Discus tank makeover (UPDATE)

[Nathan]

im having thoughts on making over my discus tank.

im hoping to add pressurised co2, and change the substrate to ADA aquasoils.

ill be getting rid of everything in the tanbk (gravel, wood, plants etc) and putting completely new stuff in.

i currently have 4 discus in there an they are happy an very healthy, i dont have a spare tank to put them in while this make over takes place so i was thinking of putting them in plastic containers an putting airstones in each one. im hoping this little project will only take the day.

my concern is the health of the discus, is there any problems that could occur and any ways i could help reduce the stress of the discus?

any comments are more then welcome :)

[Noddy65]

Hi Nathan
It is exciting redoing a tank...
The main concern revolves around cycling...I assume your going to be using the same filter, I wouldn't clean it out, id use the same filter media etc. this will help but you will lose the bacteria in your substrate etc...

I'm not familiar with ADA substrates but I assume you would have to wash it well..I know some of the powders cant be washed but I would also be concerned about unwashed substrate going into a tank and then immediately replacing the fish with the chance to allow things to settle down and without the ability to do a few water changes before putting fish in...

Also keep in mind that the pressures CO will drive down your pH more than a home brew...it may be wise to slowly turn it to the bps you want.

Let me think about it over the next day or so and ill think of some other things as I'm sure the many more experienced people here will as well.

[shake]

ADA soils don't need washing. Use straight out of the bag. I guess 1 of many benefits of ADA soils.

Just what I have read, could be wrong. :)

[Nathan]

yea i dnt think you need to wash it either.

thats what i was thnking to mike, cz id be emptying a lot of water aswel. ill be suing the same cannister filter, i wont be touching that, but yeah ill lose a lot of bennificial bacteria from the gravel.

i could just go a lot lighter on the feeding during the first week.

the first week is my only concern, especially with the ph.

the ADA soils keep the water acidic aswel as having pressurised co2 im concerned about a crash.

atm my discus are in a ph of 6.

[mistakes r crucial]

For the first week or two just keep your Ph below 7 so even if you do get an Ammonia spike it won't hurt them, Ammonia becomes Ammonium under 7. If you get Nitrite that's a different story, keep changing water.
MAC

[Nathan]

change of plans, i think instead of going different substrate ill just use the stuff i have now (its very light (no nutrients added though).

ill rip everything out of the tank (log, plants etc) and ill get a new lighting system an add pressurised co2 an replant it. i think this is the easiest, cheapest, safest way.

any comments?

[StonX]

Nathan,

I'm no expert on this but if I were you, I'll be investing on proper substrate. I'm using plain gravel at the moment and just rootball. never achieve that planted look i wanted. maybe its just me....don't have the green thumb.

I'm just waiting for the substrate to arrive then the gravel will be gone..

[Nathan]

do u guys think 90w will be suitable for a 3x18" tank?

[twobunnyrabbit]

do u guys think 90w will be suitable for a 3x18" tank?

For a planted tank with CO2, should have atleast 2wpg (watts per gallon).

All the best with your make over.

[duck]

do u guys think 90w will be suitable for a 3x18" tank?

For a planted tank with CO2, should have atleast 2wpg (watts per gallon).

All the best with your make over.

Not true,CO2 at any level of lighting always helps.

[Noddy65]

What are the other dimensions Nathan then we can work out a wpg for you...remember though that Duck is right...CO2 nearly always helps.
Mike

[Nathan]

ive ordered a 180w pc light, an can always continue to use some of the lighting thats already on my tank, so i coult have up to 240W.

il also be using pressurised co2.

the tank volume is about 160L

[Nathan]

its actually 192w, so it could go up to 252w if needed.

can anyone work out what the WPG is for 192w for a 150L tank>?

[Marinemom]

If my math is correct then you will have just over 4 watts per gallon. At that amount of light you should be able to grow pretty much anything you want.

Marinemom

[fish_r]

can anyone work out what the WPG is for 192w for a 150L tank>?
i get 5.81 WPG 150ltrs = 33 gallons. 192watts ./. 33gallons = 5.81wpg
wow that is going to be one high maintenance tank....

[Nathan]

well ive ordered:

ADA aquasoil
PC lighting
Aqua medic bubble counter
aqua medic reactor
red sea substrate heater

so im hoping ill get all this gear within the next week (finger crossed!!)

ive also been looking at these plants listed. Can anyone tell me if i will find any problems with any listed!

Rotala wallichii
Rotala macranda
Micranthemum umbrosum
Tiger Lotus - Red
Vallisneria - Thin
Ludwigia inclinata
Echinodorus tenellus (dwarf chain sword)
Blyxa japonica
glosso
riccia


wow that is going to be one high maintenance tank....

thats ok, i was actually going to buy another tank to do this project but i cant be bothered maintaining another one. Besides we all know discus need an love lots of maintanance!!

thanx for the help guys!

[Noddy65]

Dont forget Nathan...I can supply you with many of those including some extra special plants
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/plantfinder/details.php?id=81&category=genus&spec=Ludwigia

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/plantfinder/details.php?id=137&category=plant_type&spec=Stem

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/plantfinder/details.php?id=139&category=plant_type&spec=Stem

All for the special price that a nephew gets...

Dr Mike

[Noddy65]

Riccia is a really high maintenance plant...everyone should try it at least once so they get it out of their system...

Mike

[Nathan]

thanx mike, ill give u a call later next week after i recieve everything, which plants are you able to help me with?

remember that nephew is looking after 6 Inka 50's for you!! :D

yea on second thoughts maybe no riccia! dont wanna have to keep scooping it out once its floating on the surface!

[Noddy65]

Pretty much everything except for the Rotala (I dont have those 2 species).

