftwood that is supposed to be non tanin..Anyways, I also want to add real live plants into my discus tank, but I'm not sure what is necessary and if they will survive. Could you guys just give me the basics..Also, any tips on how to clear up a tank and keep it clear?

Jon

[Franks & Beans]

The product to use is "Seachem Purigen" to clear tanin. This stuff is not cheap, but it works extremely well. Slap it in your filter, give it a couple days and you will notice the difference.

http://www.seachem.com/products/product_pages/Purigen.html

Plant keeping basics - Get some liquid fertiliser and Iron fertiliser tablets, buy a 24hour timer and set your lighting for a minium duration of 10-12 Hrs (set the timer from the afternoon to night time so you can watch your fish after work etc)

If your tank will be heavily planted over time, I suggest you ask some questions at your LFS regarding lighting wattage and blub spectrum for your tank volume. Co2 injection is the ulimate way to keep plants looking like you walk into the garden of Eden (check with your LFS for options). All this depends on what you are trying to grow and achieve.

[Trebs]

All driftwood will release tanin - some more, some less. The best way to 'age' your driftwood is to soak it in a bin or tub of water. Change the water when it get cloudy - repeat until the driftwood stops leeching tanin then you're ready to go. If you want to speed up the process use warmer/hot water.

If you are just starting out with discus I wouldn't use CO2 yet. If you give me a bit more info about your tank and what you want to achieve I may be able to offer some advice.