cycling a new discus tank safely

[BoldOne]

Setting up a new 75-gallon tank for my Discus, gonna cycle it fishless. Got a Fluval FX6, sand substrate, and some driftwood. Water's at 84°F, pH 6.8. How long should I expect the cycle to take before adding them? Heard it's sketchy to rush this.

[Haven]

I've never kept Discus, but my community tank took weeks to cycle. Why's the temp so high? Seems like overkill unless you're breeding.

[Danca89]

Setting up a new 75-gallon tank for my Discus, gonna cycle it fishless. Got a Fluval FX6, sand substrate, and some driftwood. Water's at 84°F, pH 6.8. How long should I expect the cycle to take before adding them? Heard it's sketchy to rush this.

With that setup, it'll likely take 4–6 weeks. The high temp speeds up bacterial growth but also means you gotta watch ammonia spikes. Test daily, and don't add them until nitrites hit zero.

[goldey]

My tank cycled in three weeks. Used Seachem Stability and fed the filter with pure ammonia. Worked fine.

[Dubson]

Setting up a new 75-gallon tank for my Discus, gonna cycle it fishless. Got a Fluval FX6, sand substrate, and some driftwood. Water's at 84°F, pH 6.8. How long should I expect the cycle to take before adding them? Heard it's sketchy to rush this.

Yo, solid plan! The FX6 is a beast, but make sure you're rinsing the media in tank water, not tap. And yeah, 84°F is perfect for Discus—keeps 'em chill and healthy. Patience is key here, bro.

[BlondeBloom]

I cycled mine with a few tetras first. Not sure if that's safe for Discus, though.

[BoldOne]

Thanks for the tips, everyone. Gonna grab some Stability and keep testing. Appreciate the help!

[Danca89]

I cycled mine with a few tetras first. Not sure if that's safe for Discus, though.

Not ideal. Tetras can handle rougher conditions, but Discus are way more sensitive. Fish-in cycles are risky for them—stick to fishless.

[Dubson]

Yep, fishless is the way to go. And BoldOne, if you're using Stability, dose it heavy the first week. Helps kickstart the biofilter faster.