Cycling Tank - Can I Add Plants?

[New tropical gal]

Hi all

I'm currently cycling my tank (fishless at present) and would like some advice re adding live plants.

My new cubic 20gal aquarium has been running for 3 days. I have a clay-based plant substrate lining the bottom of the aquarium followed by gravel.

The readings of my tank are all fine (with the exception of low pH), the only issue is cloudy water. I believe the cloudy water resulted from the gravel/substrate (despite it being washed several times).

Can I add a few plants at this stage or should I wait until fish have been introducted? I'm aware that plants consume nitrate and therefore my thoughts are that I should wait until fish are added.

I ask this question because I have read two tropical fish books where it is suggested that plants are added first - but I can't fathom the logic?!

Many thanks to you all for reading - I greatly appreciate any help

Kate

 

[OldMan47]

Welcome to the forum New Tropical Gal.

The logic in older tropical fish books was that the plants could help relieve some of the ammonia production from the fish while people did a fish-in cycle. The assumption was that you would put the plants into a sterile environment and get them established, then you would add in some fish to start cycling the tank. The established plants, if they are growing vigorously, can prevent much of the ammonia from getting to the fish. Plants often prefer to use ammonia if both ammonia and nitrates are present in the water. The approach is still used by people who are experienced at plants, because they can get the rapid growth needed to use up all of the available ammonia from adding in some fish. It is not an approach that I would advocate to someone new to the hobby or new to plants.

Another reason to add plants first is that it lets you reach into the partially filled new tank without getting up to your armpits in tank water. It ignores the fact that, in modern tank maintenance, we significantly lower the water level quite often for partial water changes and filter cleaning. Many of the older books also tell you that you only do small water changes and not very often, so their advice makes some in that context.

If you have a pH below 7.0, it would be best to raise it for a fishless cycle.

 

[Curalingua]

Hi Kate

Welcome.

I'm quite new too but I think there are pros and cons to adding plants during fishless cycle.

I added mine, it gave chance for the plants to establish and for me to sort out which plants liked the environment and which died off. It also made the empty tank more attractive in the 3 weeks the cycle took.

I didn't like the fact that common snails came in with the plants and bred quickly. I check my plants now (but some people like lots of snails). I also got a lot of brown powdery algae, typical in new tank set ups. You need to have the lights on for the plants, the light plus the ammonia you add make great conditions for this algae.

I am no use in understanding the complicated relationship between plants and their effect on the nitrogen cycle but my tank cycled well with them included.

Good luck

Fiona

Edit - I think the reason OldMan47 mentions the pH is that if it drops much below 7 the nitrogen cycle will slow or stop.

 

[Dave Spencer]

I ask this question because I have read two tropical fish books where it is suggested that plants are added first - but I can't fathom the logic?!

Have a read of this:

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/299827-why-we-should-not-fishless-cycle-planted-tanks/

I suspect you may not want a planted tank to this extent, but a lot of the info is still relevant to a tank with plants in (as opposed to a planted tank). In your case, simply cycle your tank in the dark, and then plant up once the cycle is done. Having the tank in the dark will give a nice algae free to start off with.

Dave.

 

[New tropical gal]

Old Man, Fiona & Dave

Thanks very much to you all for your assistance. I think I've read so much literature with differing perspectives that it becomes difficult to decipher how best to progress.

Dave, very informative article provided in your link - I had not heard of Zeolite before and I am now searching for it online.

Thanks to you all - I'll keep you posted with my progress!