new discus tank questions?

[derekyeakel]

hello all ive just set up my first discus tank :D yaaaaa! anyway ive had all kinds of fish before but never discus so i have a few questions you all can hopefuly answer? here we go what kind of live plants should i have? how often should i realy change the water? whats the best combination for filtration of my canister filter? and can someone explain how "black water" stuff works? please forgive me if my questions are dumb i just want to get off on the right foot!

[Benny]

Media? Ive been using ceramic noodles in canisers, as well as premium branded media, such as eheim efisubstrat... I use both in combination wth at least one sponge and filter wool or filter floss, whatever you call it... Seems to work well for me..

Waterchanges..... Depends on how the tank is stocked, but you should aim to keep your nitrates @ about 5ppm.... I do 30% twice weekly on my 350L (95G) understocked tank...

Live plants.. They need to be able to tolerate moderate / high temperatures... Commonly kept plants include anubias spp. and sword variant plants... I also keep java ferns, and my val isnt surviving all that well.. I have banana lillies too....

Blackwater extract contains tannins and other nutrients to help replicate water conditions of obviously blackwater lakes. Discus are blackwater fish, howeever i have driftwood in the tank which leeches tannins slowly, and i dont add such additives...

[derekyeakel]

i have a good chunk of driftwood in the tank (65) gal. so i shouldnt need any black water additives??

[Benny]

I havent used it, so i dont know what benefits it holds.. I mean u can always try it... I hear it helps induce spawning or somethin