Author Topic: Tom's Multiple Tank Log (Read 5111 times)

chrispowell · « **Reply #15 on:** September 17, 2014, 04:14:19 pm »

Have you just got one Discus on its own?

What are you feeding it/them?

How much water do you change??

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tomcolville · « **Reply #16 on:** September 17, 2014, 10:33:36 pm »

I have 3, currently in a 160 tank (will be in a 250L). I plan to get a few more.

I fees them on live food and frozen food (discus mix or beef heart).

Depends on water conditions, my nitrates tend to stay very low. I do 20% water changes every week or two

chrispowell · « **Reply #17 on:** September 18, 2014, 11:01:01 am »

If you want to keep healthy Young discus you need to do a lot more research. 50% daily water changes are a minimum to grow them on

tomcolville · « **Reply #18 on:** September 18, 2014, 05:29:52 pm »

I know I am far from the experience of a lot of people one here but the one thing I am sure to do is a lot of research and I have people on the internet with the same beliefs. I have also found people with very different beliefs. With what seems like a lot of things there is no single way to do something "successfully". I don't disagree as some people may find they have to do those sort of water changes to maintain a good water quality.

The first one I got was 3" (Thora). I have had him now for three and a half months and is now 3.5", the most noticeable about this one is his. The second one (Pablo Escobar) I have was 2" when I got him, I have had him now for one and a half months. His growth has been by far the most and is now the same size the first one 3.5". My most recent one (Scar) I have had for a month and was roughly 4", he now looks to be about 4.5". Measuring success by what a very experienced discus breeder/keeper has said:

2 ~ 2.5" 3 months
3 ~ 3.5" 4.5 months
4" 6 months
5" 9 months
6" 18 months
7"+ 24 months

Using this you can say 2 out for the 3 (Pablo Escobar and Scar) are doing, "Two out of three aint bad" ~ Meat Loaf (I obviously don't take that approach, just a bit of humour). Thora I feel could be down to other issues. Thora was in the LFS for a long period of time whereas the other two, Scar and Pablo Escobar, were only there for 1 and 2 days respectively. Is this successful? I'm sure you can find somewhere on the internet through research telling you that you are doing it wrong. I have no doubt that you will find different growth rates, etc. As it stands they are growing well (personal belief) and look healthy.

To reiterate the point, I do not disagree with you in regards to the water changes and research in some cases. I just wanted to say that I have experienced good growth rate (according to some scales) and I believe (and the api master test kit does as well) that i have good water parameters. Although I am sure if something goes wrong with them I will come running back on here with my tail tucked in between my legs, crying and begging for help :P

Pictures of the cabinet to come later, it is now almost done!

chrispowell · « **Reply #19 on:** September 18, 2014, 05:56:09 pm »

I wasnt looking to upset you, far from it. Looks like you have a nice setup.

I would like to point out that young Discus will not do well long term in a setup with 20% water changes a week. They are also a shoaling animal so 5 is considered the bare minimum for keeping them.

Hopefully like you said you will get the chance to add more to the group but Discus keeping isnt all about Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrate levels, the fish will stunt at that level of care and wont reach their true potential.

tomcolville · « **Reply #20 on:** September 18, 2014, 09:55:11 pm »

Apologies if I came across like that, it has been a long stressful day(s) at work.

As you mentioned I am looking to eventually get more (I pick them up when any good ones come up in the LFS). Will keep posting on the size of them, see where they get.

Just realised I have forgotten to take photos of the work I have done on the cabinet this evening

will try to remember tomorrow.....

Chris, do you have good experience with growing discus? If so, I have read that they require feeding 3 times a day and have also read that this really is overkill, what are your thoughts on the matter? I feed them 1-2 a day, I can't possibly feed them 3 times a day and maintain a significant period of time between feeds as i am out of the house before 6am and do not return until 5pm! Any other tips or advice for someone like myself?

chrispowell · « **Reply #21 on:** September 19, 2014, 06:24:09 am »

First up, 3 times a day is a minimum really, I feed mine once at 6am, once at 5pm and again at 11pm. At the weekends where possible I will pop another one or two feeds in there.

Froozen beefheart mix is what I use. Water changes are going to be a massive factor in growing these on.

If you want to keep Discus I would strongly recommend joining Northants Discus page on facebook
https://www.facebook.com/groups/475555392553210/

Northants sell IMO the best quality Discus in the UK at the moment and the members on that group supply some great knowledge, pictures and advice.

Hope this helps

Chris

tomcolville · « **Reply #22 on:** September 20, 2014, 11:59:22 am »

Wrapping the cabinet, complete. Doors on, check. Trim, partly done.

Still need to finish off the trim, drill holes for door handles, paint it black then attach door handles.

plankton · « **Reply #23 on:** September 21, 2014, 08:57:59 am »

I'd just varnish that if it were me, but then I hate dark furniture.

tomcolville · « **Reply #24 on:** October 02, 2014, 12:35:33 pm »

Okay, cabinet finished and in the lounge.

I have also made the tough decision to sell my livestock. I want to start right from the beginning again although I don't know where I am to yet go with it. Half tempted to go marine!

plankton · « **Reply #25 on:** October 02, 2014, 01:46:40 pm »

It goes with your furniture

tomcolville · « **Reply #26 on:** October 31, 2014, 05:29:49 pm »

Update time, tank arrived last week and finally got some photos of it (been a very busy month). Overall the tank build quality is very good, silicon is incredibly neat. Only two things I can pick at is I would like the tank to ideally be made out of 8mm instead of 6mm and a lot of blow out on one of the holes. But as I said, overall I am very happy with it and only £150 including delivery! Delivery was an issue, was due mid Sept but the van broke down! Second attempt the van got a flat tire. Third attempt I got it

. It wasn't helped by the fact that I have been very busy (again) recently and was pretty unflexible with regards to when it could be delivery. They were more than happy to keep onh at it and they even squeezed in a special delivery for me on Saturday last week.

