Starting another Tank!!

Got the itch and before even thinking about it I ordered 8 discus. Have an unused 45 just sitting here (yeah I know it’s a qt tank. Don’t set it up :rolleyes. So I can fill it up go bare bottom and grow out the discus in it . Along the way I’ll look for a bigger tank . Well let me see what’s out there. Wow 90 g acrylic with stand for $150. Got it the same day the discus showed up .


this is the tank full. They always look better full . It’s got a lot of scratches. The stand is also acrylic and really not bad.
So it needs to be cleaned up and it’s a bit of work


you have to sand the whole tank and than polish it back to clear. Took a little more than a day.

I’m happy with the results . I didn’t do the blue back or the bottom. But I’ve got plenty of time. Plan on leaving the discus in the 45 till there 4-5”.So it may be 6months. Not sure and will play it by ear. It’s easier to do water changes for the 45. Now doing 20g a day. From what I’m reading this should work. Hey the planted tank worked . I got the fish and tank 2 weeks ago.

 

Following

 

Some pics from today

 

Uh oh, look who is back at it.
Well good luck I will be watching!

 

Bought the discus from Hans at 2 1/2”big. I like to start small and let them grow in there new home/water. Did the same in the planted tank and they’ve all grown to a good size. So what I got is 8 discus. 2 of his new white leopards
not to white and very red! I’m a little confused here. 2 of his German wonders. Blue ones in the middle left.
The 2 Checkerboards.
and
the 2 leopards. Not the greatest pic there stacked up on the right.

 

Bought the discus from Hans at 2 1/2”big. I like to start small and let them grow in there new home/water. Did the same in the planted tank and they’ve all grown to a good size. So what I got is 8 discus. 2 of his new white leopardsView attachment 708495not to white and very red! I’m a little confused here. 2 of his German wonders. Blue ones in the middle left.View attachment 708499 The 2 Checkerboards. View attachment 708547and View attachment 708551the 2 leopards. Not the greatest pic there stacked up on the right.

Love the German Wonders!

 

Gorgeous fish! Can't wait to see it finished. Any idea how you're going to decorate it?

Just out of curiosity, how heavy is acrylic compared to glass?

 

Think I’m going to go bare bottom. Will see though. All my other tanks are planted so bb will be tough.

I’d say a 1/3 of the weight of glass. I carried the new tank up and down the stairs by myself without a problem.

 

So I’m feeding the little guys today and I look over. Big guys are getting jealous of all the food the little guys get

 

Pics from today. Looks like they grown some. Hard to tell when your looking at them everyday.

 

Looking good 86 ssinit

 

Well I’ve had them for a month now . All growing with the German wonders growing the slowest.

Also not liking the bare bottom just to bland. Tons of reflections too with pictures. Started changing 15g a day and I’m now doing 30g. Fish seem to like it so I will continue. Plan to leave them in the 45 for as long as I can.
Going to clean the blue background in the 90this weekend. See if it cleans up. Going to try and start setting it up in about a month. Thinking if I can find them to go with some red tip tetras if I can find them. Had them years ago and they grow big about 4+” and school together and can take the warm water. They’re just not a popular fish so hard to find.

 

gl with them!! They look so nice!

 

Looking Good!
I think somone has the "MTS-Discus" bug. LOL
You've got the touch with raising these beauties.
I did not care for the bare-bottom either. If I ever decide to give them a go again. Definitely, start them in a "Planted" tank.
Curious, can you share your water parameters?
Temp/TDS/KH/GH/pH
Continued Success to you.

 

Discus are so cool! Nice fish 86!

 

Some new pics. All but one doing good. One of the German wonders has stopped eating. Not sure what I’m going to do. It’s the smaller one. They are the lowest in the pecking order.

 

Some new pics. All but one doing good. One of the German wonders has stopped eating. Not sure what I’m going to do. It’s the smaller one. They are the lowest in the pecking order.View attachment 716129View attachment 716130

They look alot bigger!

 

Well I got the big tank set up and filters running. One of the German wonders stoped eating and I’ve moved it into a 15 with some Cory’s I have in qt. First day he’s pecking food off bottom. Fingers crossed.
Last week I lost power in the house and the new guys have been skittish. Raised the temp and most went back to normal but the other wonder and a leopard have now stoped eating. Wondering if it could be hormones. There is no aggression in the tank. Adding many foods trying to get them to eat. Other guys love the variety. Some pics
thats the small wonder in the back

 

Following these posts gets me closer and closer to convincing myself that I'm up for the commitment of keeping discus - but for now I admire your efforts and I'll live through your post! lol

They look gorgeous!

