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  1. #1
    Just an Egg
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Humpty Doo NT
    Posts
    58

    Suggestions / Critique on tank set up

    Hi, after a disastrous first attempt with discus, terrible bore water hardness, total inexperience and a overkill of chemicals I'm now almost ready to try again. I currently have a 400 L Aquaone tank with sump, standard sponge media and bio balls, pumped by a 3600 Moray. Have 2 heaters (considering putting these in the sump) and 4 x T5s (2 x blue, 2 x white). Fixed the WH with RO system (mix of 80% RO & 20% bore - pH sits at 7.2, GH at 89.5 & KH at 107.4, however previous testing showed the GH & KH dropped to 3 TDS after 24 hrs of aging??, so anticipate the same.

    I've transfered the 200L to the verandah to use as a holding/aging tank for WC and as an emergency backup/hospital; running the fluval U4 with 1x White T5. I'm considering planting some Anubias and Amazon sword to gain experience with live plants as don't want to stuff up my main tank through inexperience?

    Have a 500 litre water tank holding pure R/O water, advantage of living bush!

    Not purchasing discus until December as want to make sure the w/parameters are all good and system runs well.

    I expect some changes in the WP in the main tank as its only been up and running for two weeks - was going to do fish less cycling but had a problem of what to do with the Gouramis, clown loaches and corys (all but the corys will be going before the discus arrive).

    Any suggestions / critique would be appreciated 😀

    Haven't learnt how to post pic yet, otherwise would've put a pic up 😊

  2. #2
    Wrigglers
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    S.E Melbourne VIC
    Posts
    267
    Hi Krissy;
    one thing which comes to my mind is that anubias and amazon sword are both low tech plant i.e do not need much light and if you are moving your 200 l tank to your verandah assuming it is outside ,there is enough light so you don't need your T5 etc,and therefore less chance of algae .
    HTH
    sayid

  3. #3
    Just an Egg
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Humpty Doo NT
    Posts
    58
    Hi Sayid,

    Thank you for the feedback. That was something I hadn't given thought to and makes total sense. Appreciate the advice. Cheers

  4. #4
    Moderator
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    China
    Posts
    2,283
    Sounds ok Krissy,

    I would still opt for the fishless cycle, you have plenty of time to get that perfect if your fish are not arriving until December. You say you are getting rid of the cories... I would suggest getting rid of the clown loaches as these can be quite bullying to discus, the gouramis depending on size will be ok.

    As for photos, use a photo host like Photobucket upload to there and use the link for each photo (copy and paste) into the thread and it will show your photo here. Easy enough once you get the hang of it.
    Why me ?

  5. #5
    Just an Egg
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Humpty Doo NT
    Posts
    58
    Hey Hollowman, thanks for advice. I was going to get rid of the clown loaches and Gouramis but keep the corydoras. Really wanted to keep the Gouramis as they are three beautiful little fish; I'm purchasing medium sized discus as want the larger ones rather than juvies. I'd been advised Someone else and by LFS not to keep Gouramis with the discus even though they're dwarf Gouramis. You've given excellent advice in the past to me - I'm taking it that you don't see any issues with keeping the Gouramis? If that's the case I'd rather keep them.

  6. #6
    Moderator
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    China
    Posts
    2,283
    The dwarf Gouramis will be ok, it's when they get big they can be quite aggressive. Can you post photos of the new discus...before ...you buy them, it would be good to critique first to save problems later
    Why me ?

  7. #7
    Just an Egg
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Humpty Doo NT
    Posts
    58
    Thanks Hollowman for your kind offer. As soon as I decide which supplier I'm spending my money with I will post pics once chosen. They will either be Discus from IP (Tony Tan) or from Discus Na. Both appear to be very reputable breeders. prepared to pay for good quality rather than the run of the mill discus in Darwin, after all (hopefully) it'll be a one off purchase of six to eight discus for a long time to come.

  8. #8
    Moderator
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    China
    Posts
    2,283
    Cool, Tony Tan is a good breeder. no worries
    Why me ?

  9. #9

  10. #10
    Just an Egg
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Humpty Doo NT
    Posts
    58
    Sorry all trying to post photos from photobucket and obviously not successfully

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