Purchasing New Tank Help!

I'm not much a plant guy so I can't help very much with lighting and plant selections...
I have heard great things about the eheim heaters, but I put a 300w in my 95g discus tank....it failed on me in three weeks and the tank dropped to barely 70 degrees for a few days before I noticed. I'm an aqueon fan myself.Based on what I've heard the eheims should do the job just fine, but based on what I've dealt with 2 300w aqueons would do just as well with less risk.
When it comes to a tank big enough to use two filters I like to use more than one type as long as the stand can hold a canister. A good combination is a canister and a HOB style filter, on my discus tank I have a fluval 307 alongside a marineland 400. I'm not as familiar with eheim canisters either, but I'm thinking the biggest one they have only gives about 400gph in turnover. I would suggest using this: SunSun canister filter, it's still of great quality and has a really strong pump (793gph) and compared to other canisters of the same caliber the price is a steal. Then depending on if you're going for 8x or 10x you can go with an AquaClear 50 (200gph) or AquaClear 100 (500gph)
With substrates I say it depends on how big your discus are and how big the ones you'll get are going to be. Doing a bare bottom tank is way easier to clean with how much you have to feed little discus, but as they get older they get less messy and you can manage a substrate easier. Either way ecocomplete has a really 50/50 reputation and I haven't used it so I'll leave that part up to you.
Cycling without fish is always the best way to go

 

I'm not much a plant guy so I can't help very much with lighting and plant selections...
I have heard great things about the eheim heaters, but I put a 300w in my 95g discus tank....it failed on me in three weeks and the tank dropped to barely 70 degrees for a few days before I noticed. I'm an aqueon fan myself.Based on what I've heard the eheims should do the job just fine, but based on what I've dealt with 2 300w aqueons would do just as well with less risk.
When it comes to a tank big enough to use two filters I like to use more than one type as long as the stand can hold a canister. A good combination is a canister and a HOB style filter, on my discus tank I have a fluval 307 alongside a marineland 400. I'm not as familiar with eheim canisters either, but I'm thinking the biggest one they have only gives about 400gph in turnover. I would suggest using this: SunSun canister filter, it's still of great quality and has a really strong pump (793gph) and compared to other canisters of the same caliber the price is a steal. Then depending on if you're going for 8x or 10x you can go with an AquaClear 50 (200gph) or AquaClear 100 (500gph)
With substrates I say it depends on how big your discus are and how big the ones you'll get are going to be. Doing a bare bottom tank is way easier to clean with how much you have to feed little discus, but as they get older they get less messy and you can manage a substrate easier. Either way ecocomplete has a really 50/50 reputation and I haven't used it so I'll leave that part up to you.
Cycling without fish is always the best way to go

Thanks so much for all of this information! It definitely has me thinking more into filtration choices. I’ve never had a tank this size so I definitely want to make sure I make an informed decision. I’m going to do a little more research, ask around and see what others do as well. I currently have a 200w eheim heater in my 55 gallon and I honestly love it. I figured I’d love their canisters equally. Thanks again for such a detailed response!!

 

Of course, let me know if you’d like advice on anything else!

 

Of course, let me know if you’d like advice on anything else!

Do you keep any other fish in your Discus tank? I was told that I could probably do 12 discus in the 125g. Would that leave room for any other fish? I’d really love to have some pristella tetras in there and maybe some type of bottom feeders.

 

Another Discus keeper! Welcome aboard! I have a 125 discus tank now. I’m using the fluval fx6 and a powerhead with 2 sponges on it. It moves 375 gph. My tank is also a planted tank. I would not recommend eco complete. I have it in a 90 and it’s worthless. Your 125 is it 5’ long or 6’ long?

 

Another Discus keeper! Welcome aboard! I have a 125 discus tank now. I’m using the fluval fx6 and a powerhead with 2 sponges on it. It moves 375 gph. My tank is also a planted tank. I would not recommend eco complete. I have it in a 90 and it’s worthless. Your 125 is it 5’ long or 6’ long?

Thank you for your response! I’ve heard mixed things about the eco complete since I posted. Is there anything you might recommend? I’d love for this tank to be heavily planted.

 

I use regular gravel and grow plants fine. For lighting I’m using 2 finnex 24/7 lights 48”. Did you buy those Discus on the south shore?

 

I'd go with a lighter colored substrate like pool filter sand. Discus will try to blend to the darker substrate so they turn a bit darker and will get some peppering which isn't always desirable. If you want them to look brighter and really pop a white sand will look very nice.

 

I use regular gravel and grow plants fine. For lighting I’m using 2 finnex 24/7 lights 48”. Did you buy those Discus on the south shore?

I purchased them from Caribbean Blue in Bayshore!

 

I'd go with a lighter colored substrate like pool filter sand. Discus will try to blend to the darker substrate so they turn a bit darker and will get some peppering which isn't always desirable. If you want them to look brighter and really pop a white sand will look very nice.

Thank you. I love the look of white sand and have tried it in the past. I’ve had bad experiences with it especially in a taller tank. The intake on my HOB wasn’t long enough so a ton of debris would sit right on top of the sand. I tried installing a small internal filter to blow the debris toward the main filter with no luck. I’m a little skeptical to try it again honestly.

 

Another Discus keeper! Welcome aboard! I have a 125 discus tank now. I’m using the fluval fx6 and a powerhead with 2 sponges on it. It moves 375 gph. My tank is also a planted tank. I would not recommend eco complete. I have it in a 90 and it’s worthless. Your 125 is it 5’ long or 6’ long?

