Temp for these plants?

[EVoyager31]

Considering changing my tiger barb tank to a discus tank in the next few weeks. I read in the coop site that discus need much higher temps than I currently have going and I worry about the plants. 
I am currently running a cascade 1000 on a 75G tank with c02 injection via pressurized c02 and reactor. Current temp is about 75, coop recommends around the 86 mark. I have fairly soft water and lower Ph (with and without c02), around the 6.0-6.5 mark depending on when I measure.

I can’t remember the exact names of the plants I have, but attached an image.

Some that I know off the top of my head: Camboba, jungle vals, red tiger lotus, reg tiger lotus, trying to carpet with S. Repens, Hygrophila corymbosa “compacta”, myriophyllim tuberculatum super red, Ammania gracillis, ludwiga inclinata, java feen windlov, and others, see photo. Have a good mix of stem plants and root feeders.. I think I listed most of them.

 

Thoughts?

Edited August 12, 2022 by EVoyager31

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Hi @EVoyager31

Discus are beautiful fish but they do require a degree of extra care, including excellent filtration to keep detritus cleaned up and weekly (or even twice a week) water changes.  I do a weekly water change of more than 50% of the volume of my 75 gallon tank.  That is in addition to running three (3) Fluval 307 canister filters rated to move 303 gallons per minute each.  I use HTH Pool Filter Sand because it is inert and will not effect the water parameters and because it shows any detritus build-up.  I run my tank at 83 degrees F. with a Fluval 3.0 LED fixture and CO2.

I've experimented with several species for my discus tank and found that almost all species can tolerate 83 degree temps with adequate light and nutrients including CO2.  Here are two pictures of my discus, the first is my 30 gallon which I used when they were juvies and the 75 gallon that they are in now.  Hope this helps! -Roy

30 gallon


75 gallon w/ F1 Red Spot Green Discus

Edited August 12, 2022 by Seattle_Aquarist

[EVoyager31]

On 8/11/2022 at 10:20 PM, Seattle_Aquarist said:

Hi @EVoyager31

Discus are beautiful fish but they do require a degree of extra care, including excellent filtration to keep detritus cleaned up and weekly (or even twice a week) water changes.  I do a weekly water change of more than 50% of the volume of my 75 gallon tank.  That is in addition to running three (3) Fluval 307 canister filters rated to move 303 gallons per minute each.  I use HTH Pool Filter Sand because it is inert and will not effect the water parameters and because it shows any detritus build-up.  I run my tank at 83 degrees F. with a Fluval 3.0 LED fixture and CO2.

I've experimented with several species for my discus tank and found that almost all species can tolerate 83 degree temps with adequate light and nutrients including CO2.  Here are two pictures of my discus, the first is my 30 gallon which I used when they were juvies and the 75 gallon that they are in now.  Hope this helps! -Roy

30 gallon


75 gallon

Wow, beautiful tank and fish! I will get there one day! Three canisters AND 50% change a week?  I think I have underestimated discus needs. Thanks for the info! I haven’t decided completely on doing discus yet.. maybe I ought to look for another species that’s more in line with my abilities.

[Seattle_Aquarist]

On 8/11/2022 at 7:23 PM, EVoyager31 said:

Wow, beautiful tank and fish! I will get there one day! Three canisters AND 50% change a week?  I think I have underestimated discus needs. Thanks for the info! I haven’t decided completely on doing discus yet.. maybe I ought to look for another species that’s more in line with my abilities.

Hi @EVoyager31

Thank you for the kind words.  I don't want to discourage you, and the species is not exceptionally fragile, but they are 'high maintenance' if I want to keep healthy fish.  I clean the three (3) Fluval 307's every six weeks (1 every two weeks) so I don't lose the beneficial bacteria.  Another genus to consider for that 75 gallon are the Rainbowfish.  There are many different species of Rainbowfish that have some stunning colors.  Before the discus I did two setups with Rainbowfish; first with Melanotaenia boesemani 'Lake Aytinjo' (Gary Lange's eggs); and the second with Melanotaenia praecox. -Roy

Melanotaenia praecox

[EVoyager31]

On 8/12/2022 at 12:32 AM, Seattle_Aquarist said:

Hi @EVoyager31

Thank you for the kind words.  I don't want to discourage you, and the species is not exceptionally fragile, but they are 'high maintenance' if I want to keep healthy fish.  I clean the three (3) Fluval 307's every six weeks (1 every two weeks) so I don't lose the beneficial bacteria.  Another genus to consider for that 75 gallon are the Rainbowfish.  There are many different species of Rainbowfish that have some stunning colors.  Before the discus I did two setups with Rainbowfish; first with Melanotaenia boesemani 'Lake Aytinjo' (Gary Lange's eggs); and the second with Melanotaenia praecox. -Roy

Melanotaenia praecox

Well I want to be able to provide best conditions possible, and I am not sure I have time to do them justice. 
I am also considering a rainbow tank, but am nervous because I purchased a bunch of juvenile bosemanis when I first set this 75 up and things went great.. until it didn’t. I still don’t know what happened (water parameters were perfect with the exception of Ph being a little low (with and without c02)). Everyday there would be one fish gasping for air in the back, I’d move to QT tank and treat for everything, then two days later boom. Dead. Lost about 23 juvie bosemanis in total. I am nervous about trying again for that reason.. especially considering that I still don’t understand what the problem was.