Before the tank was delivered I paid the company a visit. It was very interesting, definitely wasn't what I was expecting. I have only seen chain pet shops and the odd very well established LFS. This place was all that fancy stuff stripped back, struggled to find the place it was that discrete. I went in and wasn't even sure I was in the right place let alone a shop. Bare wooden framed tank stands, undecorated, it sort of worked! They did say they are in the middle of refurbishing the place but I still thought it worked. The owner of the business even approached me (we hadn't spoken or communicated with each other) and knew who I was what I had order, everything. Started talking, I was asking about the shop, their future plans etc. Turns out they are expanding. I have to say I haven't experienced customer service like this. This has resulted in my choosing them to build a custom sump which I am currently drafting up on CAD. They have even offered to throw me in a free weir when I place my sump order!

DomP · « **Reply #27 on:** October 31, 2014, 05:39:38 pm »

Very nice.

plankton · « **Reply #28 on:** November 01, 2014, 09:26:23 am »

It'll look nice when it's full

tomcolville · « **Reply #29 on:** November 26, 2015, 01:08:05 pm »

It has been far too long, over a year, and a lot has happened! I have said to myself to am going to post on here more regularly from now on. I will upload photos this weekend as I have a free weekend (a rarity atm)

Firstly, the tank I was in the middle of building....I am still in the middle of building! Yeah, it has been a busy year. I have some very fancy lighting for the tank now, two 120W LED lights. Controllable and programmable from your phone (over Wifi), sunrise, sunset, moonlighting, thunderstorm and cloud cover simulation. Some of these features don't really add any benefit to the aquarium but I thought as it is going to be my main display tank I want it to be something that anyone can say "wow, that's cool". I also have just about everything else to set this tank up, plumbing, return pump, multiple heaters all rewired to a controller, etc. Few things still left on the check list, sump, filtration media (I have a filter sock and carbon, that is it), substrate and living things. I ordered a sump a while ago paid for it and it has never showed up. I have been trying to get in touch with the company but have had no luck, it is the same place I got my main tank from, such a shame. Anyone know of any good tank builders in the west midlands? I need very specific dimensions (so it is bespoke) as the cabinet I have built can't fit a normal sized sump. I even purchased loads of marine specific equipment for it but have since decided to go against marine and stick with fresh water. More on this to come. The idea will be to have a planted Discus aquarium, I miss my old Discus so much I had to have them again and in the main display. It will have 20-30 cardinal tetra, maybe 6 discus and shrimp. That is all for this tank now until I post pictures up this weekend.

My 32L office aquarium, this housed my Betta. Unfortunately he is no longer with us

As a result the tank then got turned into a marine, it was to see if I could keep marine. It failed. Badly. All was going well for a couple of months, snails, hermit, shrimp, clown and red firefish. All in happily for 2 months. Suddenly got a green hair algea outbreak and everything but the hermit died! I was at the LFS and saw a brand new massively discounted 80L tank 40cm square base and 50cm tall. I thought it would make an awesome new office aquarium for £30.....Yes, £30! So i tried my hand at saltwater again, this time more determined, specialist lighting external cannister for extra filtration, loaded up with dry rock, nice crushed coral substrate and a skimmer. New hermit moved in once the tank had cycled and then a month later two clowns joined him. I started to see signs of GHA again, it was coming in fast, starved lighting, light feeding, I couldn't stop it. I decided to buy a sea hare. He hovered it all up within two days and got him feeding on dried seaweed once a week. You could still see the odd patch but it would be gone the following day. 3 weeks later the sea hare died and now it is just the two clowns and the hermit. I give up with salt water. They are going back to the LFS. I have a spare canister filter rated up to 300L so will use that on this tank. This is where my decision has come from to stick with what I can do best for the display tank, FRESH WATER FTW!. Once again I will post pictures up of this adventure! As for the 32L tank, that is sat in my garage as a back up/emergency tank. Hopefully I will never have to use it.

Now for the 160L Kitchen tank. This is currently housing my RTBS, 5 angels, 20 cardinals, shrimp and plenty of plants,although the RTBS loves to charge at the plants, snap them and dig them up, he really is a nightmare. Every time I try to do something with the tank the following day I will find what ever I have planted at the surface! The future plan for this tank will be to move the cardinal and shrimp to the main display, get rid of the RTBS and the angels.

Future plans for the 80L and 160L, I am in two minds here. The 160L tank probably needs re sealing at some point as it is getting on for 10 years old now. I may just replace it with a taller tank! Now the idea will be to have on tank to grow out discus and the other as an aquascaped Betta. The 160L tank (or what ever volume it maybe replaced by) would be ridiculously big for an aquascaped Betta, but then I don't think many people have a Betta tank that large and that appeals. But with the 160L tank being in the kitchen and on tiled floor (rest of the house is carpet bar the 3 bathrooms) this would make it a lot easier to grow discus out in and more representative of the environment they are likely to grow up in. With the frequent water changes the kitchen is ideal and because my house can get quite busy, getting the discus us to that in the kitchen as opposed to hiding them away in the calm of my office would probably make more sense. Most likely outcome is 80L Betta and 160L Discus growing tank.

Apologies for the massive update, it has been a bit of a brain dump. Pictures will come this weekend.

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Author Topic: Tom's Multiple Tank Log (Read 5111 times)