Cichlid Fish Forum banner

Setting up my 240 gallon, step by step

30K views 212 replies 31 participants last post by  Super Turtleman 
#1 ·
Here is the story.
I got this beauty at a price I could not pass, the day I was to pick it up I hired movers, since the tank empty and by it self it's 400 pounds..... the movers came...6 hours late, it was raining cats and dogs...when they saw the tank they just said...no, we can't do it...turn around and left.
The gentleman that sold me the tank was perplexed to said the least, I was about to have a heart attack!!!!
Next day a guy at my church saved the day along with his two sons, he came with his truck and pick up the tank for me, delivered it to my house....
here is a picture of the tank finally at my husband's home office.


More to come
 
See less See more
1
#27 ·
You are right on that one ridley25, I don't want to mix the stones I have with some river stone, I either way go with what I have already or buy all new Colorado river rocks.
It's just that what I have it's not making it for me, and they came with the tank, but they lack of a special form, or anything that tell me...hey, look at me....all of them are basically cube shape. These stones came with the tank.
 
#29 ·
You need to get to a landscaping rock yard. These places can be intimidating because the workers have a system, are quite gruff, and expect you to know how they work - most of their clients are contractors who 'speak their language.'

Nonetheless it's the best way to go.

Get some big rocks for the back upon which you can stack medium and small rocks spilling to the front or sides. Big rocks aren't going to shift if you put them in before the sand.

Google some pictures of the lake - the rocks aren't really stacked because there is so much room - a luxury we don't get in 4 and 6 foot increments.



kevin
 
#31 ·
I bought most of it for a disount price on line..yeap...he was making numbers when I told him I was putting together a 240 g...
 
#32 ·
Well this is one of the first pictures, I guess this will evolve because I am not completely happy with the setting, it's close but not there yet....so for a discus tank...what do you think?

the canopy is off otherwise I don't reach the bottom of the tank....once is complete canopy will return to it's place.
 
#33 ·
Well, I don't know Discus, but that is one good looking tank!

Kevin
 
#35 ·
Please explain...because this will be my first time with discus....why nightmare and why is better to buy adults?
I appreciate your comment because I am learning here....thank you all for all your comments, advise etc...very helpful :) :thumb:
 
#36 ·
to keep it short

juv discus need VERY clean water and it will be impossible to meet that stander in a tank like what you have now

impossible to stunt a full grown adults but dirty water still posses health threats

nearly impossible for the fish to find food in a well decorated tank like that.

unfound food/fecal = dirty water.

my 2 cent but if youre set on discus with the way you have decorated save yourself time and money and but adults. when all said and done adults will cost alot less then rasing juvie discus.
 
#38 ·
here's a detailed write up incase you (or others are interested)

discus immune systems gets better as they age. they builts their immune systems between the free swimming stage and up to roughly 4": and even later on, but at the 4" mark (give or take) they are then consider hardy. roughly from the free-swimming stage to the four inch mark should take about 6 months 3 months for 1"-3" and another 3 months to reach 4" from 3" and they slow down after that. At 9 months the shuld be roughly 5". 6" should be reach after a year and a half of age. 7"+ is over 2 years. now keep in mind different strain grows at different rate. another thing is thatthe weaker straing such as albino may never even reach 7 inch. the stronger strain such as blue strains has potential to reach 8 inch under correct care. the growth rate and max size also has to do with the breeding line.

at a young age discus needs multiple feedings a day of food with high protein. most feed their juvies food that has around 50% protein and some even feeds food that contains 65% protein. juvies discus (roughly the size of 1"-3") requires up to 6+ feeding a day. with that many feeding demand HUGE daily water change. some recommends daily others recommend 2x a day of ATLEAST 50% breeders will even drain their tank 100%! (i dont recmend this as i have never done it and am afraid to. but breeders in asia and germany has done this and will continue too and their quality speaks for itself)

most keep juvie in a bare bottom tank for multiple reason. it makes it easier for the fish to find the food. tank that has gravel in it, food gets lost through the cracks, certain food can blend in with sand. its easier to see where you need to siphone and what needs to be siphone. once again food/fecal that gets trap in the crack of the gravel or blend in with sand will fowl your water. its alot easier to clean and if its easier to clean it chance are you will be more likely to clean it.

a recomended rule of thumb is 10g of water per adult discus with taller tanks better than longer. a grow out tank of a bare 55g is fit for 10 discus to comfortably grow out in. picture a cd swimming in your tank and you will get a rough idea of how a full grown discus will look. its better to grow discus out in smaller tank appose to bigger ones are debateable. one sure reason that experts agrees on its tht with smaller tank the discus can find the food alot easier than appose to a bigger tank. my opinion on the matter is also that on smaller tanks theres less water to change so you tend not to "put it off till tomorrow". also its cheaper to medicate a small tank if issues were to arise than big ones.

im sure there are things *** forgot but im writing this off the top of my head if you anyone have question feel free to pm me or if the op allows it comment on the thread.

i am no expert by anymeans i just share my personal opinions and things that have worked for me and many others. i get my advise from kenny cheung and hans 2 well known hobbiest and suppliers of the discus world. i know some advice many may not agreed with but these are thing i have follow and have had great succes and my discus can speak for that.
 
