75 Gallon Tank Beginner Discus & Angelfish Owner

I used Natural Care natural and organic potting soil capped with black diamond blasting sand. Some areas of the bottom of my tank with soil is 3in or so. I didn’t even it out lol. I seen bubbles. Read online to poke holes in the sand/soil. I did and it released the bubbles even more. Kept poking and no more. My water doesn’t smell like nothing. Am I all good or do I have to remove soil and start all over again?

 

I'm not sure why you would have to start anything over. What are you worried about?

 

I can really help with your question but I did want to say...Welcome to FishLore!

 

Monitor your ammonia levels. Soil can raise ammonia and affect a cycle. Have you got your fish in there already?

 

I’ve never heard you need to poke holes in it? And also discus are kind of more difficult fish. I’ve recently learned that when juveniles they need their water changes every other day and need to be fed around 6 times a day. And are also kind of finicky about water parameters

Monitor your ammonia levels. Soil can raise ammonia and affect a cycle. Have you got your fish in there already?

In the picture from what I can see they have 9 angelfish and 2 discus that I can see

 

Welcome to fishlore! How long has the tank been set up? Soil tends to add ammonia to a tank for the first few months.
Angel fish and discus do not work together. Angels are much more aggressive. Notice the black discus on the right side. How big is the tank and how many discus? I’m seeing at least 11 angels. Next soil just won’t work with discus that young. Discus in a planted tank need the substrate vacuumed at every water change. Those doscus are very young and should get new water daily. You may want to move them to there own tank or return them.

 

If you are new to the hobby it can be pretty overwhelming at first. Don't let it stop you from staying with it though because the end results can be amazing!!! Ask all the questions you need to here. The people here are really nice and helpful!! Welcome

 

I'm not sure why you would have to start anything over. What are you worried about?

Anytime the Cory doras start pecking around the soil rises and I am tired of skimming the sides five times a day.

I can really help with your question but I did want to say...Welcome to FishLore!

Thank you!

Monitor your ammonia levels. Soil can raise ammonia and affect a cycle. Have you got your fish in there already?

Yes and my ammonia levels are depleted. I did like 10 water changes before I placed my fish in. Quick started my tank first before I put fish in. I used old canister filter with bacteria and such in it. Added a couple air stones that I had used last time.

Welcome to fishlore! How long has the tank been set up? Soil tends to add ammonia to a tank for the first few months.
Angel fish and discus do not work together. Angels are much more aggressive. Notice the black discus on the right side. How big is the tank and how many discus? I’m seeing at least 11 angels. Next soil just won’t work with discus that young. Discus in a planted tank need the substrate vacuumed at every water change. Those doscus are very young and should get new water daily. You may want to move them to there own tank or return them.

Welcome to fishlore! How long has the tank been set up? Soil tends to add ammonia to a tank for the first few months.
Angel fish and discus do not work together. Angels are much more aggressive. Notice the black discus on the right side. How big is the tank and how many discus? I’m seeing at least 11 angels. Next soil just won’t work with discus that young. Discus in a planted tank need the substrate vacuumed at every water change. Those doscus are very young and should get new water daily. You may want to move them to there own tank or return them.

Thank you I appreciate your comments! All of my fish are thriving and getting along together. It just takes some time. I cycled for a week. I’m about to change my tank around part plants and aqua soil and part 4cm of sand or bare. I clean faithfully every day after everyone eats. I’m up for the challenge, hopefully you can continue to provide constructive criticism. It’s motivating!

 

Your welcome . I will give you as much advice as you’d like. I like to help. Main thing here is for discus your way as they say outside the box. The angels should do fine. How long has the tank been set up? Do you have other tanks running?
Discus are hard to keep fish. Not community fish. Their temp needs to be at 84-86. The ones you have are young and need many feeding and water changes to grow correctly. How many discus in the tank and how big of a tank? 2 of your discus are black. The one on the right should be blue. You can see some blue. Black mean stress. Now discus most discus have stress bars that show up because theyre lower on the pecking order
when a fish is all black it’s not a good sign. It’s way to stressed.
Discus in a planted tank is much harder than just keeping discus. Soil in a planted discus tank just doesn’t work. Most who go with planted tanks will grow out the planted tank. When established they will add 5” discus that they’ve either grown up in another tank or bought at that size.
My tanks are planted but I just use regular gravel which gets vacuumed 3 times a week when I do 50% water changes
both of my tanks are 125g. The above tank has around 60+lbs of gravel. My other tank has 30lbs and I am growing plants in planters behind the rocks. This tank is much easier to clean.
this tank the fish are under a year old and gets a 50% water changes every other day.

 

Your welcome . I will give you as much advice as you’d like. I like to help. Main thing here is for discus your way as they say outside the box. The angels should do fine. How long has the tank been set up? Do you have other tanks running?
Discus are hard to keep fish. Not community fish. Their temp needs to be at 84-86. The ones you have are young and need many feeding and water changes to grow correctly. How many discus in the tank and how big of a tank? 2 of your discus are black. The one on the right should be blue. You can see some blue. Black mean stress. Now discus most discus have stress bars that show up because theyre lower on the pecking orderView attachment 755218when a fish is all black it’s not a good sign. It’s way to stressed.
Discus in a planted tank is much harder than just keeping discus. Soil in a planted discus tank just doesn’t work. Most who go with planted tanks will grow out the planted tank. When established they will add 5” discus that they’ve either grown up in another tank or bought at that size.
My tanks are planted but I just use regular gravel which gets vacuumed 3 times a week when I do 50% water changesView attachment 755220both of my tanks are 125g. The above tank has around 60+lbs of gravel. My other tank has 30lbs and I am growing plants in planters behind the rocks. This tank is much easier to clean.View attachment 755221this tank the fish are under a year old and gets a 50% water changes every other day.

I love your tanks. I’m revamping my tank this weekend. I am going to have a little planted tanks.

 

Nice how big is your tank? What do you mean by revamping? Removing the soil? If so you should remove the fish to another tank while doing this. Take the water and filter and add them and fish to new tank.