Thinking about Discus

[Katie217]

So I know that I can handle discus, but I'm just wondering about a few things...

1. The tank will be a 33gal, how many discus could go in there? I was thinking 3-4?
2. Are water changes every THREE days nessisary?
3. I'm planning on doing bare bottom tank, with some large peices of drift wood, would this work?
4. I'm not planning on breeding them, so does the water NEED to be at a PH around 6.8 or something?
5. Say if I got 4 discus, could I add a school of cardinal tetras?
6. When I get the fish, what should I feed as a staple food? Bloodworms? Or regular flake food?
7. Would some bottom feeders (ie. cory cats) work OK in a bare bottom tank? Are they needed?

Sorry for all the questions,
Thanks Guys

 

[Pure]

1. The tank will be a 33gal, how many discus could go in there? I was thinking 3-4?
3 would be the max I would put in there
2. Are water changes every THREE days nessisary?
If they are young say 2 inches in size then yes, older larger ones only need 40-50% weekly
3. I'm planning on doing bare bottom tank, with some large peices of drift wood, would this work?
Yes that would work, you can also use glass dishes to hold some plants. My bare bottom discus tank ---> http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/xyshannen/Tanks/ShannenDiscusTank.jpg
4. I'm not planning on breeding them, so does the water NEED to be at a PH around 6.8 or something?
anything under 7.8 if acclimated slowly will do
5. Say if I got 4 discus, could I add a school of cardinal tetras?
No more than 3 discus and yes a school of tetras would be nice
6. When I get the fish, what should I feed as a staple food? Bloodworms? Or regular flake food?
IME discus don't take too well to flake, mnie eat tetra color bits as a staple with regulare feedings of frozen foods including beef heart
7. Would some bottom feeders (ie. cory cats) work OK in a bare bottom tank? Are they needed?
Cories will work, but you need to research the species you want..only a few of them can stand the temps dicsus like.

 

[Katie217]

Wow thanks Pure!
Your bare bottom tank was actually the look I was going for, with the driftwood and a few plants.
The discus at the store ATM are around 2-2.5 inches in size, so I guess that I cant really avoid the three-day water changes then. Thats ok, its the holidays
Thanks again
Oh yeah, is there really anything else that I should know about discus? Ive read alot, but I know I can trust MFTers