You know that partial water change is very necessary and primary to get proper water for discus aquarium. Hence the question comes how much to change the water and how regular to do it? For discus community tank from my experience, I suggest you to perform 40% of water change in every 5 days and replace with fresh water back to the same level. However, there are some more factors, which may alter the frequency and amount of water to take out. Here I discuss some of these factors:
1. Stocking capacity:
You should be very careful for selecting the number of discus you keep and the amount of plants you provide in your tank. More you planted more number of discus fish you keep harder will be to maintain proper water chemistry. Then you have to perform partial water change more frequently and should be alert on any water parameter changing.
2. Aquarium you select new or old:
As I mentioned earlier that nitrogen cycle is very important for discus aquarium. Therefore, Water chemistry in new aquarium needs more partial water change than a well-established aquarium because the water parameter is still not reduced and can fluctuate a lot. Water changes in order to maintain balanced state. This is because; it takes time to establish the colony of beneficial aquarium bacteria that breaks down ammonia waste. Therefore, check thoroughly the water parameters like ph, ammonia and dissolved oxygen during this critical period.
3. Chlorine free water:
The primary condition of water is it should be dechlorinated. If you want to keep discus then first you must give attention the water you provide in your discus tank. Now a days in any pet shop you can get dechlorinated medicine that helps you to lower chlorine of your tank. Use that thing and dissolve it as that medicine say. You
should buy dechlorine medicine which helps you to lower chlorine of your tank.
This Chlorine is routinely added to the water supply in many parts of the world to make the water germfree. But this Chlorine is not good for discus fish and the use of chloramine can be disastrous. So use a test kit to determine the presence and concentration of this Chlorine or Chloramine. Make sure that discus can be healthy and can grow well if you provide them right water condition, which is obviously chlorine free.
For a planted aquarium it is generally said that provide 2-3 watt light per gallon of water...so for a 35 gallon aquarium i'll recommend to provide 70 watt light and
1.java moss->
Water Conditions
* Fresh water to lightly brackish water
* Very little light to direct bright sunlight.
java moss can survive in a very wide temperature range but it does best between 70° and 85°F. It can do well in a wide pH range, between 5.0 and 8.0.
2.Fissidens Fontanus->
This Fissidens Fontanus lives well in a higher temp. 24-24 deg centigrade.it lives well with amazon and anubias sp.
3.Blyxa Japonica->
It's very easy to handle.Easy to grow under moderate to high light.The only care that one have to keep in mind that do 30% partial water change per week for this plant.
4.Amazon Frogbit and Amazon Sword->
I think this is the plant that everyone want to keep in their tanks.it lives well with in the temp. range of 20-28 deg cel. and ph range of 6-7.5....
5.Anubias Barteri->
Anubias sp. is also a high temp. plant and this plant is very hardy. i'll say that one can add a driftwood in one's tank and keep this plant attach with that driftwood...
6.Elodea->
Elodea is a cold water plant. it lives well in 10-18 deg cel..so i recommend you to not to keep this plant...
7.Hornwort->
Hornwort is easy to maintain.it can also survive in high temp. it's a floating plant everyone know and it works best for juvenile fish or fish fry...
8.Duckweed->
Duckweed is very sensitive with light and temp. so one have to do partial water change in every week and have to check the water parameter.
9.Cladophora->
Cladophora lives only in 26-30 deg cel.so for keeping this plant one have to be careful about selecting the proper fish because many fish don't live in this high temp....
