My tanks - The fake twins

Here are both current fresh water tanks:

  • A sud american tank dedicated to Discus, WF or F0 (wild) and F1 (first generation) Red and Brown imported by Santarem Discus Plus

  • A Tanganyika lake tank dedicated to Tropheus, WF Red Rainbow imported by CichlidenStadel

These tank are named "fake twins" on my YouTube channel, since they share same sizing 120x75x60cm or 540L, with quite same life support system running, but water quality is radically different:

  • Discus -> temp. 28-29°C, pH 6-6.5, conductivity 200µs, GH 4, KH 0
    (Water change weekly 200L RODI water + 20mL salt Preis + 20L tap water* + 50mL Fish V-Power)

  • Tropheus -> temp. 25-26°C, pH 8.3-8.8, conductivity 530µs, GH 12, KH 13
    (Water change every 2 months 500L tap water* + 150g NaHCO3)

*tap water here in Bavaria (2022.04) -> conductivity 530µs, GH 12, KH 10.. so you have to setup a RODI system (at least for the Discus) and to add proper salts ;-) It has also lot of silicates.. that should be removed otherwise you can get diatoms (brown algae) :-/

Technics

April 2022

Each tank has its own life system support composed of:

Nov. 2020

Each tank has its own life system support composed of:

Fixed costs

Current material at current minimal price (find online, check with local fish store):

  • Wave Station Tank 120 -> 2x 880€ (e.g. tank + meuble)

  • SUMP DIY -> TBD but before as canister filter: Fluval FX6 -> 2x 250€ (e.g. here)

  • Lighting system Chihiros WRGB II 120 -> 2x 350€ (e.g. here)

  • Heating Aqua Medic Titanium 200W -> 2x 30€ (e.g. here) + Inkbird Thermostat -> 2x 35€

  • Ozone Aqua Medic 200 -> 1x 260€ (e.g. here)+ reactor Sera 500 -> 2x 25€ (e.g. here) + UV sterilizer Aqua Medic Helix Max 11W -> 2x 90€ (e.g. here)

  • Nitrate absorber 6L Rhein-Erft Aquaristik -> 2x 90€ (here) + 12x 15€ (here)

  • Return pump Aqua Medic DC Runner 5.2 -> 2x 150€ (e.g. here) + stream pump Aqua Medic EcoDrift 4.2 -> 2x 90€ (e.g. here)

  • Air pump Eheim Air500 -> 2x 45€ (e.g. here)

Total, for both tanks -> 4010€ with DIY filter or 4510€ with with FX6 filters.

On top, keep in mind:

This approximation is already a good indication of budget range to get similar result, if it is what you're interested in ;-)

Recurring costs

Water consumption

Automatically replaced by RO water from 40L reservoir RO

  • Discus -> 7.28m³/y at 0,856 €/m³ -> ~6€

    • Water change: 200L/2w

    • Evaporation automatic top-off: 40L/w

  • Tropheus -> 2.34m³/y at 0,856 €/m³ -> ~2€

    • Water change 200L/2m

    • Evaporation automatic top-off: 40L/2w

Power consumption - Jan. 2021

(Following screenshots are from Mi Home smart plug, more info on www.miaquarium.com)

Clearly heating (Aqua Medic Titanium 200W + Inkbird Thermostat) impact a lot, with clear difference between Tropheus (25°C) and Discus (29°C).

Interestingly lightning system (Chihiros WRGB II 120) setup very softened (~30%) is visible in the afternoon, 16h -> 22h.

  • Discus -> 151.2kWh mth at 27,85 Ct/kWh (LEW) -> ~42€

  • Tropheus -> 77.5kWh mth at 27,85 Ct/kWh (LEW) -> ~22€

Operating supplies

  • UV lamp -> renew each year 11w -> 20€

  • Filter roll paper -> 40m 10€ (here)

    • Discus (and L-catfishes) -> 2mth

    • Tropheus -> 6mth

  • Salts water preparation -> related to water change

    • Discus -> Preis Discus Minerals 1kg 6600L 20€ (here) -> 200L/2w then 1y

    • Tropheus -> Instant Cichlid 400g 800L 15€ (here) -> 200L/2mth then 8mth

Topheus tank - monthly

Tropheus tank - daily

Tropheus tank - hourly

Discus tank - monthly

Discus tank - daily

Discus tank - hourly