How many plants for silent cycle?

[Animallover😍]

This is the amount of plants I currently have in my aquarium...

I put vinyl on the back, but got a couple air bubbles. Still looks good tho!

I came upon some water wisteria in a pond. Cleaned it thoroughly and put in aquarium. It was half emerged, but seems to be holding up well.

frogbit. The vinyl looks terrible from above.
If this is enough plants, and as soon as I fix the pH problem, I think I'll add about 2 fish per week.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

That's a good start.

 

[itiwhetu]

Looks good to me

 

[ClownLurch]

Ive never used Wisteria but read a few days back that it can be left floating on the surface. Is this true? If so will it work better as a cycling plant when on the surface of planted?

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Ive never used Wisteria but read a few days back that it can be left floating on the surface. Is this true? If so will it work better as a cycling plant when on the surface of planted?

Yes, it can be used as a floating plant and demonstrates the abilities of other floating plants...to a lesser degree.
I'd keep the wisteria in the tank, (perhaps more to the sides) and get some more specifically floating plants...perhaps more of what you already have.
Myself, I'm rather fond of Salvinia.

 

[ClownLurch]

Oh I hate Salvinia.
Ive loads of Frogbit and Water Lettuce.

 

[Essjay]

I used to have salvinia but one summer it all turned up its toes, went brown and died within a couple of weeks. Someone suggested back then that this was due to the heatwave we were in the middle of causing a lot of condensation under the lid and that plants with hairy leaves like salvinia don't like condensation dripping on the leaves. Whether this is true or not I have no idea, but all the salvinia did die

That's the reason I now have floating plants with hairless leaves, just in case.

 

[Animallover😍]

That's a good start.

Yes, but is it enough? How much % is the plants taking up?

 

[Myraan]

As much plants as you can while still looking nice to you and leaving at least some water for fish to swim in if they that sort of fish. But realistically you are starting with small plants, you will cut and replant stems as you go along, so when you stock with fish start gradually and keep monitoring the ammonia to check the plant growth (and eventually at least a few BB) can keep up.