Beginner kit
Beginner discus kit
Everything you need for your first months with your discus — no guessing, no wrong investments.
Why you need a starter kit
Many discus tanks fail not because the fish are too demanding, but because the owner lacks the basic tools to monitor what's happening in the water. A thermometer, a test set and a quality conditioner matter more than any expensive gadget.
This kit contains the absolute minimum to start correctly.
How to use the kit correctly
Test the water once a week in the first 3 months: pH, KH, GH, NO2, NO3. Record the values in a notebook or in an app. You'll quickly spot patterns and be able to act before a problem becomes a crisis.
Varied food is mandatory for discus — don't rely on a single type.
✓ What's included
Tick them off as you get them — progress saves automatically on this device.
Progress: 0/90%
Clear steps: from box to your first discus
- 1Buy the test set and TDS meter before bringing the fish — not after.
- 2Record your tap water values (pH, KH, GH, NO3, TDS) as an initial reference.
- 3Store Seachem Prime and varied food somewhere accessible; check the expiry dates.
- 4Test the water once a week in the first 3 months and record the values in a notebook/app.
- 5Alternate food daily: pellets in the morning, frozen food at noon, pellets or spirulina in the evening.
- 6Clean the siphon after each water change and check the fish net between uses.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Buying a single type of food — discus need variety for health and colours.
- Using tap water without a dechlorinator — chlorine destroys the filter bacteria within hours.
- No quantitative tests (NO2/NO3) — you think everything is fine until the fish show symptoms.
- Overfeeding — the main cause of ammonia problems for beginners.
- Using the same net for quarantine and the main tank — it transfers parasites.
- Giving up the monitoring notebook after 2 weeks — patterns only show at month 2–3.
Frequently asked questions
Why do I need 5 different tests?
Each parameter tells you something different about the tank. NO2 and NO3 show whether the biological cycle is working. pH, KH and GH show water stability. Without them you're flying blind and discover problems when the fish are already sick.
Can I use only pellet food?
Short term yes, but discus need variety for health and vibrant colours. Add frozen food 2–3 times a week (brine shrimp, blackworms, daphnia).