cycling a new tank

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cutechic

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hi everyone

i just got a 4 gallon tank, and i'd like to add live plants to it. is it better to do fishless cycling with or without the live plants?
 
It's a matter of personal preference. Adding plants in the tank starts the nitrogen cycle off, but be sure to feed your plants at least once a week with an aquatic plant food, until they become established. It'll add a little interest in the tank and help stablise the water.
 
the live plants should be unaffected by the cycle period, unlike fish they can handle ammonia and nitrite. I have found them to speed up cycling a bit too. not the beginning part of building ammonia which converts into nitrite, but they have really sped up my turning nitite into nitrate and breaking down of nitrate. so I would recomend them, but as dragon said, be sure to add fertilizer for them. plants need food too. and some need mopre than that. CO2, great lighting etc. so be aware of the plants you buy.

hth

richard
 
is there any way of adding co2 for the plants, other than an expensive co2 injector or the diy pop bottle method?
 
well they where tlaking about a diy version of the co2 injector. i just add an air stone ive not had a problem but im not really much good with plants. for a small tank like that you may want something to average out the co2 and oxigen.
 
ok. i guess i'll go to my lfs and see what they have, and then make my decision.

it'll be a while before i buy the plants, i think, cuz i want to research them all a bit more, instead of rushing into things like i usually do :p
 

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