Cycling My Tank

[your1stopshop]

I was wondering if I can cycle my tank using plants?
My tank is currently unsetup and was wondering if i added plants when i set it up if it would cycle it. I think there is some bacteria present on the leafs of the plants that will make its way into the filter.
thanks for any help.

 

[dsingleton]

I am a beginner myself, but I'm sure that it won't do any harm to your cycling.

I'd give it a go, especially if the plants are from an established aquarium.

 

[Underwurlde]

Some would say that if on day one you lay your substrate, fully plant up and fill with water, there is no reason why you can't fully stock on day two (i.e. no need to cycle at all).

A path for experienced planted tank keepers only though!

Andy

 

[BigIan]

adding plants from an established aquarium is a great way to introduce some bacteria.

go for some of the hardier species though such as cabomba amazons swords ect....

 

[your1stopshop]

Do you think buying the plants over the internet would make a difference?
Would the bacteria survive on the plants in the little baggies for 24-48 hours? or should i buy the plants from a LFS.
I would wait at least 1-2 weeks to let my plants settle in and start growing before I added any fish.
thanks for all the responses, great help!

 

[DarkEntity]

When you buy any plants the first thing to do is generally give them a wash so that mostly removes the last of the bacteria that survives the journey.

 

[Dave Spencer]

You will want to consider washing your plants for a minute or two in a mild bleach solution, and then rinse them thoroughly before adding to the tank. This should get rid of any snails or Copper treatment.

I started a heavily planted high tech tank two months and it never went through a cycle, but unless you go down this path I would cycle the tank if I were you. Nevertheless, with enough healthy plants, they should help with the NH3/NH4 and nitrite uptake.

 

[your1stopshop]

Ok, i understand, rinse plants to get rid of snails, but i like snails! is rinsing the plants absolutly nessasary? do plants carry fish diseases?
won't bleach harm the plants? maybe i should just fishess cycle my tank anyway if doing it wih plants is going to be a problem.

 

[Dave Spencer]

Personally, I would fishless cycle anyway.

If you are happy to have snails in your tank, then there is no problem. I didn`t bleach my first set of plants and have snails, but they do not cause me any problems and theirnumbers seem to be kept in check. Do put your plants in during the cycle, though, especially if you intend on buying some.

 

[Majjie]

If you Google "Silent Cycling" you'll find that people have cycled their tanks just with plants. It's a while since I read anything about it, but basically you cram the tank full of plants and wait until they are growing vigorously before you add any fish - then you add fish very gradually, one at a time, I think.

I've never sterilised my plants - and haven't had too much problem with snails. Do a big water change before you add fish (which you'll do anyway with fishless cycling) and you shouldn't have a problem with copper either. That way the bacteria the plants bring in will be useful for cycling. (You can wash any plants you add later - when you don't need the bacteria).

The great benefit of fishless cycling is that once completed you can add your total stock of fish at once - great for those like me with little patience!
(But beware of adding fish that like a mature tank too early).

 

[your1stopshop]

Ok, thanks for all the help, i was thinking of a heavily planted tank anyway. I think I am going to plant the tank at set-up wait 2 weeks or so for things to settle in and add 2 fish at a time.
thanks for all the great help