lilly1958 Posted September 3, 2013 Report Share Posted September 3, 2013 What is the best colour & type of substrate for a Discus tank. They will be mainly blue with a couple of red ones. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch86 Posted September 3, 2013 Report Share Posted September 3, 2013 If ever I was going to build a Discus tank I would use aquarium soil and have large plants across the back with a nice grass/ ground cover across the rest of the soil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thatsright99 Posted September 3, 2013 Report Share Posted September 3, 2013 Coffs harbour is good, its not too dark or bright. Or you could have bare bottom and put plants in a terracotta pot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilly1958 Posted September 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2013 I think I like the idea of Coffs Habour. If I mix some laterite through it I can plant it with nice flowing type plants. AOA here I come. Thanks guys Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidTullee Posted September 4, 2013 Report Share Posted September 4, 2013 Coffs gravel is a bit coarse and you will have to be careful food scraps etc dont build up in the gravel. I would suggest a very fine gravel so you can vacuum up wastes easier. I used white sand for mine as all the wastes stay on top and with some rocks and driftwood you can create a bench and put a layer of laterite under the sand for plants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRISSY Posted September 4, 2013 Report Share Posted September 4, 2013 Sand or nothing in my opinion. They often feed off the bottom and find it hard to find food. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevie wonder Posted September 4, 2013 Report Share Posted September 4, 2013 I just use sand, simple and easy, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidTullee Posted September 4, 2013 Report Share Posted September 4, 2013 Here's a couple of shots of my sand and hard scape setup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard_ Posted September 4, 2013 Report Share Posted September 4, 2013 (edited) White sand and driftwood allow the fish to pop Bunnings white playsand $7 for 20 kg bargain You have to try hard to make a discus tank look bad, just keep it simple Edited September 4, 2013 by Richard_ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilly1958 Posted September 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2013 Ventus, thanks for the pic what are the other fish you have with your Discus? i thought they needed a planted tank? DavidTullee. Thanks for your pics as well I actually have some bunnings play sand left over from my cichlid tank but I also have 20kg of very fine black sand, would the black be too harsh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard_ Posted September 4, 2013 Report Share Posted September 4, 2013 I don't believe any fish need a planted tank Just ask the hybrid flowerhorn boys, they decorate with water and fish only At the lfs you'll see discus in bare tanks too Just keep it simple and show off the fish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRISSY Posted September 4, 2013 Report Share Posted September 4, 2013 They are just as happy in a planted tank as they are a non planted tank. And if you use sand you can always put some blood and bone, clay mud and peat underneath (3-5cm of sand on top) to grow plants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRISSY Posted September 4, 2013 Report Share Posted September 4, 2013 Ventus, thanks for the pic what are the other fish you have with your Discus? i thought they needed a planted tank?DavidTullee. Thanks for your pics as well I actually have some bunnings play sand left over from my cichlid tank but I also have 20kg of very fine black sand, would the black be too harsh? That types of discus are you keeping? If they are any type of pigeon blood (including melons and butterfly's) they will show their peppering, so best to use white. Also, when/if they successfully breed, the baby's go to anything black (the parrents should be the only black thing in there.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rex82 Posted September 4, 2013 Report Share Posted September 4, 2013 Discus don't have many plants in their natural habitat so denying them plants in a tank will be more natural than a planted tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishkeeper101 Posted September 5, 2013 Report Share Posted September 5, 2013 I would go with white play sand from Bunnings it looks great and the price is fantastic at around $7 for a 20 kg bag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harrison.c Posted June 24, 2014 Report Share Posted June 24, 2014 i love my bunnings white playsand. i have it in almost all of my tanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
