I've seen it done, I know it can be done: striking a balance between the water requirements of Discus fish and the specific species of plants that thrive in the same kind of water. But is it worth it?

--LONG POST, PRETTY-PLEASE KEEP READING...--

I've been slowly and patiently putting together my 200 gal custom build tank that I aquired at a very good deal and repaired. It's newly cycled after about a month and a half. I've got plans all in place to start in with the purchase of a lot of planted-tank products and accessories, the CO2 injection system w/ automatic ph control, the high end LED lighting, top-end planting substrate, ferts, UV sterilization, reverse osmosis unit (100 gal/day output with 50 gal reservoir), redundant cannister filtration, and more...basically "the works".

I've got the aquascape all planned out, the driftwood ready. I'm ready to buy the plants.

A couple of days ago I took it upon myself to do more reading about planted tanks, as if I don't obsess over it enough. It served as a huge reminder about just how much work is going to go into this, and I'm familiar with that and ready for it.

HOWWWEVERRR (sorry for shouting) the big variable is what I am not yet familiar with: DISCUS. I've never ventured into the world of Discus fish yet, and after about a decade of practice in freshwater aquaria I think I'm ready to give it a try. Right now I' on the cusp of a big deision for me, and that's why I'm seeking guidance here. I need to decide if I'm going to go ahead and create the planted tank of my dreams WITH discus, or if I am going to abandon the planted tank dream and just set up a bare tank with inert rocky decor and cater strictly to the discus.

I'm concerned that jumping headlong into the world of plants and the world of discus when I'm only very schooled in one of the two disiplines will result in disaster due to an undertanking for which I'm unprepared or over my head.

I'm also concerned that given both the needs of the planted aspects of the tank and the demands of the discus fish that even if I am abundantly successful, will it really be worth the effort. I already know how much time can be taken up in maintaining a lovely planted tank of such size, and I have heard that discus are also high maintenance creatures.

Having a healthy discus population in my aquarium is more important to me than the plants are, because I've wanted and dreamed of a discus tank for years. I just want to know if I can have my cake (discus) and eat it too (plants) without either failure or success at the price of an ongoing monumental time investment.

So I ask your opinions, all. What path should I take? Planted tank with Discus, Discus only, or even plants and no Discus?

(sorry for typos, I typed this on a tablet)

That setup is far too nice and well suited for plants to pass it up. Get your dream tank going. At the same time, why not get ANOTHER tank and do a discus-only tank in that one, THEN when you've got the hang of both you can combine forces?

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Officially fishless until after the move....tune in later for details!

I grew up with planted discus tanks in the "old days" when our gear wasn't nearly as friendly or as technical as it is today. Perhaps we over-think and over-work the process these days, both for fresh and salt water. I have moved to a mixed reef tank now, but if I was back in fresh water, I too would have a combined discus and planted tank. With the resources you're planning, how can you help but be successful.

The key is plant selection. You want to select plants that you love that thrive in the same environment as your discus. That's where I would focus my research.

My experience says (excluding the vital water chemistry) that there is a third aspect to a successful discus tank and that is the hardscape you include. At one point in my life, I maintained 6 individual 55 gallon discus "display" tanks all racked together. Those that appeared to thrive (based on breeding habits and frequency-because a breeding discus is a happy discus) included a (a) combination of live plantings, (b) some sort of branching driftwood for additional vertical protection and cover for the discus and esthetics for me, and (c) hard, fairly smooth, near-vertical rock surfaces mixed with a shelf or ledge or two. The tanks with a robust combination of this environment not only looked better to me, but were rewarded with "productive" discus, even if there were other mixed species (usually small tetras) in the same tanks.

I know people that have successfully used clay pots (both upright and laying on the side) as breeding surfaces for discus in planted tanks.

I can't comment on the CO2 injection because I have no experience with that water chemistry supplement. I don't know how that might impact the discus or their behavior, but I suspect they wouldn't mind at all.

My vote, go for the planted discus tank and enjoy. I would bet that you'll put a lot more effort into keeping the plants thriving than you will the discus.

Klinemw
Now with a 125 mixed reef display tank plus sump.

Don't let the Discus fish worry ya. I've had harder problems with German Blue Rams than my discus tank. My 155G is stocked with 8 discus and maybe a 100 plants and some driftwood.. Give them a hide and they will be happy. Bill in va.

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12 Tanks, 900 gallons. Discus/Angels/Malawi/Lake Victorias. Just added a 135 & 2 - 29's..

Oh.. just remember that the Discus will prefer 84-86 degrees and there are a bunch of plants that suffer once approaching 80. Bill in Va.

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12 Tanks, 900 gallons. Discus/Angels/Malawi/Lake Victorias. Just added a 135 & 2 - 29's..