Need advice before proceeding

I have three wild green discus about 5 in. size. Started out with four. Started with a planted tank but after multiple episodes of hexamita I switched to bare bottom and have had no further health problems. Now there have developed significant aggression as expected. I would like to add another one or two fish to deal with this. My tank is a 45 gal. that I would like to keep if possible. My water is a mix of ro and tap to get a pH of 7 and TDS of 180. Because of high nitrates in the tap it takes several days to get the level down to 5 ppm in my 55 gal water conditioning barrel using a nitrate absorbing resin. My tank water nitrate is between 0-5 using resin, pathos, and NPX biopellets.
Is this going to be a failure if I get one or two more fish?

It is not a failure to get one or two more fish but it would be a failure if you didn't quarantine them by themselves for a month or so before adding them to the other 3 discus.

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Originally Posted by TTW

I have three wild green discus about 5 in. size. Started out with four. Started with a planted tank but after multiple episodes of hexamita I switched to bare bottom and have had no further health problems. Now there have developed significant aggression as expected. I would like to add another one or two fish to deal with this. My tank is a 45 gal. that I would like to keep if possible. My water is a mix of ro and tap to get a pH of 7 and TDS of 180. Because of high nitrates in the tap it takes several days to get the level down to 5 ppm in my 55 gal water conditioning barrel using a nitrate absorbing resin. My tank water nitrate is between 0-5 using resin, pathos, and NPX biopellets.
Is this going to be a failure if I get one or two more fish?

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Can I ask what your tap water nitrate level is? If they are that high they are a health haz to you and others in your house..you may want to get a whole house filter. .. at the least you may want to use straight Ro with just a little tap and bring your Tds down in the process for your duscus.


On your question though.. if you have fighting in that group of 3 in the 45gal.. adding 1 or 2 more wild greens probably will not help. A 45 gal is on the small side for a group of adult discus and wilds more so having come from "big waters" . Discus are cichlids and aggression is normal.. especially when you have 3 or 4 together and more so if theres a pair starting.


Can you post some pics of the fish and tank?

Al

My tap water is 20 ppm by API drip test. I use mostly ro water with some tap mixed in for pH stability. What is your recommendation for the TDS?Attachment 138776Attachment 138777Attachment 138778

Well that didn't turn out very well. I think I need some help with posting pictures.

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Originally Posted by TTW

Well that didn't turn out very well. I think I need some help with posting pictures.

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Apologies there...theres a quirk.to posting pics from some smart phones..

https://forum.simplydiscus.com/showt...sers-read-this

Your wilds look very nice.. that tank gives the impression its bigger than a 45 gal? Have you tried using a piece of driftwood to divide the tank? Or possibly a few larger potted plants?

Al

Wow is that a metal rimmed tank? Looks like it still has the original tar like seal in it! Looks like it may be a 55. Can you put up the dimensions of the tank? This will help us with the adding of 2 more. As is a 45 would just be a grow out tank but a 55 wild probable work changing water 50% twice a week.
Your discus look fine. Lots of bba growing on the plants and that could be a sign of higher nitrates. Are you shaking the second bottle very hard before adding to the first?

Yes it is a stainless steel rimmed tank that I've had since the early 1960's. Refurbished it with Sapphire glass and modern adhesives. Dimensions are 361/4 x 201/4 x 15. The algae problem is resolving with my now low nitrates. Yes I shake the second bottle for 30 seconds. The algae on the left side that is in the roots of the plant is due to the light from my orchid stand. Now that too has just been taken care of. I will look into drift wood and larger plants as well.

Lol all good :). Sorry no clue what those dimensions are 360/4?? Guess 360 divided by 4. If so it’s as you say a 45g tank. You will need bigger for more discus :).

Should have placed a space before the fraction. 36 1/4 inch