Discus!

[MissClaire]

More....
Yes I know my plants have had better days!

 

[Sanj]

How big are they?

 

[MissClaire]

How big are they?

Most of them are still quite young, they have a little way to grow...not sure exactly how big 3-4 inches maybe? The camera just makes them look alot bigger then what they are.

This is my tank...
@ my dieing plants and algae at the bottom )

 

[MissClaire]

Actually Im going to go pluck all those yellow leaves out right now, im very ashamed!
It isnt as beautiful as it was when I first put them all in there

Right that's it, come 9.30am I am going to my LFS to get some nicer plants!

 

[Coral platy]

Maybe im not a pretty sight?

Thats evil to say that about your self wait. I had a idea i am scaring them. hey thanks for helping me.

 

[Paul_MTS]

I love the colours and patterns on ruski and tigey, there beutiful.

 

[jbennett]

Tigey and Ruby are my farourites, Ruby especially.
Catfish - the bars are not a sign of stress, quite the opposite, in Blues it's a sign of contentment. Which is what all Discus keepers are, and who wouldn't be with all these beauties. Also I wasn't decrying Miss Claires Discus, They're Gorgeous, You odviously missed the which I put in. No offence meant, No offence taken I hope.
Sorry to hear about your plants Miss Claire. Have you checked you Iron reading, It could be the cause of the Yellow leaves. Are you using any fertiliser or Iron?
You'll get plenty of help in the Plants and Planted tank part of the forum, they're great in there. Don't give up on them. Keep up the good work.

 

[fufanu360]

u no jbennet, just because the smileys are there doesnt mean u have to put the same ones in every single post u make, i havent seen a post by u without those smileys...


very nice discus though, thats as close as id ever wanna get to keepin them

 

[Sanj]

I particularly like your red and blue turqs. I am preparing for swapping my angels over to discus.

I have really well planted tanks, id help you if ican give advice.

what is your tank dimensions and what lighting do you use?

Have you just got gravel substrate?

Those big leaved plants if swords are pretty greedy, you could try putting root tabs buried into the gravel by there roots.

Do you add any co2? It really helps with plant growth.

Attached is crappy pic ,but you get an idea of the levle of planting.

 

[MissClaire]

what is your tank dimensions and what lighting do you use?

erm.....honestly, the lighting is still the original fluros that came with the tank, there are three, the middle one is a blueish tinge and the other two are a yellow tinge. Sometimes I only keep two on, or just the blueish one on alone.

Have you just got gravel substrate?
Yup thats all it is gravel....

Those big leaved plants if swords are pretty greedy, you could try putting root tabs buried into the gravel by there roots.
Some of their roots are already in the gravel but only a couple

Do you add any co2? It really helps with plant growth.
Nope

Haha, I just thought the plants grow....I just know how to look after the fish and not the plants!

 

[Sanj]

Hello,

Ok 3 tubes, do they have reflectors? do you know the wattage on them?

It seems like it is a low light tank, so plants that dont require so much light could grow.

The blue light is the least helpful for plant photosyntheses, it tends to encourage algae more.

You should really keep them all on for a min 8 hours a day although more often in planted tanks peeps keep them on 10-12hrs. I have one of my tanks with diy co2 on 8 hrs and seems ok.

If you can get the lights on a timer (from a hardware store) it would be better.

If you havent got any fert in the gravel it might be an idea to get fertilizer tabs or pellets and bury them in the gravel around where the plants are.


Not sure if you have vallis in there, but that usually grows quite well, Java fern and anubias tied to wood or rock will be ok in there. Various cryptocorynes will also be good particularly Wendtii and Becketti species which are fairly common.

You could make a simple diy co2 unit. Use a rinced Coke bottle with a pierced cap which you pass tubing through (cap needs to be sealed air tight) , other end of tube placed in aquarium, good to put a bubble diffuser on the end (easy to get in lfs). The reactive agent is 2 cups of white sugar dissolved in luke warm water and add 1/2 teaspoon of yeast.

When doing DIY co2 you dont want to over do it because you cant easily turn it off at night, but one bottle should be ok. You can also buy cheap co2 sets.

One thing at least you should do for plants is to give them a regular lighting period of at least 8 hoours with all the tubes on (pref change the blue one ).

If they dont get this then they will not be able to photosynthesis enough and harness energy to produce more cells etc to be able to grow.

Java fern would be great just tie it with thread or fishing line to bod wood, it will evnetually root to it.

 

[MissClaire]

^^^ Thank you!!!
I actually went to my LFS to get some javafern but they are closed today for New Years (which is understandable)

I will be keeping ALL my lights on now...no wonder....haha and no wonder I have so much algae growth because I always only keep the blue one on!