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55 Gallon Discus Project

44K views 67 replies 22 participants last post by  ILernDaPlantz 
#1 · (Edited)
Hello everyone!

I started this tank back on 11/1/2010 and finally have time to start a journal.

There has been a lot of changes since I first setup the tank and will post all pics and info from the beginning and then from this point on.

I have had great success in the first month/month half then started getting a large algae outbreak on all my plants. Not knowing exactly what the problem was I tried several things to narrow what the main cause might have been.

The tank it self is as follows:

-55 gallon tank (48" x 13" x 21")
-Stand from walmart for 55 gal tank (had this for years and used it for my previous tank about 5+ years ago)
-Primo CO2 System from GLA (5 and 10 lb tank for when one runs out)
-Eheim Pro 2 Series 2026
-Jager 200 watt heater
-Hydor Koralia nano water pump
-Aqua Soil Amazonia II (3X 9 liter bags) bottom layer, Aqua Soil Amazonia II Powder Type (2X 3 liters) top layer.
-ADA drop checker
-ADA glass diffuser
-Sundial T5HO 48" (running only 2 of the 4 T5HO bulbs)

Plants:

-Dwarf Hairgrass (Eleocharis acicularis)
-Rotala 'nanjenshan'
-Ludwigia Peruensis
-Heteranthera Stargrass (Heteranthera zosterfolia)
-Green Temple Narrow (Hygro Corombosa)
-Glossostigma (Glossostigma elatinoides)


 
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#13 ·
Thank you!

I started out with two like you see in the pictures. About 3 weeks later I added 3 more.

EDIT: Forgot to answer the rest of your question.

Yes I did have 5 Amano shrimp to start the tank off with but soon after the Discus arrived they became lunch lol. I also have 2 SAE and 2 Sterba's Cory cats running around in there. I really wanted more Cory's but the LFS I got them at only had 2 good sized ones and the rest looked really juvenile. I plan on getting 2-4 more as soon as I can find them.

That is a really good looking 55 gallon. :smile: Why didn't you add a black background?
Thanks!

I actually thought it would look OK with out one.. Really starting to regret the fact that I didn't put one up just to see how it looks.

Also when I first started I didn't think I was going to use the ledge in the back of the tank to store stuff and thought after the plants grew in it would cover the back anyways.

I also have several suction cups attached to the back of the tank and didn't think they would stick that well to a background.

I have a 55 and im quite jealous! This tank is great! what are your running time for the lights and what bulbs do you have?
I run the lights for 8 hours. 11am-7pm.

Both lights are from Zoo Med. One is an Ultra*Sun 6500K and the other is a Flora*Sun 5000K

What are you fertilizing and how much?
I fertilize using the EI method for my size tank..

I do use a little less KNO3. After about a week of dosing the 1/2 tsp I was getting readings of over 50-60 ppm.

I think this may have been from the AquaSoil though?
 
#19 · (Edited)
Thanks!

The funny thing is I knew what plants I wanted from the start but really didn't know where I wanted to put them. Once they came in I kind of just put them in places that I thought would look OK. Find myself lucky that it filled in the way it did..


My 55 never looked that good in the 9 months I had it going. Really love the DHG, I am contemplating it for ny 75 I eventually want to start.
I always tried to get a nice carpet to grow in my 10 gallon but could never do it. The key is to separate them into very small bunches and trim the tops off by an inch/inch half and trim the roots.

The only pain is with this setup and fast growth I have to cut it every week or it grows 4-6 inches +!

When the tank started to get an algae outbreak I didn't cut it for 2-3 weeks. Ill post the picture sometime and I'm sure a lot of people will be amazed how tall it grew!


Wow, very nice work! Fish & plants look nice N healthy.

Criticism - Bad placement of dart-board
Thanks!

Good eyes on the dartboard lol. Forgot it was even there. It hasn't been used since the tank was put up. Now its just used to take up wall space.
 
#20 ·
55 Gallon Project (updated 1/28, the algae begins!)

Ok here is what the tank looked like on 12/29

I do admit the tank should have been trimmed a while before this.

You can see what looks like BBA on the Rotala 'nanjenshan' on the back left.

It all started when I would trim the tops of it. Then the whole stem that I trimmed would get an outbreak of algae. The new growth would be green though.



Dwarf hairgrass anyone! Never thought it would grow this tall!? Its around 8 inches tall after only 3 weeks.
 
#31 ·
Thanks! :)

Would also love to grab some discus from a local breeder once he gets his littleuns raised up big enough...

The tank does look good though!
Hey thanks!

When you get them post some pics. Hope you get them soon and good luck!

looks awesome.....digging Dwarf Hairgrass
Thanks!
 
#33 ·
I think they'll be a while until I get them. I'm working y way up to more expensive fish...

Are you going to add anymore different red plants to balance out the green?

To tell you the truth this tank is heading for a mojor makeover.

I just havent had the time to post all the pics I have to show the removal of some plants and stuff getting moved around.

I always wanted to try the high light setup ever since I had a a bunch of 10 gallon planted tanks. Now that I got it out of my system im going to go towards the low-high to medium light setup.

What had happened was since I got the discus I have raised the temp of the tank from 78 F to around 84-86 F and the temp is really starting to take a toll on my DHG, etc..

My new plan is to get a nice piece of Manzanita driftwood and stock the tank with swords, ferns, crypts, ect..

I will be taking pictures of everything along the way and will update the journal.

Thanks!
 
#36 ·
Lemme know when you wanna get rid of the DHG, if you are. I might take some off your hands :p

If I ever have Discus, they'll have to be happy with 80 degree water. I've known many people to keep them in it, they just had to keep parameters straight.
If the DHG is still in good condition when its time to tear it up you will be the first to know :)

80 degree water is possible. But like they say everything else has to be good and stable. Prob be best to go that route if you do have lower temp plants and not make the mistake I did :icon_frow

looks amazing. i've got a 55 w/ that stand and light as well and i am dying to get it started this weekend!

how do you like the stand? i purchased my stuff second hand and the stand is a piece of crap. been waiting to get a new stand (this weekend) before setting my tank up
Glad to hear your almost about to get everything setup! :)

As for the stand Ive had it for a long time (5 + years) and never had an issue with it. It is solid and has a great basic look to it. The thing I dont like is I wish it was taller, and had more room in the cabinet area.

Of course compared to other more expensive, high quality stands you cant really compare it. But for the money at the time when I baught it, it was a good deal.

The only reason I prob didnt get another stand is b/c I would have prob upgraded and baught a 75-90gal tank and stand. Not that its a bad thing but more $$.

Thanks!
 
#39 ·
I want to say in the upcomming weeks.

Im actaully just going to take out the plants, leave a piece of driftwood in there until I get the new one so the discus have something to look at. The AquaSoil is staying but might take the 1 inch of powder type off the top. Also might slope the AS as well.

yeah. the stand itself doesn't look bad. i suppose the person i bought it from didn't have it together correctly b/c the tank teeter totters on the center brace and i do not at all trust it b/c of that.

and yeah, it is a very very low stand
I think mine did that a little bit but not that much to worry about. I have it on carpet too so it pretty much leveled itself out.
 
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