[Seattle_Aquarist]

On 8/12/2022 at 7:13 AM, EVoyager31 said:

Well I want to be able to provide best conditions possible, and I am not sure I have time to do them justice. 
I am also considering a rainbow tank, but am nervous because I purchased a bunch of juvenile bosemanis when I first set this 75 up and things went great.. until it didn’t. I still don’t know what happened (water parameters were perfect with the exception of Ph being a little low (with and without c02)). Everyday there would be one fish gasping for air in the back, I’d move to QT tank and treat for everything, then two days later boom. Dead. Lost about 23 juvie bosemanis in total. I am nervous about trying again for that reason.. especially considering that I still don’t understand what the problem was.

Hi @EVoyager31

Rainbowfish are not that difficult.  They do like warmer temperatures, say 80 degrees F or so.  I've had them in everything from pH@7.4 to pH6.2 with no issues.  I will say that good filtration is important for 'bows as well.  I run filtration on all my tanks that is approximately 10X the tank volume (i.e. 75 gallon has 750 gph of filtration) and where possible I run at least two filters on a tank so when I clean one thoroughly and lose the beneficial bacteria the other filter is still doing the job.  I think that the Cascade 1000 is rated for about 265 gph so upping the filtration on your 75 gallon might be something to consider.

Also, like most fish, buying healthy quality fish to begin with is a major key to success.  I never buy fish from the big box stores (Petco; Petsmart; etc).  Many of the fish sold in our LFS are purchased from a wholesaler and are imported from Asia breeders or South America / Africa exporters.  By the time they get to the LFS they have had at least 3 major water changes and are weakened at best.  If possible I purchase fish from a local breeder (an aquarium club is an excellent way to meet local breeders) or from LFS that the local breeders sell to.  There are also some good breeders of quality fish on Aquabid but there are also wholesalers so know your seller.

Here in Seattle our local club, Greater Seattle Aquarium Society (gsas.org) brings in national and international speakers that sometimes bring in fish or eggs that they sell during the meeting.  For example, in September the club is hosting Gary Lange (fish explorer, collector, breeder, and international speaker) and I believe he will be bringing quality juvies and eggs of the Rainbowfish he raises.  -Roy

Melanotaenia lacustris raised from juvies

[EVoyager31]

On 8/12/2022 at 12:03 PM, Seattle_Aquarist said:

Hi @EVoyager31

Rainbowfish are not that difficult.  They do like warmer temperatures, say 80 degrees F or so.  I've had them in everything from pH@7.4 to pH6.2 with no issues.  I will say that good filtration is important for 'bows as well.  I run filtration on all my tanks that is approximately 10X the tank volume (i.e. 75 gallon has 750 gph of filtration) and where possible I run at least two filters on a tank so when I clean one thoroughly and lose the beneficial bacteria the other filter is still doing the job.  I think that the Cascade 1000 is rated for about 265 gph so upping the filtration on your 75 gallon might be something to consider.

Also, like most fish, buying healthy quality fish to begin with is a major key to success.  I never buy fish from the big box stores (Petco; Petsmart; etc).  Many of the fish sold in our LFS are purchased from a wholesaler and are imported from Asia breeders or South America / Africa exporters.  By the time they get to the LFS they have had at least 3 major water changes and are weakened at best.  If possible I purchase fish from a local breeder (an aquarium club is an excellent way to meet local breeders) or from LFS that the local breeders sell to.  There are also some good breeders of quality fish on Aquabid but there are also wholesalers so know your seller.

Here in Seattle our local club, Greater Seattle Aquarium Society (gsas.org) brings in national and international speakers that sometimes bring in fish or eggs that they sell during the meeting.  For example, in September the club is hosting Gary Lange (fish explorer, collector, breeder, and international speaker) and I believe he will be bringing quality juvies and eggs of the Rainbowfish he raises.  -Roy

Melanotaenia lacustris raised from juvies

Yeah, maybe I could supplement with a hang on back or something (not trying to buy a whole other canister right now and sponges take too much space in the tank).

Also I have been looking for some kind of aquarium club in Atlanta, but it seems like I only see Saltwater specific ones or have found websites that look very out of date and am unsure if they’re active. I’ll have to keep hunting, thanks for all the info!

[Rebecca M]

@EVoyager31, I don’t have a discus tank right now, but when I did keep them years ago, I kept them at 80 degrees with a large school of rummy noses and these plants: Cryptocoryne balansae, Java fern, and Java moss.