New Discus Tank?

[colleen0309]

I will try to make a long, boring story short. 3 years ago I acquired a 65 gallon saltwater set up. I have no interest in saltwater. No offence to saltwater keepers. I just like freshwater better. I never turn down a free tank setup. I cleaned up the tank as best as I could. It had been sitting empty in a garage for a few years and wasn't cleaned when it was tore down so it was a mess. I didn't know anything about overflow boxes or sump filters so I did my research and set the sump up for freshwater. After six months, I wasn't happy with the way the filter was working so I took out the sump and hooked up a canister filter to the overflow box. This seemed to work much better and the fish in the tank are thriving.
Six months ago I acquired my dream fish...Discus. I normally do not take problem fish from other fish keepers, but I couldn't pass them up. I have a 5" blue snakeskin and a 4" gold pigeon blood. Both are absolutely beautiful and healthy. I put these in a 55 gallon to start, with the idea of putting them in a 75 gallon this spring. While cleaning up the 75 gallon(another free set up from someone's garage), I noticed a crack in the tank. Now my discus have each grown an inch in six months and really need more room. The 65 gallon is sitting empty. It is much wider and will give the discus more turning room and height, but is shorter.
So, my first question is...In your opinion, is the 65 gallon a better sized tank for my discus than the 55 gallon?
My next question has to do with the overflow box. There is still some calcium build up in part of the overflow that I can't get to. It didn't bother my other freshwater fish, but I will not risk my discus. I have waited too long to get these beautiful fish and they are doing great. I'd hate to have problems with them because I can't get the calcium out of the overflow box.
Thank-you, in advance, for your opinions.

 

[Byron]

While a larger tank space and greater water volume is generally better for all fish, the difference from a 55g to 65g as you've explained it is not going to matter for two discus.  If they are settled and happy in their present aquarium, I would leave them.
 
As for the calcium, have you tried vinegar?
 
Byron.

 

[colleen0309]

Thank-you for your reply, Byron. The water volume really isn't what I'm questioning. It's the dimensions. The 65 is much wider than the 55, which would give them more turning room. But then I will lose length. Since both fish have grown an inch or more since I got them, I think they need more space. I acquired these fish from someone else's tank. They had become bullies and wouldn't let the other discus in the tank eat. 25 years ago I had a tank of discus. One morning I turned on the light and they were all dead. I still don't know what killed them. They are the one fish I wanted but didn't have the heart to try again, until 6 months ago when I got the opportunity to own these two. They are fantastic. They eagerly eat out of my fingers and play with my fingers while I do water changes. Just lately I have noticed some slight aggression after lights out. This is why I am considering moving them to the 65. The 65 also has a much better light system and I have some tiger lotus and an ocelot sword that have out grown the 46 gallon they are in. I know it will be a better home for them. What really concerns me is the calcium buildup. And yes, I tried vinegar. This is what the vinegar wouldn't take off. I tried everything I could think of. I've had the tank set up and running with angelfish and a variety of tetras for over a year and it didn't seem to effect them at all. I tore the tank down last week to do some work on the stand and figured this would be a good time to move the discus in.

 

[Byron]

On the calcium, what is your tap water GH?  I am thinking that if this does leech slowly into the aquarium, as undoubtedly it will, this is much less an issue if the water is already hard, or if it is very soft (the plants will use this).
 
Discus as you already know are sedate fish, not active swimmers.  Most sources recommend nothing less than 4 feet for discus and angelfish...what are the dimensions of the 65g?  Depending upon the species of discus, they can average six (Symphysodon aequifasciatus) to eight (S. discus) inches, though some suggest they can grow larger in an aquarium than in nature.
 
I didn't get into the numbers before, but I'm glad you have explained why there are just two.  And given the history, I wouldn't attempt adding more.  A shoaling fish, thus generally best in a group, but this sometimes leads to problems and one has to take appropriate action.  A very large tank for the original group would have been the best, but at least you were able to rescue the offenders so they can have a healthy life.
 
Byron.

 

[colleen0309]

My GH is on the high side. I can't remember the exact number off hand. But before I decided to take the discus home I tested their tank water and it was comparable to mine on all parameters. I'd really like to add a few more, but as you said, this probably isn't a good idea.
The dimensions of the 65 gallon are 42x18 inches. The 55 is 48x12 inches. My blue snakeskin is just over 6" and the pigeon blood is just over 5". I was thinking what the 65 lacks in length, it will make up for in width and height. I don't think I'd try a shoal of discus in it but the two might be very happy in there with live plants. The lights on the 55 are horrible for live plants so they have plastic now and don't like them.
I consider myself an experienced fish keeper and normally I would have weighed the pros and cons and moved the discus without another opinion but discus scare me. I've wanted them since I was 5 years old looking thru my uncle's fish book. Then I got a nice discus set up that was doing fine one minute and dead the next, with no explanation. As I said, that was 25 years ago and I didn't have the heart to try again. Now I have them and I'm afraid of doing anything to upset them. So I apologize if I sound like a worried mother.
I think I will set the 65 up for the discus and then decide whether or not to move them. I can always move my naughty angelfish back in there

 

[Byron]

Sounds a good plan.  Let the 65g run for a few weeks to become established (beyond just "cycling" as you probably are aware).  Plants will really help in biologically establishing the tank.

 

[colleen0309]

I have a fully cycled filter ready to go on the tank, plus I will be using the bio media out of the canister that is on their tank now, so the process should go relatively quick. I will post some pictures when I get it finished. Thanks again for you opinions.

 

[simonas]

I personally think the discus would be fine. Tank bred discus are in my opinion as hardy as any other fish we keep. I've never had a roblem with feeding or growth etc and had them spawn in my local tap water..
 
Intersting that you post about the sump though as I'm considering breaking my reef down with a sump and using it for discus again.What did you put in your sump and why did it not work?

 

[colleen0309]

I had the tank set up running the sump. I followed the direction in a youtube video as to the placement of bio media, sponges, ect. I'm really not sure why it didn't work. As far as water parameters, they were great, and I had good flow, but the tank looked dirty all of the time. I was given a magnum 350 pro filter system, so my plan is to hook it up where the sump was. I had it set up temporarily and it worked great. Now all I have to do is get it plumbed in correctly and I will be set, hopefully. 
   The problem I'm having is getting the calcium out from between the two panels of the built in overflow box. It's a heavy tank and I am alone in my fish room. My husband and daughter can't be bothered with my tanks...that's why the hubby built me a fish room. Because of arthritis in my hands, I find it very difficult to flip the tank on it's side so I can get a better look inside. now that I got it flipped, what I thought was a large calcium build up was compacted coral sand. I finally got it all out. There was almost 2 cups of coral sand compacted in the bottom. It was like concrete, but I chipped away slowly at it and removed all of it, including a bunch of baby star fish, snails, and clams. The people I got the tank from didn't clean it when they took it down. They drained it and put it in the garage for 5 years before they gave it to me. But, hey, it was free.