# Random planted tank discus question



## joshd (Oct 16, 2009)

So I occasionally think about how beautiful discus are and how I might like keeping them. But then I do a little reading and hear about having to do tons and tons of water changes and the importance of water quality with discus. And I believe it, but I wanted to hear about that from people that keep discus in a fairly heavily planted tank. Do you still have to do 50+% water changes on a weekly basis (or even more)? Or do all those plants improve the water quality enough to reduce the volume and/or frequency of water changes? Obviously there would have to be good (or even great) filtration involved. Would anyone be willing to share their experiences and even will to share how little they do water changes with discus? This is all for knowledge and for future planning, as I currently have no plans of acquiring discus. 

Thanks
Josh


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## geeks_15 (Dec 9, 2006)

First, I have not kept discus. But I recently did a lot of research like what you are doing.

I asked the same questions about water changes and planted tanks. I got a wide range of answers from experienced keepers. 

Most "discus people" on the internet (simplydiscus.com) recommend bare bottom tanks, tons of water changes, and tons of feeding. This is probably the most tried and true method for successfully raising discus. I got the feeling that many of the people in this group don't believe in the filtration power of plants.

Many local discus keepers recommended more normal aquarium maintenance for discus tanks.

There is a thread on here with discus in a NPT with relatively few water changes.

I found an old book about raising discus (can't remember the name). That recommended a planted tank and 20% water changes every 2 weeks.

The bottom line is like most things in this hobby. There are lots of opinions and many ways to do things. Since discus are relatively expensive and like to live in groups it just makes the stakes higher.

BTW, I decided not to get any discus for the time being. It was just too much money and extra work. I'm setting up a new 112 gallon with plans to plumb it together with a 75 gallon. That tank will be for geophagus to start, but maybe someday I'll replace them with discus.

Good luck,


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## daveg (Jan 3, 2009)

I set up a 120 NPT with Discus that is doing well. Water quality is very important, but the plants good at keeping it clean. I have two small submersible "filters" to get some water flow and I put crushed coral (Calcium Carbonate) in one and a Poly-Filter in the other. Poly-Filter helps absorb the phosphates and other dissolved organics. After the first year I found I needed to dose the tank with trace minerals about once a month as well. I do a 20% water change about once or twice a month depending on how quickly the poly-filter changes color. I only use tap water for the changes and only treat it with Prime. 

I stocked the tank very light. I bought 5 juveniles and grew them out in this tank. They are very messy eaters, but I have a school of rummy-nose tetras and a squad of corries that feast on the discus leftovers. A farlowella helps keep the glass clean and I have a trio of black skirt tetras I used to cycle the tank that I could never catch, so they are in there too. 

The tank has been running for 20 months now and discus are grown, ranging in size from 5-6.5 inches. I made some mistakes and now only have 4, but they are healthy and happy. One pair spawns continuously but my water won't hatch the eggs. I found them to be very tolerant of my harder water and 7.8 PH. Seems like they don't care what PH and hardness they get as long as it is stable and consistent. Fluctuations are not appreciated.


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## Gibby (Aug 5, 2009)

I've been researching extensively too as I'm looking to set up a 230 gallon planted discus tank and my conclusions are:
People that recommend bare bottom only tanks tend to be discus breeders who are looking to maximize the amount of fry to mature ratio.
People who recommend multiple large water changes tend to be raising juveniles which require multiple, up to 8, feedings per day.
People who don't do many water changes have mature discus in heavily planted tanks with a good clean up crew.

It seems that discus will survive in most ph ranges up to the high 7's as many are bred by local breeders and raised in local tap water. The eggs are not viable at these high ph ranges as they do not get enough of an exchange of nutrients; can't remember the exact reason but it's there on the net.


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## OVT (Aug 26, 2010)

15-20% WC every 2-3 weeks with 6 discus in a heavily planted 75g tank. Being cichlids, discus come with all of the associated behavior, good and bad. Something else to consider.


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## joshd (Oct 16, 2009)

Geeks_15, daveg, Gibby and OVT - Thanks for giving a little light to this subject for me.



OVT said:


> 15-20% WC every 2-3 weeks with 6 discus in a heavily planted 75g tank. Being cichlids, discus come with all of the associated behavior, good and bad. Something else to consider.


That schedule sounds very do able. Are there any other fish in the tank with them?

I'm a bit familiar with cichlid behavior. I kept Africans before keeping planted tanks. And I currently have Angels and German Blue Rams.


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## rich815 (Jun 27, 2007)

"Do you still have to do 50+% water changes on a weekly basis (or even more)? "

Yes, and occasionally in the middle of the week too. If I do not some of the discus eyes get cloudy and they mope about. It can be done with less and the discus may not die right off but if you're trying to grow them out and have them show their best color you best keep up with at a minimum 50% once a week, IMO. Anything less than very clean water and sooner or later one of them will get an infection or worms and turn dark and stop eating. Then you have to decide how to treat him/her, whether to endanger the rest of your discus or simply cull that one and move on. You could buy cheap discus and go with less but in the end it will likely be a frustrating experience and your discus will likely never reach the potential and look you desire when you drooled over discus pix on line in the first place....


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## OVT (Aug 26, 2010)

Cories, 3 adult SAE, cardinals, diamond tetras, ottos, 1 adult bushynose. I had to pull ottos out as some of them developed a taste for discus's slime coating. They looked like leaches on discus's sides. My 15-20% WC schedule every ~15 days been going on for the last 6 years. And no, I do not have 9" discuses, ~7" works fine for me  Your mileage will vary.


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## joshd (Oct 16, 2009)

OVT said:


> My 15-20% WC schedule every ~15 days been going on for the last 6 years. And no, I do not have 9" discuses, ~7" works fine for me  Your mileage will vary.


I think ~7" would be more than alright with me. One of these days I will have to give some discus a try. Thanks to everyone that gave me some input. I knew that everyone's experience would be different and I just wanted to feel for how far from 'the norm' that some of you had gone and found success.


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