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	cycling with plants
fishowner Enthusiast Posts: 215 Kudos: 206 Votes: 3 Registered: 01-Dec-2003	well i went to a local fish store about 2 months ago and ordered a 30" dual fluorescent fixture.after several weeks of waiting, i decided to order one online instead.....btw, the one from the lfs still isn't in. anyways now that ive got my lights and my fluorite substrate im going to be finishing my tank layout.when i start out i plan on cycling it without any fish in there. i was wondering, is cycling with plants better or worse. and if i put plants in there, when can i start using co2,flourish, etc?
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:56
Natalie Ultimate Fish Guru Apolay Wayyioy Posts: 4499 Kudos: 3730 Votes: 348 Registered: 01-Feb-2003	Ummm... Plants don't produce ammonia unless they are rotting. I'm not your neighbor, you Bakersfield trash.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:56
Babelfish Administrator Small Fry with Ketchup Posts: 6833 Kudos: 8324 Votes: 1570 Registered: 17-Apr-2003	Cycling a planted tank is similar to the process of cycling a tank without plants. You need an ammonia source, that can be from fish, fish food or if it's a plant only tank unscented uncolored ammonia can be added in a measured ammount till ammonia rises and falls, nitrIte rises and falls, and nitrAtes are present and building in the tank. Depending on how many plants, especially fast consuming plants you may not have the same type of cycle as seen in a non planted tank. ^_^ [hr width='40%']"Somewhere beyond happiness and sadness I need to calculate,what creates my own madness... and I am waiting for disaster"
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:56
fishowner Enthusiast Posts: 215 Kudos: 206 Votes: 3 Registered: 01-Dec-2003	if i do cycle with fish, what fish are good to cycle with?? i was thinking of getting some tetras, would that be good?
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:56
Natalie Ultimate Fish Guru Apolay Wayyioy Posts: 4499 Kudos: 3730 Votes: 348 Registered: 01-Feb-2003	Depends which species... Stay away from small fragile species such as neons, cardinals, rummies, etc, but larger, usually deeper-bodied tetras like head and tail lights, serpaes, black skirts, and pristellas (small, but hardy) would be fine for cycling a tank. Last edited by Cory Addict at 13-Feb-2005 13:41 I'm not your neighbor, you Bakersfield trash.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:56
bettachris Ultimate Fish Guru Posts: 3875 Kudos: 4173 Votes: 452 Registered: 13-Jun-2004	any tetras would do. something that is not alot of $$$.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:56
fishowner Enthusiast Posts: 215 Kudos: 206 Votes: 3 Registered: 01-Dec-2003	i was also thinking of getting some kuhli loaches, do they fare well when cycling?
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:56
Natalie Ultimate Fish Guru Apolay Wayyioy Posts: 4499 Kudos: 3730 Votes: 348 Registered: 01-Feb-2003	Kuhli loaches are kind of iffy when it comes to cycling... If you want a bottom feeder for cycling, most species of catfish should be fine. I'm not your neighbor, you Bakersfield trash.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:56
mjkelly Small Fry Posts: 13 Votes: 2 Registered: 23-Jan-2005	I would do a fishless cycle..I am new to this and have done alot of reading and did my first tank cycle fishless..I used pure amonia..it didn't take much at all and in like two weeks that tank completly cycled..I added fish and only had one casualty..
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:56
sham Ultimate Fish Guru Posts: 3369 Kudos: 2782 Votes: 98 Registered: 21-Apr-2004	For my first tank I liked doing fishless cycle. I threw in my plants to get them growing then added the pure ammonia. I added too much and got stuck at nitrites but it still cycled in around 3 weeks. Now I just seed the next tanks with a sponge filter and don't really have to worry about it. You can also get biospira if it's available and your tank will pretty much be instantly cycled. NIC also works but not quite as well. When I tested it on my 10g it did take the ammonia from 2ppm to 0 within a few hours but I still got nitrite readings for a few days.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:56
fishowner Enthusiast Posts: 215 Kudos: 206 Votes: 3 Registered: 01-Dec-2003	i picked up som bio-spira and some wood. the water in the pot looked like cofee, and there was this orange sap oozing out of the cracks..... it looked like the wood was bleeding
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:56
whetu Mega Fish Posts: 900 Votes: 63 Registered: 31-Jan-2003	Where did you get the wood? Most newish wood will leach tannins into the water for that coffee-coloured look. But I've never heard of seeing it oozing out of the cracks like that. If it's just tannins, keep on soaking the wood until it's at a level that you find acceptible to have in your tank. If it's sap though - don't put the wood in your tank at all!
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:56
fishowner Enthusiast Posts: 215 Kudos: 206 Votes: 3 Registered: 01-Dec-2003	i went to a local fish store and they had an assortment of pre-arranged drift wood (the kind thats bolted to a rock slab) well the ooze was sorta dark orange,and it came dripping out when it was boiling but then it kinda hardened on the outside.....so im pretty sure its sap. btw, the wood is already in my tank but there are no fish in it
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:56
Calilasseia Ultimate Fish Guru Panda Funster Posts: 5496 Kudos: 2828 Votes: 731 Registered: 10-Feb-2003	Oops, should have soaked the wood separately! Just do frequent water changes till the water stops becoming discoloured. Plus, once the cycling is complete, there are fishes that will actually like some tannins in the water. Cardinals, for example. Because in the wild, they hail from the Rio Negro, a so-called 'blackwater' river stained with humic acids and related compounds from decaying leaf matter. There's probably some tannins from decaying wood in there too. Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:56


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