Java Moss While Cycling

[guppyman1]

I have been through about 7 days of fishless cycling and was wondering if it would be okay to add in some java while the tank is cycyling. This was I can get the cycle done and get some java moss grown. Is there any negative effect that the java moss can have on the cycle?

 

[Truck]

It will be fine, but keep the tank lights off or it will encourage algal growth.

 

[waterdrop]

I agree, I would limit the light to 4 hours.. or, I don't know, maybe the java fern would do ok with just ambient light? WD

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

I started reading about live plants today and their affect on fishless cycling
The ammonia utilising bacteria on the plant roots can compete with the bacteria needed throughout the tank, slowing down the cycle
If the ammonia input is increased with the normal light period, there are increased risks of algae bloom
Some keepers go overkill on both the CO2 addition to the water during the fishless cycle, which is toxic to the algae, aswell as >75% plant coverage (some is taken out before addding the fish, but extra cover in cycle reduces chance of algae getting a foot-hold)

If an algae bloom did take place during a fishless cycle, could we safely add algae eaters (eg. a 1.5" BN Plec or two) as the first introductory fish, instead of the traditional use of species like Zebra Danios and Harlequin Rasboras?

Would there be any value in buying at least some of our live plants before fishless cycling is complete, adding some of the water change solution from the fishless cycling to these plants in a chemical free history bucket?

 

[waterdrop]

It is not recommended that you Fishless Cycle with more than a medium low level of live plants. A "planted tank" (heavily planted with perhaps more than 50% of the substrate planted lets say) needs a different kind of cycle. Sometimes we call it a "silent cycle" but whatever, you can read about one version of it by Dave Spencer in the planted section.

Many beginners get very confused by this. If you are truly a beginner who wants to immediately get in to the "planted tank" hobby (a separate hobby in my opinion) then by all means, go after it whole-heartedly and familiarize youself with the excellent and experienced members we have in the planted section. (Their tanks are beautiful and its definately one of my goals too someday!)

If you are a rank beginner to the tropical fishkeeping hobby who wants a community tank of tropical fish and wants to first understand this perhaps more basic aspect of the hobby, then it is my opinion that you should think long and hard before trying to take on both the fishkeeping hobby and the planted hobby at the same time. It is possible to begin learning good plantkeeping as you learn the beginning hobby without having to fully take on the whole planted tank thing right away.

The issue of plants or no plants or a blacked-out fishless cycle is complicated and there are many ways of doing it, none of which is usually terribly right or wrong. Its true, plants can be overcome by the excess algae that can happen in a fishless cycling tank, but on the other hand, its possible a few plants might carry in a few of our beneficial bacteria, which would be a good thing. Ammonia plus light equals algae, so fishless cycling is a great way to grow algae, if light is present.

A fishless cycle with fish in the tank is not a fishless cycle!

~~waterdrop~~