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600 litre Low Tech Discus Tank

James Fawkes

James Fawkes

Seedling
Joined
25 Jan 2015
Messages
23
Hi there, I recently finished setting up my big tank! It still needs a few more discus but it's looking pretty good (I think).

It was originally filled 4 months ago with established filter media and stocking has gradually increased from tetras and corys to a fully fledged discus tank.

Equipment:
4ft x 2ft x 2.5ft tank (560l) with 100l sump
Herbie Overflow
Jebao DC3000 return pump
Course, medium and fine sponge
4 litres Seachem Matrix and Alfagrog
Homemade 1000lph internal filter
2 x Visitherm 300w heaters
STC1000 Temperature Controller
2 x TMC Ultima 600 strips with controller (50%)
Red and Blue LED strip

Fish:
7 x Asian Discus various varieties
20 x Lemon Tetra
6 x Brochis Splendens
2 x Apistogramma Agassizi
1 x Balloon Ram

Plants and Decor:
Tropica substrate capped with pool filter sand
Inert rocks from the garden and lots of wood
Narrow leaf Java fern
Anubias Nana
Anubias Nana Petite
Crypt Wendti
Crypt Undulatus
Red Tiger Lotus

I don't dose anything to the water column at the minute and don't use any source of carbon.

I usually do two 40% water changes a week and use an Eheim Compact 3000+ pump with hose to take the water out, then connect the hose to the shower and pump water back in at 29c and add Seahcem Safe directly to the tank.

FTS 27/07/2015
19846854289_88f495738b_k.jpgP1000715 by James Fawkes, on Flickr

Any questions or constructice criticism is welcome :thumbup:

Thanks for looking!
 
Cheers George! Anything you would do to improve the aquascape?

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Really nice, I'd love a discus setup if I had the space! Have you thought about adding a few more crypts along the edge? Perhaps some more Wendti?
 
20025702322_1693f1714b_b.jpg
What type of discus is this? It is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. I often wonder why people always go for a mixture of colours, obviously it is nice to try different types but just one or two varieties would look very natural.
 
Discus look great but plants not so much, might just be the photo. I think you need to dose a bit of ferts after each water change or your plants will slowly wither away.
 
Crossocheilus said:
20025702322_1693f1714b_b.jpg
What type of discus is this? It is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. I often wonder why people always go for a mixture of colours, obviously it is nice to try different types but just one or two varieties would look very natural.
Click to expand...
I'm not the foremost expert, but I think its a hybrid of a few types. Ironically, even though they look great, its probably not a championship winning one since it still has its black bars from a Heckel. The coloration is leopardskin red/turqouise.
 
Thanks for the kind words guys 🙂

Sentral, good idea, I was thinking maybe some s.repens, what do you think?

Crossocheilus, it was sold to me as a (very average) Penang eruption, the little guy has only recently recovered from a bacterial infection so hopefully he turns out ok!

Jose, what makes you think the plants are struggling? Maybe some EI dosing would help?


Flygia, you're more of an expert than I am! Its good to know the exact lineage of my fish 🙂

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James Fawkes said:
Jose, what makes you think the plants are struggling?
Click to expand...
Well, I can see some algae on the crypts (please take this as constructive criticism 😉). Algae is normally due to suffering plants between other things. The Java fern also looks a bit yellowy or brown in some areas. If you dose a bit here and there it will help the plants use up nasties from the water easier and in a more balanced way. I recommend it 100%. But you have to dose everything otherwise you can get more algae. I would dose 1/5th or 1/10th of EI if not using CO2. If you start using excel (I dont recommend it due to the discus) you might want to dose a bit more EI.
 
Cheers for the advice Jose, it is very constructive 🙂 I think I'll order some ferts then! So you would dose after every water change?

Thanks for all the advice!

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James Fawkes said:
Cheers for the advice Jose, it is very constructive 🙂 I think I'll order some ferts then! So you would dose after every water change?
Click to expand...
If you do weekly water changes, then you can dose maybe once or twice a week. Dont get too caught up on numbers. The idea is to have a bit always. After a water change is when youll have less so its the best time to dose.
 
That makes sense 🙂 sounds easy enough which is always preferable lol. Thanks for the link I will check it out and am about to order some ferts!

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Pretty tank, am i reading correctly? It's 2,5 feet high, lit with 2 Grobeam 600 which are runned at 50%.

I am looking at buying Grobeams 600 for my 2 feet high tank, and wondering if those willl penetrate enough.

Michel.
 
Pretty tank, am i reading correctly? It's 2,5 feet high, lit with 2 Grobeam 600 which are runned at 50%.

I am looking at buying Grobeams 600 for my 2 feet high tank, and wondering if those willl penetrate enough.

Edit : any updates on this fine tank?

Michel.
 
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