182L Discus Tank Set Up

[Robsterlobster9]

Hey everyone, I am new to the forum so I have been going through some of the posts and you all seem like awesome fish keepers!

I have been keeping tropical fish for a while now and am looking at taking the step up to setting up a discus tank. Now this isn't a post about how hard they are to keep, I've done my research and am currently reading up all that I can about their biotope and the responsibilities I will have as a discus fish keeper.

What I would love to know is everyone's opinion on the tank set up I have in mind

Tank:
I was looking at getting one of the 4ft aqua one horizon 182L (sorry I don't know gallons). They come with a stand, full lighting, heating etc.

Substrate:
I am pretty set with going with sand and tablet fertilizers as the substrate as it looks the most attractive (it's a show tank) and is more natural to the discus biotope then that gravel you can get.

Plants:
I have done a little bit of research into the Aquatic plants that are in the amazon biotope, and I don't have any definite selections, but I was thinking of plants like penny wort, broad leafed amazon sword, things like that. It really depends what's available in my lfs and online. I am also definitely getting a couple of pieces of vinewood, or driftwood that looks enough like roots to try and imitate their habitat.

Filtration:
I have a canister filter sitting in my cupboard that I ordered about a month back for my smaller 40L tank, and then realized that it was too big for it. It's one of those eBay ones that does 1000L an hour. Also, if you know the best biological set up for a three tray canister filter it would be awesome to know, like where the ceramic noodles should be in the order of everything. I know not to put carbon in because I can be bad for the health of the discus.

Fish:
Now for the best part of the tank! I am looking at housing 5 discus (if anyone has any suggestions about the size to start off with that would be great!) so far I am liking the pigeon blood, and the yellow or blue ones, but it would be nice to have some variety. There would also be some corydoras down the bottom to suck up some of the leftovers, and also a school of about 15 of either cardinal or those red nosed tetras (having a bad morning remembering the names).

As for water changes, I would be changing the hopefully 1/4 of the water (depends how bigger barrel I can get) every night and then filling the barrel up for the water to age over night (if that makes sense).

Anyway that's everything I can think of right now about the set up of the tank. Any thoughts about it are very welcomed!

 

[bevoholic]

Your tank would almost be 50 gallons.

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure I read on here that you need at least 10 gallons of water for each discus. With that being said, I think 5 discus would be at the upper limit of your tank, leaving no room for anymore fish. Like I said though, someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Robsterlobster9]

Your tank would almost be 50 gallons.

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure I read on here that you need at least 10 gallons of water for each discus. With that being said, I think 5 discus would be at the upper limit of your tank, leaving no room for anymore fish. Like I said though, someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

I have read that as well. The reason I was thinking of the tetras is to give the discus a but more sense of security, in the sense that if the tetras aren't running and hiding, why should they. If you get what I mean. The corydoras are not mandatory, but it would be nice to have something that feeds off the bottom of the tank.
Also another reason I was looking at the 5 discus is because as far as I have read that's the smallest group you should keep them in.
Thank you though

 

[Robsterlobster9]

I am taking inspiration from this tank.

 

[bevoholic]

I'm not positive, but to me that looks a lot larger than a 50g tank.

 

[Robsterlobster9]

I'm not positive, but to me that looks a lot larger than a 50g tank.

I am not trying to replicate that exact tank, I am just taking inspiration.

 

[bevoholic]

I am not trying to replicate that exact tank, I am just taking inspiration.

I know, my point is though, discus need optimal water conditions and overstocking your tank would not give them the water conditions they need.

 

[Robsterlobster9]

I know, my point is though, discus need optimal water conditions and overstocking your tank would not give them the water conditions they need.

Okay, I see your concern. What would your suggestion be to solve this? I could just have 5 discus on their own, or I could have 4 discus and a couple of tetras, but that would break up the group. Any ideas?

 

[bevoholic]

I would either stick with the discus by themselves or get a larger tank. They are beautiful fish so 5 of them in a 50g tank would be plenty by themselves.