neverserious
Mon Sep 04, 2006, 08:52 AM
Hi there.
I’m new to this forum so first off ill give you a little background about myself.
My name is Matt and I currently live in Brisbane, Australia. I am 20 years old, soon to be 21. Fish have been a hobby for me pretty much my entire life. My dad has always had aquariums and I have grown up helping him look after them. I didn’t really have my own fish tank until I was 13.
My dad had a beautiful tank full of angels for years but suddenly one day the tank seemed to fall apart, I cannot remember all the details. However after that my dad was ready to give the hobby away so I decided to look after the tank myself. Since then I’ve had numerous tanks, consisting generally of either American cichlids or tropical/community setups. My dad’s also come back into the hobby since then; we currently have 3 tanks between us at home.
My tank, a 5x2x2 is currently occupied by some aggressive South Americans. Nevertheless, I’m looking for a change…. And of course by joining this forum that change is to discus.
First I’ll give you all an idea of the tank setup I was thinking of including filtration and look.
As I’ve already mentioned the tank is a 5x2x2 foot. I currently have a fluvial 404 (www.aquariumproducts.com/prod123.htm) which I intend to keep, mainly for biological filtration. I also intend to use under gravel jets (www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/u
g_jets.php). I mainly aim to use this type of filtration because this will hopefully allow me to make little disturbance to the gravel during water changes. Also with numerous jets this will allow only a small disturbance in the water. Meaning my fish won’t get blown away even though I will be filtering high amounts of litters per hour. I plan to heat the tank to 27 degrees will two 300 watt heaters
As for the look I was thinking a fake rocky background, either one I make myself or a commercially bought product. Either way something that will look like similar to this; (www.cichlid-forum.com/diy_aquarium_background2.php). Drift wood will also be used. Hopefully with many ‘windy’ pieces that I will attach with java fern, java mass and different anubius. Substrate will be dark river bed gravel that is already in the tank that I will slope from an inch or two at the front to a few inches at the back of the aquarium. I plan to use long vars at the back of the aquarium and also use different types of swords throughout the tank.
I was hoping to stock the tank with dicus, angles some small rams and many other community fishes such as cory cats, plecos, yo’yo lochs, and black goast knife or two, just to name the few that come to my head.
So now to the hard part, which is question time;
1. Filtration. Is it suitable? Do I need more? do I need less?
2. Tank setup. Will the discus feel comfortable in the tank setup that I am thinking of?
3. Plants. What kind of lights would I require to keep the plants happy but also keep the discus happy? I don’t want the lights to be too bright.
4. Water temp. Sufficient to keep discus happy?
5. Will discus be willing to share the tank with other fish I have listed or should I re-consider and think of only keeping discus. I would really love to keep them with angles and some small rams especially. Will the angles and rams be too aggressive for the discus?
Any help with my setup would be greatly appreciated. Willing to take advice on anything and everything. I need all the help I can get, I just want my aquarium to look good and to also allow my discus to live long healthy lives.
I’m new to this forum so first off ill give you a little background about myself.
My name is Matt and I currently live in Brisbane, Australia. I am 20 years old, soon to be 21. Fish have been a hobby for me pretty much my entire life. My dad has always had aquariums and I have grown up helping him look after them. I didn’t really have my own fish tank until I was 13.
My dad had a beautiful tank full of angels for years but suddenly one day the tank seemed to fall apart, I cannot remember all the details. However after that my dad was ready to give the hobby away so I decided to look after the tank myself. Since then I’ve had numerous tanks, consisting generally of either American cichlids or tropical/community setups. My dad’s also come back into the hobby since then; we currently have 3 tanks between us at home.
My tank, a 5x2x2 is currently occupied by some aggressive South Americans. Nevertheless, I’m looking for a change…. And of course by joining this forum that change is to discus.
First I’ll give you all an idea of the tank setup I was thinking of including filtration and look.
As I’ve already mentioned the tank is a 5x2x2 foot. I currently have a fluvial 404 (www.aquariumproducts.com/prod123.htm) which I intend to keep, mainly for biological filtration. I also intend to use under gravel jets (www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/u
g_jets.php). I mainly aim to use this type of filtration because this will hopefully allow me to make little disturbance to the gravel during water changes. Also with numerous jets this will allow only a small disturbance in the water. Meaning my fish won’t get blown away even though I will be filtering high amounts of litters per hour. I plan to heat the tank to 27 degrees will two 300 watt heaters
As for the look I was thinking a fake rocky background, either one I make myself or a commercially bought product. Either way something that will look like similar to this; (www.cichlid-forum.com/diy_aquarium_background2.php). Drift wood will also be used. Hopefully with many ‘windy’ pieces that I will attach with java fern, java mass and different anubius. Substrate will be dark river bed gravel that is already in the tank that I will slope from an inch or two at the front to a few inches at the back of the aquarium. I plan to use long vars at the back of the aquarium and also use different types of swords throughout the tank.
I was hoping to stock the tank with dicus, angles some small rams and many other community fishes such as cory cats, plecos, yo’yo lochs, and black goast knife or two, just to name the few that come to my head.
So now to the hard part, which is question time;
1. Filtration. Is it suitable? Do I need more? do I need less?
2. Tank setup. Will the discus feel comfortable in the tank setup that I am thinking of?
3. Plants. What kind of lights would I require to keep the plants happy but also keep the discus happy? I don’t want the lights to be too bright.
4. Water temp. Sufficient to keep discus happy?
5. Will discus be willing to share the tank with other fish I have listed or should I re-consider and think of only keeping discus. I would really love to keep them with angles and some small rams especially. Will the angles and rams be too aggressive for the discus?
Any help with my setup would be greatly appreciated. Willing to take advice on anything and everything. I need all the help I can get, I just want my aquarium to look good and to also allow my discus to live long healthy lives.