Hi all from the Sunny Coast

[Big Kahuna]

G'day to you all,

Finally decided to dip my toe in the water so to speak and get some discus. Been keeping other fish for about 6 years constantly and they have given me a heap of enjoyment, lets hope these little fella's do the same.
Tank is a custom build 4 footer and is 30" inches high to get the best out of these fish and is plumbed through the bottom onto a fluval fx 5. Tanks been cycling for around 8 weeks and I introduced 2 Red and 2 Yellow pigeons yesterday. All settled in and looking nice and active.
I reckon ill have some questions for you all as time goes on.
Great site by the way, keep up the good work.

Cheers
Paul

[Discus Planetarium]

Hi Paul welcome to the forum dont foget to put up some pics of your fish...

[Hooked]

Hi,

Welcome, you're in the right place. They are a helpful bunch here,

Cheers

[broadfoot]

Hi Paul, welcome!

What size fish did you put in? The pidgeons look sweet as, show us yours!

[Big Kahuna]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for saying hello. I will get some pictures up this weekend once I learn how to drive the camera and get them on here for you to look at.

Cheers
Paul

[Big Kahuna]

Hey team,

Here is a picture of my tank. Very early days with the plantings but all well. Got a nice little outbreak of Black Brush Algae, but the Siamese Algae Eaters are doing the business.

Got my fish from Discus Panetarium and they have really settled in well. I have posted their pics in the photo album section.

Cheers

[broadfoot]

That's a unique looking tank BK!

How big are your discus? :)

[Big Kahuna]

Thanks Ben, I wanted easy and no fuss. There just tiles that you would use outdoors and glued on perspex sheet which is attached to the back wall. That way if the tank need a re-fit or clean I can take it out. The tank is plumbed through the bottom with intake under the mangrove root on the right and outlet is delivered by a spraybar on the left sandwiched between two pieces of sandstone. Filter is a FX 5 so there is plenty of strong flow very close to the substrate which keeps it very very clean but the rest of the tank is just a gentle circulation which the fish like and it just keeps it all tidy. Discus are 8-9-10 cm but look small because tank is 760mm high.

[mawhins]

Hi there and welcome. Tank is looking good. Just had a thought though as you mentioned sandstone and that the stack tiles are inside the tank, you may want to check the hardness of the water as I would have thought both of these will leach minerals into the water unless sealed.

[Big Kahuna]

Hi Mawhins and I agree. I did a lot of research on this before I added them. I wanted something different and simple and safe!!!!!!! Sealants caused more problems than the tiles but I built the background and soaked them in water with regular water changes and testing(both with my kit and the LFS) for around 10 weeks with no problems. I then placed it in the display tank and cycled the finished tank for 8 weeks and then introduced my discus. I do water changes of 30% twice weekly and always test after I have done the change so I know what my base line is and what has elevated over 3 days. I just strive for the same water in the tank week in week out and I find fish flourish. I don't run CO2 but I do use liquid ferts for my plants and I add them after a water change.

[mawhins]

Nice, you have it well and truly under control by the sound of it. Good to know that these types of stone aren't necessarily taboo.