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Planted Discus Tank Story

nickmcmechan

Member
Joined
16 Mar 2008
Messages
224
Location
Dalkeith, Scotland
So, I set up a planted 300 litre a few months about February and since then I seem to learnt an incredible amount, 50% thorugh trial (and most certainly error!) and 50% through forums...

The reason for writing this is to find out if I'm going in the right direction

The setup is Juwel 300l, co2 injected via external co2 reactor and drop checker always showing light green to yellow. Filters running (i) Juwel Internal with a powerhead at 600lph directed along back wall of tank (ii) eheim internal, i think about 800lph, flow also along back wall opposing juwel filter flow (iii) fluval 305 external intake and output through the juwel internal, i think about 1000lph (iv) eheim 2217, output at left hand side of of tank (co2 goes through this one). Output of spraybar pointed a 45 degree down towards base of tank.

Lighting is 2x39W T8 bulbs with reflectors for 8 hours per day with 2x39W T5 sunburst for 2 hours in middle of day.

Dosing is daily EI. Water changes are at least 50% weekly, typically there will be 2 to 3 20% water changes inbetween; in all honesty this is inconsistent, but the 50% weekly is not.

Planting is row of Hygro Siamesa along the back and left hand side.
row in front is 2 x E. Cordiflorus, 2x E. Bleheri, 1 x Tiger Lilly bulb
next row in crypto green
next green is e. tennellus
heavily planted - struggle to see substrate (sand with laterite and TPN+ tabs)

I was struglling with a little BBA about a month ago and removed the rotalifunda as a result of it deterioating so much, the hygro was also struggling. I trimmed back the Hygro heavily, cut it all down and have re-planted the stems all way along the back and round the left and right hand sides last week.

Since the the BBA has become worse, nothing else has changed.

I also have other algae types in the tank (not significant) are GDA and a green filmentous algae.

The common factor, after a little thought, would appear to be co2. I'm not sure about co2 distribution as I have so much filtration in the tank, I would have expected 'dead spots' more than the spread of algae I'm experiencing....in fact the BBA and filamentous algae is worst along the back wall where I can see it blown about the flow.

So, my conclusion is to increase co2 significantly and observe today?? Thoughts?

(PS the only fauna is a breeding pair of adult discus)
 
I think the main cause of BBA is fluctuating levels of co2, and the most effective way to tackle is up the co2 until the drop checker is glowing yellow (keep an eye out for gasping fish), manually as much BBA as you can and spot dose easycarbo, I get a syringe 1ml easycarbo and suck the rest of the tube with tank water, make sure filters are off then spot dose every effected area, wait 10 minutes, repeat daily until no trace, this doesn't cure over night but within a couple of weeks there should be some considerable difference.

Good luck
 
if your drop checker is yellow by the end of the day i'd be carefull with upping it more?
are yer levels good at lights on? do you switch it on 2-3 hours before lights on?

i fiddled with flow a lot in the last few months, in my experience it seemed best in my tank when i fitted the 2 spraybars along the back with the inlet for the filters in the opposite back corner to their respective outlets, (drilled the "shepards crock" of the outlet with the external reactor fitted so a "jet" of co2 enriched water goes towards the inlet of the filter without the reactor) finally a powerhead in the space between the spraybars. all pointing towards the front glass.
 
baron von bubba said:
if your drop checker is yellow by the end of the day i'd be carefull with upping it more?
are yer levels good at lights on? do you switch it on 2-3 hours before lights on?

yes, i only had it one for an hour before lights one and recently increased to 2, lazt weekend i increased to 2.5 hours, increased the bubble rate too, fish seem ok...so far, after a couple of days, the algae has stopped getting worse, i.e. i seemed to have applied the brakes
 
Vito said:
...spot dose easycarbo, I get a syringe 1ml easycarbo and suck the rest of the tube with tank water, make sure filters are off then spot dose every effected area, wait 10 minutes, repeat daily until no trace...

i am tempted and have had advice from clive to use easycarbo type product, however i've held off so far as there are opinions on the Discus forums about the use of gluteraldehyde in discus tanks....some have used at high dose with no effect whereas others insist these fish don't handle it well...
 
i am dosing it in a 200g tank at the moment with no effect on the discus whatsoever, however that is with stendker discus which i am sure would survive a nuclear attack :lol: :D
 
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