 

The new tank. And it’s a 75 not a 90 .
the little guy in his 15 with the Cory’s.

 

Well I just couldn’t adjust to bare bottom. Honest I tried. Just blah and very hard to take pictures. Everything is glare.
i have 9 black tetras in it now and all is well. Just a little cloudy for the gravel. Should be clear in a day or so.

 

Drooling over this, so glad I stumbled on it. Your tanks always look so awesome. Definitely following this one.

 

Another thread to watch will be SeattleRoy. He is starting a wild discus tank and he is a plant master. Should be plenty of information in his new adventure.

 

So I got the 75 set up and bought some dither fish and maintenance fish. 10 phantom tetras,3 ottos and 4 Sterbai , 3 sae, 3 Julii Cory’s and 8 cardinals. Phantoms I got on Monday with the Julii. Phantoms went into the big tank and started dying off right away. 7 left and it looks like I’m losing another. Think I need new glasses. Thought they looked good in store but didn’t when I got home. Next day I got the ottos and SAE. Ottos into big tank and doing good. SAE into 15 with the one discus and the Julii. All these are doing good. Today I bought the cardinals and 3 have died already. Also bought the Sterbai. Cards into 15 Sterbai into 75. They look good.
Just surprised how bad the tetras are. Hoping what I have left lives. Will put up some better pics tomorrow.
Little discus in 15 is doing good and eating almost everything I throw in. But it is still tiny compared to the others

 

Hello, wonderful set up!! Is that white pot, ceramic? I'm thinking to do something similar but with glass to give a see through view of potted root and as a decor.

 

I’m not sure. It’s not plastic but it doesn’t look painted. Sorry it was laying around the house so I used it. No problems in the tank with it.

 

Some pics in the morn. The 75.
the Sterbai corys
so this tank has been running for a bit now and I’m noticing that even after the sanding and polishing I’m still noticing a haze in places. Seems even though it looked great empty the water does show the flaws. Can’t see in pictures but it seems like the micro-film is bringing them out.
Next the 15 with the wonder. It’s doing great and now eating everything. Also the cardinals are in here
now just the new guys .

 

the Sterbai corysView attachment 721907

I always love seeing pics of Sterbai corys! They're one of my favorites - I miss having them in my tank.

 

Yeah I don’t see them often and these are only the second group I’ve had. Last group was a third the size and didn’t live. Was going to get 20 cardinals but upon seeing these I dropped those numbers to 8. Of which one day later I’ve got 5. So happy I didn’t buy more.

 

Are you sure they are true julli and not trilineatus?

 

No clue it’s just what they were listed as. Here’s some pics. They weren’t happy I chased them out of there spot. Discus though did enjoy chasing them .

 

No clue it’s just what they were listed as. Here’s some pics. They weren’t happy I chased them out of there spot. Discus though did enjoy chasing them . View attachment 721948View attachment 721949View attachment 721947

Trilineatus I thnk. True julli don't have those reticulated parts. Also if I recall I think trilineatus are also one of the fish that don't like discus temperature.

 

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Welcome

 

Trilineatus I thnk. True julli don't have those reticulated parts. Also if I recall I think trilineatus are also one of the fish that don't like discus temperature.

Ok I’ve looked at pictures of both. And they both have pictures of both in there discriptions. To funny.

 

Well I’ve added the 2 wonders to the 75 and they are looking good. Fed them and they are eating whatever. So next move will be adding the others. What do you think all at once or 2 at a time? Last time a went all at once and had no problems

 

Ok so they moved into the 75. So far all is well. Feed them and they all ate .

 

Daytime pic .
and the big tank

 

Well it’s been 3 months and discus are doing good and growing. Plants are also growing good. Though bba is showing on some. Anacharis is growing great but becoming like a filter. So much food get caught in it that I had to remove it. Only one tetra survived a phantom that I bought from a different place than the group that died. Also I lost a sterbai. Ottos doing great as is the rest of the dither fish. Will be adding the rams soon.

As to the tank. What I said earlier about the sanding is showing. Seems with water some of the sanding is showing. Looking for another to try again on. I beleive the 400 and 800 grit sandpaper was just too much. Should have started with 1000 and ended with 3000. Tank still looks good but could be better.

Well the discus look great. All eating and the wonders are growing. The checkerboards are growing the fastest.

 

Well I did it again . 4 more discus came last night. Will need a bigger tank and some restraint .

l