75 gallon discus stocking ideas

[CardinalDiscus]

Hi guys I currently have a medium planted 75-gallon tank with 90 guppies and 26 babies and 4 otocinclus that have been cycling the tank for 3 months I'm ready to start getting some fish. I have 2 fx6's but one is a backup and two 300 watt inline heaters one is also a backup. My aquascape is seiryen stone and manzanita wood thick long windy pieces if you know MD fish tanks it looks just like his tank. So my plans on fish are 5-6 discus 20 cardinals, 20 rummy nose tetras, 10 albino Cory cats, 4 otosinclise, and 2 GBR's. I am planning on doing 3 40% water changes a week. I know I have very good filtration so im not to worried.
My water parameters are 6.7 ph, Gh 12, Kh is 6. I have 0 ammonia 0 nitrite and 6 pp nitrate. I am planning on taking out 60 guppies and adding 5 discus.
Then I will wait 2 weeks and take 30 more guppies out and add 20 cardinals and 10 albino coryies. After 2 more weeks, I will take out all the guppies and add 20 rummy nose tetras. Then i will wait 1 month if everything goes well and get 2 GBR's. Oh btw I have an injected Co2 system. Lets me know your thoughts on my plan. I have had 20 years of experience and i have kept discus before so i know what i am doing. Also i will be upgrading the tank to a 120 gallon in a year.

 

[rlederer]

Seems a bit overcrowded to me. The rule of thumb is 10 gallons per discus, so that leaves 25 gallons for the 55 other fish.

 

[CardinalDiscus]

ok well in my line of work yes your correct a little the thing is is that 50 gallons for discus but other fish swim all around them. U have to figure the big fish first ad the other small fish go around them the bioload will easily be able to take it. Secound the gallon per fish rule is a load of bs unless ur a beginer. u have a top bottom an middle of a tank 16 of those fish stay down at the bottom the corries the rams and the otos. the discus stay middle to top. cardinals stay middle to top and bottom and the rummy nose stay middle to bottom. It gives everyone there own space you can overstock a tank like this if and only if you have good filtration and aeration. say if you have a 75 gallon tank and you put 60 cardinal tetras in there there is plenty more space to fill there is still a bottom. you could put 20 more bottom fish in there. Alot of beginners dont realize this but overstocking doesnt mean putting 75 cardinals in a 75 gallon that is the max I would say. its about filling the levels of he tank to its normal capicty. now do you have anymore suggestgions on what fish you would like to change out except the discus.

 

[rlederer]

I agree with you. The bioload may not be an issue. It just seems like a very full tank.

 

[CardinalDiscus]

ok but do u have any fish you would like to change out

 

[CardinalDiscus]

and i like having a full tank

 

[CardinalDiscus]

please help me guys.

 

[rlederer]

Well, I think I’d up the cardinals to 40 and skip the rummy nose. I think that would be attractive.

 

[CardinalDiscus]

I was thinking that the less different schooling fish would be better i think and rummy nose get bigger so thankyou i will do that.

 

[Brookster123]

Sieryu stone is not Ideal for discus setups. Less is more with discus. In a 75 gallon tank I'd do 7 discus and nothing else. They like hot water. 84° is nice for them, they get all happy in a hot tub. You'll want a very stable tank as well. There are probably a million articles you can read on proper care for discus. No offense but you're not really off to a good start. Roll the dice on some rams first, of they live 6 months than consider discus.

 

[Mother of fish]

Were are you going to put the guppies? I wouldn't put that many guppy in anything less then your 75 gallon tank and that is already over populated. I would just leave the current fish in there and find some new homes for 30 or 40 of the guppies. The discus plans for your tank are supper over populated.

 

[Mother of fish]

Having 50 guppies in the tank let alone around 110 is already full. Doing three 40% water changes is not enough for the amount of fish you plan to have and is not ideal or even close to healthy for the fish. Just because you like the look of a "full" which is actually an extremely overpopulated tank doesn't mean the fish should suffer. I don't mean to be rude but I can't find a way to butter this up. I am offering advice and not insult.