It looks like nobody hardly ever uses this forum, but hopefully you can answer a few questions. I have been reading and reading a lot about the discus, and I will be starting my new 54 gallon with discus. I purchased a Fluval 405 canister filter, and a very thorough water testing kit. I have the ability to use a number of filtering media since the Fluval 405 has separate compartments for each media to be implemented.

Everything I read shows that the peat granules are great for lowering and stabilizing the ph to better levels of acidity, but that it also tints the water. I was planning on adding some fitering media to help the water to be more crystal clear, but if I add the peat, I am afraid it will couteract the utility of the media. I really don't want tinted water.

If you all have any comments please let me know!

-Justin

It stains the water for a few days max. some carbon or floss will rid that for you.

Peat doesnt lower Ph as much as one thinks maybe .5 IF THAT, it does help soften the water and keep the Ph where it is.

I either use a HOT 250 or just put the bag of peat(fluval bag) right into my sump.

I do have an RO/DI unit for sale, 25gpd spectrapure maxpure, if you dont already have one.
I got the eheim pro 3 2080 for a kicker on my 210 discus tank.


how many discus do you think you are going to fit in that tank?

they are a very social fish and kind of require the company of 3 or more since they are a schooling fish. I keep 13. started with 6 @ 2" in a 45 tall but that didnt work to well and upgraded to the 210.

You're looking at approx. 10 gallons of water per discus, and they really are quite social animals that require 5-6+ individuals in a shoal. Any less than that and the ones at the bottom of the pecking order tend to waste away, get very thin, and die. In my opinion, a 54g is too small for discus. You'd be much better off with a 75g+.

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54g is good for 2-3 discus. you need like stated 75+ for 6 or more.

I have 20 in a 210.

Also this is a new forum. However I plan on whoring it up cause I got two pairs with eggs now.

Peat is mostly for softening the water. Depending on your hardness and acidity, you might not want to adjust it at all. It is better to do more water changes with Discus as they love clean water, so if you don't have to adjust new water each time, it will save you a lot of work.

That being said, if you want to lower the pH (which does bring out colors for some strains) I would adjust the pH with an acid and akaline buffer so that it stays buffered. I would make this water up the day before a change an let it sit. If you want to lower your hardness, use the peat, but if you don't want any tint use an RO/DI system.

If you plan on having plants, you can adjust all this by adding a CO2 tank. The CO2 will lower your pH naturally and plants will lower your hardness naturally. I actually have to add water that is pH7 and GH3, and the CO2 lowers it to pH6.2 and within a week the GH is down to 1-2.

If your only going to have a small number of Discus...get them all at the same time and make sure they are around the same size.

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--->Pictures of my 75g Amazon tank<----

I have found that by using peat moss in the substrate with sand on top you don't get the browning of the water and hardness (kh and gh) tend to remain at more constant levels.

In my leiden system with no water changes and using just sand I do get a slow rise of kh and gh over time.

the tanks are heavily planted with no co2 additions. pH rises to 8.4-8.8 with the api high range test kit. But even with those levels, fish that are reported to require much lower pH level thrive for years. (neon tetras and hatchetfish)


my 02

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fw leiden since 1979, fo salt since 1979, mixed reef 55g 2002-2009. Strong emphasis on the tank taking care of itself. Balanced with plant life, no water changes, tap water, no filters in FW. Only dosing calcium, alk, mag in marine reef tanks. http://www.aquariumforum.com/f15/my-...ods-26410.html
recent tanks (till 2009) 7 years- 10g FW leiden 7 yrs, 55g mixed reef 7, 2 yrs, 20g FW leiden, 10 g fw leiden , 29g mixed reef, current tank 55g leiden