Non CO2 discus tank

Re: Non CO2 discus tank

Low tech(non CO2) Discus tanks need large tanks with less fish and that are not over feed.

Otherwise the tank is simply never going to balance.

I like 2-3mm sand. This seems to work best.
Flourite and other brand name subs are better able to cycle waste than non porous substrates, Leonardite is mainly a carbon supply for the bacteria in the start up phase and NA to your tank.

You can add it if you want to, but it'll make little change.

Based on what you have said and assuming you will not lower the fish load and feeding:

Good sized water changes weekly if possible.
I'd keep the Swords and ferns.
I'd attach lots of weeds to driftwood, namely java fern, Bolbitus etc, add Anubias in the darker sections.

Swords in the open areas.

I'd add CO2.

Now you might think this will add more work, no, not if you use easy to care for ferns attached to driftwood, these require little maintaenance and folks will buy them off you for good $!

They grow slow and are easy to deal with.

Plant choice can reduce the work load and provuide for a nice long term aquascape. The sand can still be used also.

With your light, the CO2(or excel) would greatly improve plant health and uptake of waste with only a small increase in actual work and more likely less, it's easier to prune the weeds than the algae, no?

Something is going to grow in there, you have a choice of what.

By adding CO2, this will allow you to get the most out of the light you have.
By chosing easy slow growing plants, that will reduce the work load as well as only having a low level of light.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

Re: Non CO2 discus tank

Because you have big cichlids and you feed them a lot and have too many in a small glass box. You will be able to balance it with fewer fish.

Changing the water every 2 weeks will still give you algae.
Either go with an CO2/Excel method or go with the non CO2 approach, none of this sitting on the fence.

If you want more fish in a smaller tank, do the water changes.
If you don't want to do the water changes, reduce the fish loading.

You do not get both and healthy plant growth. There are trade offs.

dose excel according to directions, CO2 is cheaper in the long run, cost after set up is only 10$ per year perhaps. You seldom mess with it also and it allows much more control in terms of nutrients and feeding and fish stocking levels.

You will add SeaChem Equilibrium, it's loaded with K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe.
You will also need to add a little PO4, fish food is heavy on N, not P.
For non CO2 methods, this would all you might need.

If you switch to CO2, you can dose perhaps 2x week and do water changes once every 2 weeks also.

Regards,
Tom Barr