Discus advice

Hello lads ladies been reading books etc. surfing the net.in the next couple of months by May anyway be setting up discus tank.
So questions.
1 Is it essential or not to use ro water.
2 Was thinking of both canister and air driven sponge both filter action..pros and cons.?
3 IT seems a lot more water changes as usual.At least 10percent a day by my reading in books and on forums.
4 What is your opinion on HMA heavy metal axe filters , and if this system is to be used what type make of pump and pressure controls would be needed to pump from mains to tank.I no an overflow is needed .also which I have covered.this system would combat water changes?
5. If I was to set up tank foot tank and Partition of 1 foot in case of fry in future.(long way of ) but may as well sort it now would requirements be different in water or is separate tank necessary .as meds used for eggs etc would go into main tank.effects.?

So that's the questions.i seem to look into stuff a lot ,sometimes go through with setups sometimes don't.was also deeply looking into betta breeding a while back and waying up pros and cons decided against it.Any way have a chance to sort a decent set up for once for all as house been renovated after recent flood.(note to everyone don't let anyone just throw stuff in attic might damage pipe and have flood) any way advice be appreciated.Derek

Sorry for stupid typo mistakes .not the greatest on computers

Hi Dubdero...
1. No it is not essential or even a necessity to use RO water...tap water works just fine...discus just need stable parameters and water out of the tap (de chlorinated and at roughly the right temp) is just fine. I'm keeping discus for years and have never once used RO water.
2. Depends on what size your tank is - for a breeding tank which is small, sponge filter is fine. Otherwise, canister filter. Discus really just need stable, clean water. What size tank do you have. How many fish you going to keep? I use two 1501s on my 400l tank which is way overkill - I do so because it is heavily planted.
3. No. Some people do water changes daily. I don't, i do one 30-35% water change a week. Therefore, the entire tank is changed out every month...
4. Don't even know what they are - if you want extra clean water just add a strip of poly filter...
5. Don't always need meds for fry...some breeders use methylene blue to prevent fungus growth on eggs others don't.

It's always useful to have a small, separate quarantine tank or breeding tank or one that can be used to medicate sick fish...I have a 70l tank for this purpose....

Hope this helps. Please just ask if you have any other questions....Brian

quote="dubdero" post=178064]Hello lads ladies been reading books etc. surfing the net.in the next couple of months by May anyway be setting up discus tank.
So questions.
1 Is it essential or not to use ro water.
2 Was thinking of both canister and air driven sponge both filter action..pros and cons.?
3 IT seems a lot more water changes as usual.At least 10percent a day by my reading in books and on forums.
4 What is your opinion on HMA heavy metal axe filters , and if this system is to be used what type make of pump and pressure controls would be needed to pump from mains to tank.I no an overflow is needed .also which I have covered.this system would combat water changes?
5. If I was to set up tank foot tank and Partition of 1 foot in case of fry in future.(long way of ) but may as well sort it now would requirements be different in water or is separate tank necessary .as meds used for eggs etc would go into main tank.effects.?

So that's the questions.i seem to look into stuff a lot ,sometimes go through with setups sometimes don't.was also deeply looking into betta breeding a while back and waying up pros and cons decided against it.Any way have a chance to sort a decent set up for once for all as house been renovated after recent flood.(note to everyone don't let anyone just throw stuff in attic might damage pipe and have flood) any way advice be appreciated.Derek[/quote]

Great advice saved me another week of research.delighted about the ro water would of been a pain

That HMA filter goes on to the main tap .takes out impurities chlorine etc.and drips into container and then pumped direct into tank..seems like a water purifier on an American fridge by the sound of it.any way delighted I don't have to set one up.thanks again.

Not necessary in my experience....cheers and beat of luck with it...

In general, I would agree with Gonefishy's responses.

Yep....I have seem so much rubbish about RO being "essential".
But, if you planned on breeding wild Heckels then that would be a different matter.
Over the years I have seen more discus suffer in de-ionised or RO water or resin softened water (due to instability not sufficient) that I have seen fish suffer in straight good quality tap water.