Mike

[Nathan]

oh thats great mike!

aprox how big would each cutting be?

are they from your tanks or from friends?

[Nathan]

got all the aquasoils today an the substrate heater, im expecting the co2 gear to come tomorrow an hopefully the rest early next week!

[Nathan]

today i redid the tank, it took ages.

here are pics its far from done, i still need the reactor an the new lights, an lots more plants.

here are some pics that my girlfriend roxie took.

roxie myself an my brother redid the tank.


heres before we started
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n203/discus123/Picture006.jpg

all the gear (most of it, still waiting for the light)
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n203/discus123/Picture020.jpg

Taking the wisteria out, hadnt prned it for a week
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n203/discus123/Picture010.jpg

my brother being an idiot
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n203/discus123/Picture017.jpg

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n203/discus123/Picture032.jpg

substrate heating cables
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n203/discus123/Picture037-1.jpg

ADA powersand and ADA bright sand
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n203/discus123/Picture041.jpg

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n203/discus123/Picture048.jpg

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n203/discus123/Picture052.jpg

im not going to post a pic of the tank filled until im happy with it an ive got everything ive ordered an have all the plants

any questions go for it!!

[Noddy65]

In the mail as we speak (well type really).

Mike

[Nathan]

thanx mate really apreciate it!!

[Nathan]

alright heres a tank shot, its not a great pic is theres still tons to be done, an im still fiddling with the co2 (had a big disaster yesterday with the co2, but thats all fine now) the tank has been planted for a week an everything is going crazy i already need to do a pruning (havnt cz im lazy) it still needs to fill out at the back but yeah anyway heres some photos from before the makeover and what it looks like now.

before shot
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n203/discus123/Picture006.jpg

and now
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n203/discus123/Picture057.jpg

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n203/discus123/Picture056.jpg

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n203/discus123/Picture055.jpg

and therel be lots more pics once it fills in an i get the slr back (dads got, hes overseas)

all the plants are doing really well the wallichi is going crazy an macranda is doing well, an the glosso is sending runners everywhere! most of the plants are pearling each day inclduing the macranda!

[samir]

should turn out nice Nathan, looking forward to seeing more pic as it comes along

[Noddy65]

Looking good Nathan
The H.balsamica could be cut in half and the top burried in about a week. Its the spiky/filmy plant on the left of the tank. The bottom half will then send up multiple shoots from the cut stem...its looks pretty poor at first but looks fantastic once they start shooting...

Mike

[Nathan]

will do mike, when you showed me pics of it on the net i thought it looks to similar to wisteria but it looks great!, the tank an plants look much better in person, when i do the next w/c ill be pruning everything (ive held off as i want good cuttings) an ill replant them an help fill out the back more.

[Noddy65]

I know what you mean...it can look a bit like wisteria in pics but is nothing short of spectacular in person...teh best way to grow it is to have 5 or 6 individual plants, shorter ones (almost hugging the substrate) in the front and then gradually taller ones behind, all planted as a group.
Its a pity you didn't see it when you were here in January and photos dont really show the effect very well but it really does look great like that.

Mike

[scott bowler]

looks great nathan will grow in to good things keep us posted

[Nathan]

alright i think ill fill up that back corner with the stuff, wanna cover the uv up!

its a nice plant really great colour green! its healthy aswel, pearling each day an growing well (slower then the other plants, but definitely growing!)

[*Chris*]

hey nathan were did teh glosso come from ?
been after the stuff for ages

[Nathan]

boronia aquarium, they got great range of plants an plant porducts ther thats where i also got ym co2 cylinder!

[Robdog]

Are you going to try and keep the white sand part free of plants?

[Nathan]

yea, the glosso is sending a lot of runners for it though, my plan is to really fill in the back of the tank and have the sand empty, bit of centre piece sorta thing

[Nathan]

pictures taken today after a big pruning, the growth rate is amazing, seriosuly these babies grow overnight!! Still a long way to go, i was planning on using the cutting to help thicken up the background but i ended up just throwing the clippings away, so theres still a way to go, an i think ive finally worked out the co2 dosing!

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n203/discus123/Picture059.jpg

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n203/discus123/Picture060-1.jpg

this is h. balsamica, a really rare plant in australia (thanx Mike!!!)
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n203/discus123/Picture062.jpg

[Pauly]

Great looking tank Nathan. It will look realy good when the ground cover and plants fill out .What size tank is that?

[Nathan]

thanx mate, yea its really startn to fill its looking good, ill take an updated pic this weekend.

the tank is 3x18x14

[Nathan]

im gettn this brown algea gunky crap on some of the plants, mainly the plants that are thick like the wallichi and ambulia, does anyone know how i can fix this?

its really quite ugly an i cant get it off without cutting that part of the plant because its like a goo sorta thing, i falls off when you touch it sorta thing.

so can anyone help?

[fish_r]

i get the same stuff in some of my plants, i know the stuff ur talking about :( i'm not 100% sure but i think it's from not enough circulation/movement between the leaves. i usually just trim the parts effected off and some of my plants i can get rid of it with the garden/syphon hose i use to drain my tank @ water changes.

[fish_r]

also ur tanks looking great :)

[Nathan]

yea thats what i was thnkn to, because the leaves are so close together i doubt there be a lot of movement between them.

dont suppose anyone has a solution other then trimming it?

by the way thanx for that mate, yours is lookn tops to!

[Noddy65]

Dont worry about it Nathan...its a common occurance on newly setup/renovated tanks (I think its a diatom).
You can clean it off and vaccum it up but it will just disappear over the next few weeks anyway...

Mike

[Nathan]

oh ok, thanx for the info