# [Wet Thumb Forum]-new planted discus tank



## Amy (Mar 1, 2003)

this is a 90 gallon planted discus tank. stats are as follows:

90 gallons
65w X 4 CF JBJ lighting
fluval 404
injected co2, 1 bubble/3 sec.
flourite bed under medium river rock

plants:
wisteria
ludguia
pygmy chain sword
contorton vals
sunset hygro
red foxtail
rubin sword
giant sag
dwarf sag
dwarf hairgrass
tropica sword

inhabitants:
6 clown loaches
25 cardinal tetras
1 L091 three beacon plec
7 F2 wild red discus

any comments or criticisms are welcome. things need to grow out a little still, although the wisteria is growing like a weed! this is my first attempt at a real planted tank, so i could use any help that you guys can offer!


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## Amy (Mar 1, 2003)

this is a 90 gallon planted discus tank. stats are as follows:

90 gallons
65w X 4 CF JBJ lighting
fluval 404
injected co2, 1 bubble/3 sec.
flourite bed under medium river rock

plants:
wisteria
ludguia
pygmy chain sword
contorton vals
sunset hygro
red foxtail
rubin sword
giant sag
dwarf sag
dwarf hairgrass
tropica sword

inhabitants:
6 clown loaches
25 cardinal tetras
1 L091 three beacon plec
7 F2 wild red discus

any comments or criticisms are welcome. things need to grow out a little still, although the wisteria is growing like a weed! this is my first attempt at a real planted tank, so i could use any help that you guys can offer!


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## ekim (Jan 31, 2004)

Looks good, 
I'm not sure if all your plants will flourish
under higher temps that discus like, what temp are you keeping it at? 

PS: don't underestimate the need for lots of food(5-6 times a day) and lots of water changes to get those little guys to grow.

good luck


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## 2la (Feb 3, 2003)

Now HERE's a tank where I'd definitely go with a black background to really put the focus back on the tank's contents. Other than that, it looks like a good start, but I'd recommend the red milfoil go somewhere towards the back of the tank.

 
(Click for pics)


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## Phil Edwards (Jan 22, 2004)

That's a good start to a planted discus tank. Like Ekim has mentioned not all of your plants are going to survive the temperatures your discus prefer so a little trial and error will happen. Each tank is a different creature and some plants will do well in yours that may not generally be expected to.

Your stock list looks good though for a brand new aquarium. I wouldn't change things around too terribly much for the next few weeks. Just let your fish and plants grow while the tank settles down and establishes itself. Keep up with the feeding and do small water changes to keep the nutrient levels where you need them to be and you'll be golden.

Best of luck! I'll make sure to share photos of my discus when I get them in a few weeks.


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## ranchwest (Jul 17, 2005)

Is there somewhere that has a list of warm water plants?


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## António Vitor1 (Feb 2, 2003)

Don't know why most think that higher temperatures are required to keep discus..

I do not think that is true (well maybe to eradicate some parasitic illness)...

I keep my discus at 27ºc (80ºf ), no poblem whatsoever, I am doing this for more than 1 year...

lots of food are more important for them (if they are growing), and that might be a problem with a planted tank (with many discus), it's difficult to keep the level of all the nutrients right for a planted tank...

average Water temperature from amazon River is 27ºc, might get a little higher on some tributaries, but that doesn't mean that discus love higher temperatures.
That means that discus can sustain higher temperature with no problems (good for treatment).

I do believe that some discus illness promoted the higher temperature myth, and discus are like most amazon fish, 27ºc (not bellow 27ºc), is ok and great to them!


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## ranchwest (Jul 17, 2005)

Antonio,

Thanks for your response. Actually, I guess I'm jumping off topic a bit. My interest is not in discus, but in maintaining a planted tank in the 79f to 84f range, so with the discussion here I thought I'd ask about warm water plants. Or, conversely, is there a list of plants to stay away from in warm water.

I don't want to be concerned about loosing plants if the temperature goes up (treatment, summer temperature rises, etc.).


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## Amy (Mar 1, 2003)

80 is the minimum that i would keep a discus tank at, and that's only for domestic strains. wild caught discus do need to have higher temps, more in the 85-90 range. discus seem to prefer different water conditions to thrive in the home aquaria than they do in the wild. it is true that their natural waters stay at about 80, and the natural pH that you find them in is about 7.0. however these conditions do not seem to be the best for them in captivity, for whatever reason. 

i keep my tank at 83, and they're doing fine with that. the breeder that i got them from kept them at 86 while raising them, although they seem to be fine with the slightly lower temp now.

the food issue was solved by using one of those cup feeders. i put that thing in, they immedietly come up to it, and drop in some worms. the cardinals don't get any, and just about none get to the bottom of the tank. what little bit does get by them is usually gotten by the clowns that sit under them. the tank is actually surprisingly clean. i'm doing 25% water changes twice a week to ensure that.


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## António Vitor1 (Feb 2, 2003)

> quote:
> 
> Originally posted by Ranch West:
> Antonio,
> ...


most plants can sustain brief periods of "hot" water (above 80ºF). 95% of all the plants that we use can sustain that very very easily.

for instance I have glossostigma, (it's not tropical), and I am able to grow glosso with my discus at 80ºf, even if most sites says otherwise...

Lower pH values induce lower bacterial activity, most parasitic illness are not able to sustain those higher temperature used with discus.

so, this enviroments can induce healthier discus.
but if they don't have any problems, they will do just fine at 80ºF!


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## Amy (Mar 1, 2003)

okay, made some changes to the tank. moved the rubin sword to the front and put the foxtail in the back. the wisteria and ludwigia are taking over the tank! also changed the background to the black, although i'm kind of undecided as to how much i like that.

any more suggestions as to how to improve things would be great!


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