Catch Up Question

[orange shark]

Afternoon All,
 
I'm just getting back in to the hobby after a few years out, and have just ordered myself a Rio 180 and just wanted to ask a few questions to jog my memory.
 
I will be fish-less cycling the tank, but don't plan on adding the substrate straight away (maybe a few days- a week afterwards, is this OK?
 
Also the same situation with plants, although I assume this will only affect the nitrate levels so not detrimental to the cycle?
 
Cheers
OS

 

[fluttermoth]

You can do a fishless cycle on a bare tank, no problem, as long as you have a running heater and filter, of course!

Plants will use ammonia, as well as nitrate, so a lot of people do recommend you cycle without plants.

 

[the_lock_man]

When I did it, I had a plain tank, which makes it easier to drain the tank of the nitrate-laden water. Once the filter cycled, I emptied, added the substrate, plants and decor, and kept it topped up with ammonia for a couple of days before I was able to go and get fish.
 
If you do add the substrate and plants, the plants will eat some of the ammonia, so it will take less time to cycle, as the plants will effectively become part of the filtration system, meaning you need less bacteria.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

You should have both the substrate and the plants in from the beginning. Your cycle will proceed more rapidly and your tank will become better established faster as well. .
 
After one's filter, the most bacteria in a tank will be found on the surface layer of whatever substrate one is using (assuming there is substrate). Depending on one's filtration and maintenance routine, there could be as more or more bacteria in the substrate than in the filter.
 
Even in a bare bottom tank some bio-film can form on the bottom and will contain bacteria. Covering it with substrate will suffocate/starve them.