#39 ·
Thank you JDlover, all these information you are sharing is very useful, and makes a lot of sense.
I will make sure to get the adult ones, it will be at a slower pace, but I think for what you share that it will be so much better.
I've been reading a lot to learn about discus, they absolutely fascinate me from the first time I saw them. and yes, the tank is large but I thought that it will give them room to move and swim.
From the tank, the filtration and everything I have selected for this tank it has been with the discus in mind.
So I will keep reading and learning and hopefully I will be a successful disc owner in the near future.
To 13razorbackfan, I did paint the back, I didn't paint it black though, I select a very dark navy blue. I really like the way it came out, because when the light comes through the window in the evening you can see the blue (very dark,) any other time it looks almost black.
Pictures from the front....tomorrow? My phone battery is all but dead, but tomorrow I will take some and post so more.
 
#40 ·
Youre welcome. Point of the forum is to pass information around. Discus aren't fish that you can rush with. Take your time and the results will be much better. I find that with so many incorrect information around its better to go straight to the source and ask an expert for a more direct answer.

A word of caution with a dark background your discus will appear more dark and if you have pigeon base it will pepper a lot more. Start with a quality stock and you will reduce your chance of running into problems.

If you need anything we have a SA section directed for SA cichlid or you can post here or pm me and ill help the best I can.
 
#41 ·
Thank you, I do have many questons and I do believe that to be coached by someone with experience is priceless. I will pm tonight with some questions I have and I truly appreciate your advise. I know I am taking a daring risk with discus, because I have never house them, but if I don't do it now, then when?
 
#42 ·
feel free to pm me whenever. I will help the best I can. But my opinion is the best teacher of all is experience. You may not get show quality discus first time around but once you get a rough understanding then you will be well off. My goal for my first discus was to be able to keep it alive lol. Through the help of many it was able to reach a respectable size of 6". It was a blue diamond so nothing show quality but wasn't bad for a first timer.
 
#43 ·
LOL, I love blue diamonds and blue cobalts....and leopards, and snakeskin....I like them all.
I made a list and I have 23 different types and this is only the ones I really like...
I have a little problem, and probably is not discus related, but fish relates. I have 19 red eye tetras in the tank.....(I bought 10 but the guy gave 19, figure that out, I think he needs to go back to elementary school...he said he counted 10.) Well the thing is that I have been seeing them vanished from the tank and I couldn't figure it out....until now. I have like 9 of them in the hang over of the sump...how do I get them out?....and how do I prevent them from getting there again?
 
#45 ·
I am thinking on getting another net, put both nets in the sump where the water comes in, then take the cylindrical foam pads out and let the system suck them, we can catch them in the nets and put them back in the aquarium...sounds easy, but I only have one net, so they will have to stay there tonight until I can bring the other net tomorrow first thing...agh.... :x :fish: :fish: :fish:
 
#46 ·
Here it in in several takes....it is too long for my camera. The front of my tank




 
#47 ·
One almost hates to spoil it with fish! I wish you best of luck if you dive into the deep end with Discus*

Kevin

*this is not a vote against Discus. I've never kept them and they sound difficult, so congratulations on your bravery and good luck.
 
#50 ·
Thank you, I will be putting more driftwood, I have two more pieces that are soaking right now, the rock is Colorado River rock, and yes, all the plants are plastic, from a very well known craft store, they where buried under a pile of silk plants, there were spiders all over the place....but I got a little courage, and this is the result.
I appreciate all your comments.
 
#51 ·
Shahlvah said:
Thank you, I will be putting more driftwood, I have two more pieces that are soaking right now, the rock is Colorado River rock, and yes, all the plants are plastic, from a very well known craft store, they where buried under a pile of silk plants, there were spiders all over the place....but I got a little courage, and this is the result.
I appreciate all your comments.
Yep...I got my colorado river rock for .20lb and he had pallets of them. I am thinking about going back and getting some larger ones with more purple.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top