1. Welcome to Aquarium Space! We are a friendly online community for aquarium owners all over the world who love their tanks including their fish, reefs, corals, invertebrates and their aquatic livestock. If you haven't joined yet, we invite you to register and join our community!

Father/Son Discus Project

Discussion in 'Freshwater Aquariums & Fish Photos' started by WhiteGloveAquatics, Feb 2, 2010.

  1. LemonDiscus

    LemonDiscus Active Member

    Messages:
    3,588
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    36
    I do the bartering with LFS too... it works well... I know I will not get retail for any of my fish but I just accept it as its better than nothing... also you can move more fish to a LFS than you can to the general public... that helps level out the lower amount you get for them too...

    Example
    3" Angelfish
    Retail - $6-$10
    Breeder to LFS - $2-$4

    BUT sell 20 to your LFS and that = $40 - $80.... move that many to a individual!
     
  2. WhiteGloveAquatics

    WhiteGloveAquatics Thread Starter New Member

    Messages:
    913
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    well, I went to aquarium adventures yesterday for the aqua clear swap(inferior brand traded for a brand NIB aqua clear of same size, catch, buy a small bottle of cycle, sure no problem lol.

    got an ac20 and an ac50 for 16 bucks, had the old man with me and I took him to a local LFS that deals only in salt(sumps are their best friends) went and got the sump, carbon packs,overflow,hard line plumbing a few clamps ect to complete it.

    here is is today, sump was washed and lowered in from the top due to double doors not single on the stand. it fits great. We installed that down low, ordered the heater, and filled the tank.

    45g looks so much bigger then my 40g.

    Here are three pics.
    Tank
    ai49.tinypic.com_2uidlpg.jpg

    Sump
    ai49.tinypic.com_1zwvw2.jpg

    and sticker on sump
    ai48.tinypic.com_2rma146.jpg

    rated for 175g. he plans on going bigger already lol
     
  3. jrow8162

    jrow8162 Member

    Messages:
    718
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Looks like everything is coming along... You going bare bottom or will you be adding substrate?
     
  4. MOD_Dawn

    MOD_Dawn Active Member

    Messages:
    5,172
    Likes Received:
    15
    Trophy Points:
    38
    wow, that was a PERFECT fit for the sump.
     
  5. WhiteGloveAquatics

    WhiteGloveAquatics Thread Starter New Member

    Messages:
    913
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    it will have eco complete as a substrate.

    I went around to a few LFS's for sumps(chains dont stock them around here, dont even stock SW fish so) and found that one rated UP TO fitting a 175g tank.

    it cost 245 bucks, couldnt come near that buying at a store and didnt want to mess with this on mail order just incase because the tank has to be removed to get the sump in and out and after a few times that gets old, sump will run forever so now its in there till the tank comes down for good.

    for under 700 bucks and all I need is substrate and livestock this went alot cheaper in store then it did on the net. The owner took the time(had 4 clerks there plus him) to answer a few technicals then got really really interested when he found out we just spent under 700 for a FW set up, he is coming over on his personal time to show my dad how the sump works exactly and install the overflow and plumbing, free.

    I hope he likes what he see's because he made the comment, SW is too expensive to have exclusively and offer no FW items, I said, yeah AA is next door too, im sure you can beat their prices by far, I mean 8.99 for a freaking guppy, female.

    we will see, I hope it works out for him. But this build is freakin sweet, I had to pass on going to another LFS 20 miles north of us because the wife is at work and kids were snoozing, sucks cause I am a member to that store and get 20% off livestock and 10% off dry goods.


    Ok, this breeder is stating, BNP or RNP and the discus only, from what Ive read over the years of being in fish discus prefer the presence of smaller schooling tetras, is this correct?

    Id love to have red and blue discus then about a dozen or two cardinals in there.
     
  6. WhiteGloveAquatics

    WhiteGloveAquatics Thread Starter New Member

    Messages:
    913
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    sorry for the double post but that light makes the water appear blue, went in to look at the tank, it water is blue. guess being ice cold helps(checking for leaks)
     
  7. LemonDiscus

    LemonDiscus Active Member

    Messages:
    3,588
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    36
    They dont care if you have enough discus in the tank... There are fish you dont want to put with them... Plants you will have a hard time keeping in Discus parameters... but you dont HAVE TO have tetras for the discus to be good...

    6 Discus (you have the filtration there to handle them)... BEWARE of plecos... they sometimes like to latch to discus and eat slime (I have a VERY young common plec now and it doesnt bother them but I saw Otos in a LFS eating it)...

    Plants I have had success with in the discus parameters:
    Amazon Sword
    Chain Sword
    PURPLE Cabomba
    Red Tiger Lotus
    Stargrass
    Red Wendtii
    Val

    These by far have been my most successful plants with the parameters and Moderate lighting...

