# Newbie! Discus and plants, what buffers?



## Crow (10 Sep 2013)

Hello, 
  My first thread here on the site. I am setting up a 90 gallon discus/planted tank. The tank has a sump system with ten pounds of ecosystems mud, Eco-complete substrate (2 to 2-1/2 inch deep) temp 80-81°, water source is a RO/DI unit. 

Currently not co2 injected, tho I ordered a system tonight, and I get all my plants on Friday. 

I'm new to planted tanks, and limited knowledge with discus. I need to know what buffers and supplements do I need?

With my limited knowledge, I came up with the following.

Seachem Discus Trace
Seachem Discus Buffer
Seachem Neutral Regulator
Seachem Equilibrium

I'd really apparate some help, I don't want to does the tank with something I don't need, and miss out on something I do!

Thanks in advance,
 -Crow



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## ceg4048 (10 Sep 2013)

Hello,
		Why not save money and just re-mineralize with a percentage of tap water? None of that stuff is really necessary. If I had to pick one I'd choose the Equilibrium. Your profile doesn't state where you live, but if you are in America you can use of GH Booster which is much cheaper. Check the Tutorial section which has articles on how to set up a planted tank as well as how to deal with CO2 and how to use nutrients.

Cheers,


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## Crow (11 Sep 2013)

ceg4048 said:


> Hello,
> Why not save money and just re-mineralize with a percentage of tap water? None of that stuff is really necessary. If I had to pick one I'd choose the Equilibrium. Your profile doesn't state where you live, but if you are in America you can use of GH Booster which is much cheaper. Check the Tutorial section which has articles on how to set up a planted tank as well as how to deal with CO2 and how to use nutrients.
> 
> Cheers,


Then what would be the point of even using RO/DI water in the first place? also how would I get the PH in the correct range for the discus using this way?


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## foxfish (11 Sep 2013)

It depends on what you want to achieve...are you planning on breeding the discus?
If not then then fish are no so fussy as a lot of folk would have you believe.


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## Crow (11 Sep 2013)

foxfish said:


> It depends on what you want to achieve...are you planning on breeding the discus?
> If not then then fish are no so fussy as a lot of folk would have you believe.



I'm looking to build a discus tank with plants, main focus is the discus, but want lush green plants.

I was told by the company I am getting all my plants from, who also has a personal planted discus tank to use the products listed above. 

I'm getting conflicting info. 


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## dw1305 (11 Sep 2013)

Hi all,
I've never kept Discus, but I know a "man who can", have a look for "Apistomaster"' (Larry Waybright)s posts on the web, he is a man who breeds Discus in planted tanks and he knows more than I will ever know about fish keeping.
< Breeding Discus in a planted tank>.

cheers Darrel


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## roadmaster (12 Sep 2013)

I raised a group of domestic Discus (not wild's) with tapwater with pH of 7.6 and around 10DGH.
If you do not wish to breed them ,and they are tank raised fish,, then R/O and buffer's would not be needed.
I  did not raise them in planted tank,but placed them in planted tank once they were around four inches.
Were it me,,(and it ain't) I would plant the tank ,and get CO2 dialed in.
After a couple month's,,I would then place the largest Discus I could afford in the tank.
Adult fish don't need the several feeding's each day to achieve good growth. 
Lot of work raising babies in my view .


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## flygja (13 Sep 2013)

I've had discus in my own planted tank and I never really worried about water parameters much. Mind you, I didn't want to breed them. Tap water for water changes with dechlorinator added. Dosed EI with CO2 drop checker lime green. They were initially smaller, 3.5 and 4 inch discus and never really grew much since I wasn't able to feed them multiple times a day and I didn't want to feed beefheart either. Roadmaster's advice of placing the largest discus he could afford in the tank is a sound one!


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## norfolktim (22 Oct 2013)

hi all.

i used to sell discus for a living and yes the farm breed discus are far less demanding than say a wild heckle discus, some wild discus like the royal browns can be kept in tap water as long as its between 7-7.5ph i think pushing it to 8ph would be max. they do like lots of food and a good diet of mixed foods. if you dont like the idea of tap try using hma water its tap but with the metals removed lots of discus keepers use a mix of both r.o & hma.


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## krazypara3165 (22 Oct 2013)

I have discus. wilds and domestics and Ive bred them some tips i have collected along the way.

Research - Starting up a high tech planted tank is hard but very rewarding, I'd advise to work on the planted side before getting the discus. this way you can inject more co2 and get the setup right without stressing out the fish.

The Discus - Discus are not as hard to keep as they used to be. stable parameters are more important than low ph ect. I keep mine in ph 7.5ish with nitrates usually around 30ppm and they will breed in that water.

I would also advise getting adult fish to start off with as they will tolerate higher injection rates of co2. I foolishly bought younger ones and they struggled with the high amounts of co2 i have since gone back to low tech with the intention of going back to co2 when the fish are older..


just my two cents anyway


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