New Tank, Lights On Or Off?

[DempsyMac]

Hello first time posting, so I will give a little background first...

about 8 years ago I was big into tanks had a 55gal planted and a 120 SW but after a leak <eek> my wife freaked and said I had to take them down, plus we were moving so it was kinda the right time, anyway since then we have had two kids and as they are getting a bit older now, and we just moved again (and have no plans to move EVER again) I picked up a new 37gal tank, one of the new Fluval Studio's looks great!

Anyway today is Thursday morning and I set up the tank and filled it on Monday, both Monday and Tuesday I added Cycle that I had good results with in the past to cycle a tank and currently it is rather cloudy, but if I recall correctly and reading other posts here that is a good sign. BTW no fish yet, I don't like the fish-in cycle as I hate flushing the little guys)

But I have two main questions I am hoping that you can all help me with:
1 - I can't recall and I can't find the answer if I should have my lights on the tank durring cycle or not?
2 - Aquascaping, I have yet to buy any decorations and such for the tank but should I get them now or can I put them in once my tank has cycled and I add fish?

Thanks for all your help in advance reading some of the threads here over the last few days I think that this could be a site that I spend all to much time on and gather some great info on and hope that soon I can help others as well!

Here are two photo's incase you are wondering

When filling with water

now cloudy:

 

[BigbruiserAl]

Lights of during a fishless cycle, you can add wood and decs now just leave plants untill the last few days before fish.

Few things, adding a bottle product may or maynot help your cycle there are many debates about it and best left for another thread. If your doing a fishless cycle have a read up in the FAQ some very good tips like up the tank temp to 28c+ use a bottle of ammoina to keep the bacteria alive and well. watch you ph during the cycle high temp plus wood (if you add) will result in a low ph during the cycle you can add bi card to get a ph of 8.2 which is perfect for a fishless cycle.

Have a read and post back any questions left

A fish less cycle can take approx 30days or sometimes 70+days....try get some establised media from your LFS or post you location and some memebers may donate some

 

[Aqua Tom]

Leave the lights off, the bacteria we are trying to grow live in your filter so do not need light. Light will just cause algea.

Tom

edit, very nice looking tank, you need to raise your multiplug off the floor so the cables have a drip-loop in them.

 

[DempsyMac]

Lights of during a fishless cycle, you can add wood and decs now just leave plants untill the last few days before fish.

I am guessing that you ment Off not of?

 

[BigbruiserAl]

Lights of during a fishless cycle, you can add wood and decs now just leave plants untill the last few days before fish.

I am guessing that you ment Off not of?

yeah mate dam Dyslexia you will notice lots of my post miss words or spelling mistakes im sure you will get the jist though there not too Cryptic

 

[DempsyMac]

no worry BigBruiser I am the same way lots of the time.

Well just wanted quickly to thank you guys for getting back to me so quickly, I don't think that I have done any work today (I work from home and the tank is in my office) I have been reading so many threads on this site!

Anyway I never thought about stealing from another tank to get this one set up, my kids have a small, very small 5 gal tank with a matching tiny filter, but it was full of "gunk" so I squeezed it out into my canister filter and hoping that will help me get through the cycle, I also turned up my heater a bit. I think I will go out tonight and pick up a few items so I can start figuring out how to decorate this tank.

Now I am planning on having this as a ciclid (SP?) tank, Convics are my goal, now I had them before and if I recall they really like to re-decorate a lot and I am not a big fan of snails, so I was thinking about fake plants vs real plants, but if anyone has suggestions I am all open to them, I do love the look of real plants but they always seem to come with a million snails on them and I just hate that!

Thanks again for all your help, can't wait to get some fish in this thing, I hate waiting but I hate killing fish even more.

Leave the lights off, the bacteria we are trying to grow live in your filter so do not need light. Light will just cause algea.

Tom

edit, very nice looking tank, you need to raise your multiplug off the floor so the cables have a drip-loop in them.

Thanks.

PS I have another multiplug under the tank so I have my loop that one is just for my computer

 

[DempsyMac]

On more question if you don't mind?

I am wondering if you think I should have a powerhead in this tank or not? Dimensions are 17x24x18

 

[DempsyMac]

bump?