Diet and a proper water change regime are very much key.
Keeping a good water change regime regular is probably more imporant than the exact amount or frequency.
When I used to keep a lot discus tanks and do a lot of breeding I would change 90% per day; but with old age () a regular partial water change once a week of 10 to 20% will keep the fish happy (but won't necessarily see them bolt in size).

What is not recommended, though, is to goes weeks without a water change and the suddenly do a massive one.

In the diet/water change regime, you are balancing growth rate vs making a sewer in a hot tub.
Discus fish are actually quite large cichlids with a high metabolism.......a full sized discus is big, and would need a big diet to match to get to full size: that, however, means that your water is going to oooze with ammonia that would demand high oxygen levels to make the filter cope....and at the high temperatures Discus tend to be kept at, oxygen levels are compromised at the best of time.
So.....a balance is needed.

I am a fan of methylene blue in treating disease......but not for breeding Discus: the parents should deal with fungused eggs.

As for medications for Discus.......I have never really found discus particularly susceptible to any particular disease.
But if they do get a disease, then they are rather tolerant of most medications.

On the PolyFilter/ ammonia adsorbing zeolites............all good products. They are solid phase removers of things.

Talking of filters..............air operated sponge filters can be extremely effective in a discus tank as secondary filtration (or even primary filtration if you plan things well). And if breeding then you will find them to be brilliant (as filters as a source of micro-food).

Buy quality discus in the first place.

ian

Cheers Ian great advice .was thinking of canister and sponges together more oxygen the better as canister on its own without spray bar for a slow current may take out oxygen as its a closed system.Well if my theory above ain't accurate both be insurance for each other anyway.Why did I bother buying books the info is all here thanks again.appreciated.

dubdero wrote:

Cheers Ian great advice .was thinking of canister and sponges together more oxygen the better as canister on its own without spray bar for a slow current may take out oxygen as its a closed system.Well if my theory above ain't accurate both be insurance for each other anyway.Why did I bother buying books the info is all here thanks again.appreciated.

There is a good reason you bought books..........I am a big supporter of books [although some Discus books are no more than picture books].
One might not agree with everything we seen in a book, but on the whole they are excellent sources of good information and may have some peer input in checking the info is OKish.
When looking at the web.....it could be pot-luck.

ian

dubdero wrote:

1 Is it essential or not to use ro water. - I never used RO water, keeping & breeding discus for years, first breeding 2002, never heard about RO back then)
2 Was thinking of both canister and air driven sponge both filter action..pros and cons.? - I use both, works perfect.
3 IT seems a lot more water changes as usual.At least 10percent a day by my reading in books and on forums. - I change 25%-30% of water once a week (except when raising young fry).
4 What is your opinion on HMA heavy metal axe filters , and if this system is to be used what type make of pump and pressure controls would be needed to pump from mains to tank.I no an overflow is needed .also which I have covered.this system would combat water changes? - Never used it, never heard of it
5. If I was to set up tank foot tank and Partition of 1 foot in case of fry in future.(long way of ) but may as well sort it now would requirements be different in water or is separate tank necessary .as meds used for eggs etc would go into main tank.effects.? - Separate tank for breeding is good idea, so fry don't get eaten by other fish. I never used ANY medicine when breeding, not for eggs or fry.

Good luck and welcome to discus world!

Sina

I have used and HMA filter for the last 6-9 months: water was going straight through it to the tanks. Now i fill up a barrel and keep it 24 hours then pump water into tanks.
Lately i have been changing 30% every other day, but I am heavily stocked and have excellent filtration. Any other questions fire away.

I only find RO units handy for the sediment and charcoal filter,
I don't care about the RO membrane part. But very handy if you're doing a drip water changes. Think I went through what you did in my construction topic, might be worth a flick through?

Lads response has been great..cheers

Just to add... I use rainwater (based in Limerick) and have done for years with my discus and they get on well in it.