# My low tech 72 gallon - discus



## moogoo (Dec 7, 2007)

cool. looks really nice. picture didn't show up the first time for some reason.


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## reddragon1977 (May 30, 2007)

excellent start, the swords should come in nicely. mabey a few vals to fill in. they grow very easy


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## digthemlows (Dec 17, 2007)

There's a couple of Vals on the left and I plan to put some more. Any suggestions for something red and tall that can handle the 85 degree temps?


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## digthemlows (Dec 17, 2007)

Thought I would show a little past to present photos...........years ago I had a planted discus tank and ended up with two breeding pairs and 3 20 gallon tanks in my kitchen and after all the work I decided plastic and community was for me.......so for 10 years my 55 gallon stayed pretty much the same.








Then I bought a couple of small discus and started looking for a used "bigger" tank...........and found a nice 72 gallon Bow front for cheap. I put a couple of live plants in and found this site.....








at which point I decided with the discus and plants I needed to drop the undergravel and go with flourite and silica sand.........so I took the discus out and put them in a 5 gallon bucket with a heater and changed the substrate while the other fish were in it..............it was a disgusting mess........I thought I had a clean tank, but once you stir it up you find what hides under a under gravel filter.......








and now I've bought a few more plants and will probably leave it all alone, I also got rid of the black background......








and picked up a nice brown discus.........can't wait till the younguns grow up too!


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## digthemlows (Dec 17, 2007)

things are growing............sorry that I've posted these pictures on simply, but thought they'd be good over here too. Battling a little bit of brown algae, and waiting for more growth on the swords (after the pleco I had was removed) before I trim up the leaves he ate up.........couple of months and it should be looking pretty good....


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## digthemlows (Dec 17, 2007)

trimmed all the tore up leaves from my pleco, bought 6 ottos, and moved things around........oh and got some javamoss and tied it to my driftwood too.


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## BiscuitSlayer (Apr 1, 2005)

digthemlows - Things are looking good! Your discus look fantastic. You state in the title that this is a low tech. Can you post some of your parameters with respect to lighting, ferts, CO2 or carbon source (if any), and other things that might be relevant to your setup. 

I think the tank looks great and I really like the look of the substrate. I am anxious to see how this progresses.


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## Cwhite (Dec 16, 2007)

This is beautiful. I too am curious about your parameters. I keep telling myself that someday I can have discus...IMO they are the prettiest fish in the world, yours look great!


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## digthemlows (Dec 17, 2007)

Coralife 10k 2 x 65 watt
No Ferts
1" of florite on the bottom with about 75lbs of silica sand on top...........
PH: 7.2
Temp: 83
Fluval 405 
Aquaclear 70

Things are growing really well. 


6 discus, 6 ottos, 2 VAE's, 4 cory cats, 2 clown loaches, 3 cardinals (had a dozen for years and am down to 3) 2 rummy noses (bought six and 2 of my discus ate 4 of them)


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