Also, it’s 6’ long!

 

Nice tank! Did you buy it with a stand? Or are you making one. I saw those discus at Caribbean blue last week. She had just gotten them in. Seems like yours colored up nicely. Here’s a pic of my tank. Most plants bought locally and I clip monthly so if you’d like some they are free.

 

Nice tank! Did you buy it with a stand? Or are you making one. I saw those discus at Caribbean blue last week. She had just gotten them in. Seems like yours colored up nicely. Here’s a pic of my tank. Most plants bought locally and I clip monthly so if you’d like some they are free.View attachment 660781

Thank you!!!! I did buy a stand. I purchased it without the wooden top because I felt that would make it difficult to work in.

 

You said you have a friend who works on tanks. If he could get you some used media from a fresh water tank that would give you an instant cycle. How many other tanks do you have? And what temp are the fish at now.

 

You said you have a friend who works on tanks. If he could get you some used media from a fresh water tank that would give you an instant cycle. How many other tanks do you have? And what temp are the fish at now.

I have a 55 gallon and a 40 gallon breeder. The discus are in the 40 gallon with 9 pristella tetras and a baby BN pleco. Temp in that tank is currently at 82° to keep everyone happy. The 125g will be at 84°. I was planning on dropping some media from the 40 & the 55 into the new tank but I don’t want to take too much out of the others, so I’m not sure it would be enough for an instant cycle!

 

You said you have a friend who works on tanks. If he could get you some used media from a fresh water tank that would give you an instant cycle. How many other tanks do you have? And what temp are the fish at now.

Here’s the 40 gallon in which the discus are currently in.

 

Because you’ll only be adding 2 3” fish a small amount of media from your other 2 tanks will work. Plus it will seed all the new media. Fill the tank set it up and let it run for about 48 hrs. Than add the media from the old tanks let it run over night and your good. Test regularly and because there small change 50% at least every 2 days. For a 125 you could have 12-14 discus. But as you add you will need to up your water changes. Young discus need lots of food. Growing mine out I was feeding up to 10 times a day. A good food is freeze dried blackworms

 

Because you’ll only be adding 2 3” fish a small amount of media from your other 2 tanks will work. Plus it will seed all the new media. Fill the tank set it up and let it run for about 48 hrs. Than add the media from the old tanks let it run over night and your good. Test regularly and because there small change 50% at least every 2 days. For a 125 you could have 12-14 discus. But as you add you will need to up your water changes. Young discus need lots of food. Growing mine out I was feeding up to 10 times a day. A good food is freeze dried blackworms

They don’t seem to really go for the pellet food that the shop suggested. I’ve been feeding those pellets along with dried bloodworms. The pellets are New Life Spectrum, color enhancing formula. It doesn’t say cichlid formula on it. Should I be feeding something else?

 

Diet for my discus: Bug Bites tropical and cichlid formula, frozen brine shrimp, frozen bloodworms
If you can’t get them to eat what you want them to, don’t feed them for a couple days. If they’re hungry, they’ll eat

 

Diet for my discus: Bug Bites tropical and cichlid formula, frozen brine shrimp, frozen bloodworms
If you can’t get them to eat what you want them to, don’t feed them for a couple days. If they’re hungry, they’ll eat

Thanks so much!

 

Also raise the temp. They tend to eat more when temp goes up. Those are good foods that Nikm put up. But you will need a bulking food. Freeze dried black worms (fdbw) or beefheart are recommended. Fdbw have to be ordered online from simply discus. Or if available on eBay. Where you bought them I think she feeds her discus live blackworms. Not that good for the discus. Check out and put up a pic of your discus on the thread Discus Gang Updates. A lot of us started this past summer and there’s a lot of good info there plus a lot of people to help you along. Plus a lot of new people just starting like yourself.

 

Also raise the temp. They tend to eat more when temp goes up. Those are good foods that Nikm put up. But you will need a bulking food. Freeze dried black worms (fdbw) or beefheart are recommended. Fdbw have to be ordered online from simply discus. Or if available on eBay. Where you bought them I think she feeds her discus live blackworms. Not that good for the discus. Check out and put up a pic of your discus on the thread Discus Gang Updates. A lot of us started this past summer and there’s a lot of good info there plus a lot of people to help you along. Plus a lot of new people just starting like yourself.

I went back and got another Discus today. One of my originals is chasing around the new one. Hopefully it stops soon. I picked up frozen bloodworms and Bug bites cichlid formula today. The one with the red is the newest addition. I don’t plan on getting any others until the 125g is all cycled.

 

 

Good looking disc!
What size bug bites did you get?

 

Good looking disc!
What size bug bites did you get?

 

You’ll want to stay with that size even when they’re full grown, the next size up is huge

 

You’ll want to stay with that size even when they’re full grown, the next size up is huge

Thank you!! They went crazy for the frozen bloodworms as well. I defrosted them in tank water before feeding them.

 

Funny I saw that red one. I thought it was the best looking one there. Good choice!!! And good luck with them! They sell frozen beefheart too. Try that. Another good place is south shore tropicals in Lindenhurst. About 10 min. From Caribbean.

 

Funny I saw that red one. I thought it was the best looking one there. Good choice!!! And good luck with them! They sell frozen beefheart too. Try that. Another good place is south shore tropicals in Lindenhurst. About 10 min. From Caribbean.

Thank you!!!!