# 75g planted discus.. is this adequate



## Soup12 (Nov 10, 2012)

standard 75g.

have double t5NO 48" with plant spectrum bulbs.
28watt x2


is this adequate for low tech setup? growing vals, dwarf hair grass, dwarf sag, crypt red, amazon sword, brazilian pennywort, java moss, and other low light stuff.


If not, going to get t5ho setup or LED. Thanks for your time.


----------



## extrame (May 17, 2011)

hi bro, 
i think i have the same set up as yours. 
only difference is our lighting fixture. i am using t5HO lights (1 is plant bulb and the other is 10000k bulb)

plants that survived after 16 months are the valis, dwarf sag, amazon sword, some crypts and java moss.
here's a pic of my tank









how big are your discus?

good luck on your tank!


----------



## In.a.Box (Dec 8, 2011)

Plant should do fine as long you dose fert.
Give the plant some iron tab you should be set. 

I'm running one t8 shop light on my 75g.
Only plant ain't doing so good is my HC. 
All my Crypt are melting since they came from being grow out of water.


----------



## mitchfish9 (Apr 30, 2012)

If the fixture has good reflectors... yes. But if it has poor reflectors like the coral life t5 NO then its not very adequate light. I have the coral life on my 26 and it is simply not good enough to have truly lush plant growth.


----------



## discuspaul (Jul 27, 2010)

I think you'll find over time that your current lighting is not quite adequate enough to do the job you're looking for, with the plants you're contemplating, although the discus would probably love the low light atmosphere.

I have roughly the same-sized, low tech planted discus tank, with a 36" light fixture of 2 X 39 watt T5 HO bulbs (approx. 3" above the tank top rim) which I feel does a really nice job.

Have a look if you care to:
http://s1105.photobucket.com/albums/h357/discuspaul/Sept2011 OR
http://s1105.photobucket.com/albums/h357/discuspaul/lolliblues


----------



## wheatiesl337 (Mar 30, 2011)

Best way to tell if the fixture will produce enough light would be to borrow, buy, build a PAR meter. This will help you nail the perfect light intensity for a low-tech, which is important for avoiding algea.

If you do need to upgrade, I would highly recommend looking into LED fixtures.


----------



## naturelady (Dec 14, 2009)

Discuspaul- You have BEAUTIFUL tanks with beautiful fish. Love, love, love!

Apologies to the OP for not staying on topic, but.... his tanks are just so pretty!


----------



## extrame (May 17, 2011)

Discuspaul - awesome tank! is that an El Natural tank?
wheariesl337 - how can i build a PAR meter?


----------



## discuspaul (Jul 27, 2010)

Thanks for the kind words, naturelady and extrame.
As I mentioned, I keep things low-tech simple for discus. I have pool filter sand for substrate, so I use root tab ferts, and occasional moderate liquid fert dosing, and that's it. - 7 hr./day lighting period, and 60% water changes, 2 or 3 X a week.

You might also like this one:
http://s1105.photobucket.com/albums/h357/discuspaul/3RedSnakeSkins


----------



## extrame (May 17, 2011)

Do you think discus would survive in an El natural tank?
i don't do any water change in my tank. i just top it off once a week.


----------



## shiloh (Jun 10, 2011)

extrame said:


> Do you think discus would survive in an El natural tank?
> i don't do any water change in my tank. i just top it off once a week.


Nope. And if they do they won't be happy.


----------



## wheatiesl337 (Mar 30, 2011)

There is a detailed post in the DIY section on how to convert a LUX meter to a PAR meter.


----------



## discuspaul (Jul 27, 2010)

shiloh said:


> Nope. And if they do they won't be happy.


 
Agree.
Discus will not likely survive for very long in any tank that does not receive large water changes on a regular, fairly frequent basis.


----------



## CoffeeLove (Oct 31, 2012)

extrame said:


> Do you think discus would survive in an El natural tank?
> i don't do any water change in my tank. i just top it off once a week.


I don't think any fish would be happy with no water changes. That's just laziness.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## In.a.Box (Dec 8, 2011)

CoffeeLove said:


> I don't think any fish would be happy with no water changes. That's just laziness.
> 
> Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2


Agree, discus or not water change should be done.
Once per week or month. I do 80% weekly for the first 3 month.
After that I do 50% per 2 week. 

Some guy do 10 water change in 6 yr using a sump/ refugium


----------



## ElPincheBecerra (Jan 10, 2013)

My seven discus became one when I had some emergency remodeling for a bathroom leak. I couldn't do water changes as access to the tank was limited and all but one died.


----------



## Soup12 (Nov 10, 2012)

ElPincheBecerra said:


> My seven discus became one when I had some emergency remodeling for a bathroom leak. I couldn't do water changes as access to the tank was limited and all but one died.


how long did you go without water changes? Was tank planted heavily? What kind of filtration?


----------



## Soup12 (Nov 10, 2012)

Will 1 48" finnex ray2 HO, provide medium light for a 75g?


most my plants will be low light, but i may have some medium light dwarf grass...


----------



## ElPincheBecerra (Jan 10, 2013)

Soup12 said:


> how long did you go without water changes? Was tank planted heavily? What kind of filtration?


 It was about 6 weeks, low light plants , I think my mistake was not cutting back on feeding them. Currently I do about a 25% waterchange a week. Plants and fish are happy...


----------



## tomfromstlouis (Apr 2, 2012)

extrame said:


> hi bro,
> i think i have the same set up as yours.
> only difference is our lighting fixture. i am using t5HO lights (1 is plant bulb and the other is 10000k bulb)
> 
> ...


This is one beautiful tank extrame. I think the lack of a focal point would keep it from winning any prizes, but I for one could stare at it all day long. I love the val background!


----------



## alipper (Nov 6, 2012)

extrame said:


> hi bro,
> i think i have the same set up as yours.
> only difference is our lighting fixture. i am using t5HO lights (1 is plant bulb and the other is 10000k bulb)
> 
> ...


Sweet setup. What kind of Vals in the background?


----------



## James M (Jun 21, 2012)

In.a.Box said:


> Agree, discus or not water change should be done.
> Once per week or month. I do 80% weekly for the first 3 month.
> After that I do 50% per 2 week.
> 
> Some guy do 10 water change in 6 yr using a sump/ refugium


Yet in a natural, dirted, planted tank the water parameters are golden for much longer than that. It comes down to fish load. I know a guy who is stocked so heavy that he does several water changes a week, another who goes maybe 5 months and his fish and tanks are gorgeous. Not discus mind you - discus are their own ball of wax.


----------



## discuspaul (Jul 27, 2010)

Very nice-looking tank, extrame - love the wall of Vals.


----------

