Plants and Cycling Aquarium

[diVer]

I currently have a cycling 30 gallon. I think I've read something about being able to add plants to a cycling tank but I want to be sure. Is it safe? Or do I have to wait until some point? I would like to get some beginners plants in there, and mabey it will stop my family from constantly asking when I'm getting fish.

 

[Bangin]

You will read mixed opinions of this, but I am of the opinion that it's ok. I think it would help with the cycling process.

 

[sinistral]

I agree with Bangin. From what I've read (and from a discussion via pm with mrV ) I've learned that plants preferentially use ammonium ion as a source of nitrogen, and then use nitrates (though too much of either can be detrimental). So, plants should help with the cycling process.

 

[AW0L]

you can put plants in right away since they use ammonia in low ph tanks since ammonia is ammonium in acidic conditions which the plants prefer over nitrates. in high PH tank alkine conditions plants use nitrate. in a planted tank a bacteria colony actually grows very slowly in a low ph tank because the plants use up the ammonium in the water. in a high ph tank a bacteria colony grows normal because plants use up the end product nitrates which the plant converts back into ammonium so they can use it. very few plants prefer nitrates to ammonium most are hard water plants.

in the end if the reading are normal thats all that should matter