    If you want a schooling fish go with Cardinal Tetras by far... dont waste your time or money on anything else IMO... many of the others are tiny and Discus although docile DO like to hunt! :)

    Cardinals are a bit larger than many tetras and a bit harder for them to hunt! ;) (not saying though they cant or they wont try)
     
  8. MOD_Dawn

    MOD_Dawn Active Member

    Messages:
    5,172
    Likes Received:
    15
    Trophy Points:
    38
    most tetras won't work with discus (too fast & too nippy), so be careful with what you choose.
    I have a community tank with discus in there...to give you an idea of what I keep successfully with mine (90g):
    pr. ram cichlids
    cardinal tetras
    glow lite tetras
    black neon tetras
    corydoras
    bristlenose plecos
    glasscatfish
    clown loaches
    yoyo loaches
    SAE's
    Praecox's
    Dwarf Honey Gouramis
    single hummingbird tetra
    otos
    endlers
     
  9. WhiteGloveAquatics

    WhiteGloveAquatics Thread Starter New Member

    Messages:
    913
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    parts pile
    ai48.tinypic.com_ojnllt.jpg

    tank before seaview
    ai49.tinypic.com_s49r85.jpg
    ai50.tinypic.com_e66q9z.jpg

    after seaview and done for the night.
    ai46.tinypic.com_2gvjuo2.jpg
    ai47.tinypic.com_14xz2mr.jpg
    ai49.tinypic.com_2ly4kch.jpg
    ai50.tinypic.com_207qhyd.jpg

    tomorrow, going to cement in the supply line to the overflow and posisition the tank, eco complete will be added and tank possibly filled, I kinda want to wait on the plant package to fill the tank but I can always get wet later.
     
  10. blowfishRus6

    blowfishRus6 New Member

    Messages:
    237
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    i hate you, well im jelous and i hate ups. my parts where supposed to come today for my sump. but it snowed :/ ups bleeps....

    tank/sump everything looks awesome. cant wait to see it with fish in it.
     
  11. blowfishRus6

    blowfishRus6 New Member

    Messages:
    237
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    also, what light are you using??
     
  12. WhiteGloveAquatics

    WhiteGloveAquatics Thread Starter New Member

    Messages:
    913
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    discus wont be in for about 3 months, going to set it up and plant it, then more then likely use my danios or barbs for starters in there.
     
  13. MOD_Dawn

    MOD_Dawn Active Member

    Messages:
    5,172
    Likes Received:
    15
    Trophy Points:
    38
    danios and barbs...I wouldn't put them in a discus tank.
    Danios are too quick and will spook them, barbs are nippers and will nip their fins.
     
  14. LemonDiscus

    LemonDiscus Active Member

    Messages:
    3,588
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    36
    Discus IMO should be kept mostly in a species only tank... Especially if you have not kept them before... Other tankmates could pop up as problem fish at any time... I know Dawn has them in a community, but I wouldnt do it...
     
  15. WhiteGloveAquatics

    WhiteGloveAquatics Thread Starter New Member

    Messages:
    913
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    No they are going to be starter fish, not tank mates.

    hearty fish that have cycled 5 tanks of mine now and are very healthy to start this one.
     
  16. MOD_Dawn

    MOD_Dawn Active Member

    Messages:
    5,172
    Likes Received:
    15
    Trophy Points:
    38
    Note that ANY thing that goes into my 90g is chosen "around" the Discus...with them taking the priority of course.

    Discus in a community tank are perfection to me (I love the variety)...as you can probably tell by all the tanks I keep. But again, as with anything caution has to be taken and if something arises propers steps may need to be taken (switch this ... swap out this) ;)
     
  17. LemonDiscus

    LemonDiscus Active Member

    Messages:
    3,588
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    36
    Same goes with discus in a planted tank... it makes it harder but to me that is how it is intended.

    Most Discus keepers keep them in a bare bottom tank with nothing else in with them... I like the biotope feel so I go with plants and substrate... So to many my way isnt right... Each challenge to their own...
     
  18. jrow8162

    jrow8162 Member

    Messages:
    718
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Yep! I keep gravel in my tanks but I just cleared all of the decorations out of my 20 gal and will take the gravel out for the new Discus. I want to quarantine them in that tank. Also, want to make sure they are eating well before I move them again...
     
  19. WhiteGloveAquatics

    WhiteGloveAquatics Thread Starter New Member

    Messages:
    913
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Lemon, your way is right to me, even my fry tanks arent barebottoms.

    a glass coffin int natural but a planted glass coffin is sweetness.

    update, pics to follow tomorrow
    substrate is in, got a new t-5 ho light for it
    (twin 6700K's at 39w each, good IMO) got a huge chunk of mopani for it today and started soaking it to get most the leaching done before it goes in and to give me some time before my plants arrive this week.

    so spent another 340 bucks today on it, now its just fish that need to be purchased.

    I am really thinking to toss either my barb gang or danio flock into there to cycle it out and then remove them when the discus get here.

    good thing is I might get a O/U stand and start the guppy breeding hardcore again for a natural food supply and pets.

    my female angel laid a clutch of eggs tonight, the male attempted to fert, then got sidetracked and got hungry, well now he is being held at bay in the far corner of the tank and she is fanning what is left, darn SAE's found the eggs and that was a big fight, two sae's on the female angel, she kicked some fin hard.
     
  20. WhiteGloveAquatics

    WhiteGloveAquatics Thread Starter New Member

    Messages:
    913
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    coralsea t-5 HO twin 36" 39ww 6700k bulbs.