Making sure my new fish will be happy

[pink66]

Hello everyone. I have been reading the topics with great interest and have picked up heaps of information to help me. I have successfully kept cichlids for over 15 years now but never tackled discus before.

I am feeling a bit uneasy about adding new discus to my tank as my first one "Finn" is doing wonderfully well but has come from less than ideal conditions and is as tough as any fish I have ever come accross (i dont think you could kill him with a stick). I am afraid that I just do know know what test kit numbers I need to be showing to ensure any new little guys will thrive.

So I will ask you all for help. Is there a "setting up for discus for dummies" that you can direct me to that speaks in newbie language (only because the settings for my african would probably kill a discus). My ph is consistant at 7.4 (comes out of the tap that way and if it is suitable would rather not reduce it), my tank temp is 29deg. all the bad stuff tests like ammonia are always really low.. but where should the GH & KH sit? Is there anything else I should be looking for???

Finn currently lives in a 2 x 2 x 1.5 and have a 2215 filter. My water changes are done every 2 to 3 days (mainly because it is a small tank and he is sharing with the clown and bristles)

My new tank is a 4 x 2 x 18 and when I am finished be a planted tank, will have 5 discus (is that too many??), a clown loach, 3 bristle noses and a small school of tetras. Cleaning will be approx 35-45% per week and run with two cannister filters

I look forward to your assistance to ensure that all my discus can be with me for a very long time.

I am still amazed that my cichlids never set me onto the path of obsession as this little discus has!!!!

kind regards,
Sharon :) :? :?

[ILLUSN]

If the watr out of your tap is stable and you dont plan to breed discus then I'd leave everything as it is and not worry about your kH and gH.

Very iportant that ammonia and NO2 ore at ZERO, not just "low".

your stocking density will be fine with 5 fish in a 4x2x1.5.

i'd change 30% twice a week as a minimum and run a 2217 or bigger eheim in addition to your 2215.

everything sounds good make sure you put up pics when your done.

[Hollowman]

Totally agree with the above.

One thing, if this is going to be a planted tank, I would get a group of adult fish instead of 2-3" juves. Small/juve fish need lots of water changes and feeding to make them grow to their full potential, and daily cleaning in a planted tank will be a pain, better going bare bottom/thin sand layer if you want to go down this route. Stunting can occur in planted tanks if you cannot keep up a good regime. jmo

Hollwman

[cityguy]

I would always prefer a planted tank, as they look so natural, but as hollowman says, you have to take the pain of keeping the water clean, thus a lot of water changes :-) No pain.. no gain. Adult fish, or at-least medium sized ones, would be easier to take care than juvies too.

[tomahawk]

Obviously, a planted tank cools the eyes while a bare one is like an eyesore. To me, a bare tank means a lot of "something" is missing from the tank.