Discus aquarium setup
I get a large volume of questions about the discus aquarium setup and equipment. So here is a list of all the equipment, specs and maintenance that keeps things running.
The Tank
This is a 60 x 18 x 30 inch tank, it’s 540 litres with all of the filters. Optiwhite glass on the front panel. Three cabinet compartments underneath which house everything needed. I currently do not have the hood in place. This makes it impossible to get to the bottom of the tank for maintenance and I prefer the look with it removed.
The back of the tank is blue, you can select black but avoid dark decor with certain discus fish.
Substrate – this is JBL Sansibar white. Nothing else. It’s about 3 inches deep at the back and 0.5 inches deep at the front.
Maintenance twice per week – Glass cleaned, substrate vacuumed, 100 litres of water changed with RO with Discus Minerals.
Maintenance monthly – Plants trimmed and bad leaves removed, decor lifted and vacuumed underneath.
Filters
Two Eheim 1200XL filters do most of the work. One is filled with the standard Eheim media pack, the other is full of 30ppi aquarium foam. Filter 1 outputs via a 2.3 litre filter booster, again full of sponge. This output goes via the tank top sump (more details to follow). Filter 2 outputs via a UV sterilizer. Both are set to full flow. The fish do not mind this but the outputs are deflected off the tank sides. No spray bars are used. Discus fish don’t mind flow in my view within reason.
Cannot recommend these enough, they are large, have enormous trays for media, come on wheels for easy maintenance, have two intakes and one output so the circulation is excellent. Also the power consumption is low for the size. These MUST be running 24/7 everyday.
Maintenance – These filters are big, there is no regular maintenance, they are cleaned every few months, probably more or if the flow decreases or any noises need checking.
Heating
I have never used a heater guard, but the heater is located right on the corner of the tank. The temp sensor is at the opposite end.
Maintenance – Not much, just keep the heater clean and check the suction cups now and again.
Water
We’re not keeping discus fish we are keeping water. And the water you put in your discus aquarium setup is usually the source of most of your issues. I did use, and you can use dechlorinated tap water for Discus. But it was only when I started using RO, either mixed with minerals or HMA water that almost all of the tank issues disappeared. So now no need for dechlorinator and I don’t add any other chemicals to the water except fertilizer for the plants.
I use a Vyair RO-200 Pumped 4-Stage Reverse Osmosis 200 US GPD unit. This fills a water tank where it is heated and circulated for a day and then used for water changes.
Lights
Discus fish do not really need intense lighting but if you want plants then you’ll need some good lights. The tank has a Fluval Aquasky 33W and a Fluval plant 3.0 59W. The plant runs for 12 hours per day but only reaches full power for less than 6 hours. The Aquasky also reaches 100% for 6 hours.
These are just resting on the tank cover glasses.
Air
Eheim Air 400 runs constantly through two outputs into the tank. Having air on has many benefits for a discus aquarium setup. This pump is very quiet and powerful.
Maintenance – None
UV Sterilizer
I use a Vecton V2 600 steriliser. I have very few algae issues and I feel the UV reduces any bacteria in the tank. It also helps the water clarity. Discus fish are very prone to bacterial issues so I think this helps them by keeping those levels in check.
Maintenance – Change the tube every 6 months.
Food
The discus fish get Beefheart twice per day or more when young. They also get another feed, usually some granules, or freeze dried blackworm. They also get the odd Mussel, it’s good to mix up the food and be careful you are not spoiling your water as they are messy and eat a lot. As they reach full size the amount of higher polluting foods can be reduced.
Maintenance – Morning and evening feeds of defrosted beefheart, midday granules or treat.
Fertilizer
Can’t grow many plants but the ones I have found to grow do well. I think fertilizer is necessary if you want plants. The plants seem the greenest with a Seachem Flourish root tab and Easylife Profito fertilizer.
Maintenance – Two caps of Easylife per week, I’m experimenting with spreading out the dosage over the week. Each plant has a root tab, these last a good few months.
Testing
I don’t test as much as I used to but it’s important now and again. I keep a close watch on the KH as it reads quite low sometimes. Too low and the pH will crash which could be a disaster.
I also regularly check the nitrate level and occasionally the pH.
TDS is also a good indicator of how good the water is. I try to keep that below 200 and check it on every water change.
Maintenance – Check TDS and KH weekly. Random pH checks, rarely test for Ammonia or Nitrite unless there is an issue.
Medication
Always have medications on stand by but always isolate the fish asap. You don’t want to treat a big tank to fix a single discus fish. Only if it’s a larger issue.
Octozin – for HITH (Hole in the head), treat ASAP at first signs of a problem.
Wormerdirect – Internal worms and flukes, some do this routinely once per month. If you see white poo or flicking fish this may fix that.
Sera Bactopur – Excellent for external or bacterial issues.
Potassium Permanganate – A strong oxidiser used to disinfect tanks and equipment against parasites and bacteria. It’s hazardous to handle and easy to overdose: too much will strip your water of oxygen and kill your fish and filter bacteria outright. Always follow the product’s stated dosage exactly, wear gloves, and never mix it with other treatments.
Epsom Salts – work wonders for a wide selection of issues.
For any issues you need to act quickly. For some issues you only have a few hours before your fish can be lost. So even an Amazon delivery isn’t fast enough to save your discus.
This reflects my own experience and isn’t veterinary advice. If you’re unsure about a treatment or dosage, check with your vet or supplier.