Starting My Tank Fishless Whilst Maturing

[Truck]

has anyone ever planted there tank and then left it a month before adding fish so it can mature?

the thing is...i need to save for an external filter...and i thought whilst im letting it mature i can save for the filter...i have powerheads i can use for flow and i would dose nutrients and CO2 etc...its just a thought...so i dont know if i will use it or not.

what are your thoughts?

 

[Geoff1991]

I think it would work as all plants need are circulation and nutrients. If you do a few water changes it should work well...

 

[AdAndrews]

I have done this sorto

for the 35litre dp tank, first time around, if you can remember i left it with the little poxy filter in for circulation and got the plants rooted for a while

this is particularly good method if you are keeping fish which like to dig.
plus if you are using things like co2(pressurized) you can keep the co2 level much higher, so the plants dont go hungry while there are no fish, this helps fight against algae as if the plants are growing really well algae wont be able to get a foot in the door.. personally i would plant the tank, turn co2 up a tad higher and run it like that, with a matured filter until you are atleast a week free of good water quality, and then at that point turn co2 to normal(green on drop checker) and buy some shrimps/algae crew, start off with a few shrimps(less bioload) and monitor levels frequently, then bump their numbers and at that point it may start niggling you about what fish will suit the setup and then if they are harder to find by the time you have them it will be just right
good luck

 

[Truck]

thanks adam..i think ill do this...im just looking at a jungle setup in the 125 with a shoal of about 20 ember tetras and a pair of rams.

im not running pressurised though...easy carbo for me with powders...i will be doing 50% water changes a day anyway just to get rid of any possible chances the algae may have.

 

[AdAndrews]

thanks adam..i think ill do this...im just looking at a jungle setup in the 125 with a shoal of about 20 ember tetras and a pair of rams.

im not running pressurised though...easy carbo for me with powders...i will be doing 50% water changes a day anyway just to get rid of any possible chances the algae may have.

sounds good, looking forward to it.. got any substrate thoughts? oli knotts nature soil is awesome, but at the same time expensive.

Adam

 

[Truck]

thanks adam..i think ill do this...im just looking at a jungle setup in the 125 with a shoal of about 20 ember tetras and a pair of rams.

im not running pressurised though...easy carbo for me with powders...i will be doing 50% water changes a day anyway just to get rid of any possible chances the algae may have.

sounds good, looking forward to it.. got any substrate thoughts? oli knotts nature soil is awesome, but at the same time expensive.

Adam

how much is knotts soil? and how much do you get? i was thinking of clay based cat litter capped with sand

 

[AdAndrews]

thanks adam..i think ill do this...im just looking at a jungle setup in the 125 with a shoal of about 20 ember tetras and a pair of rams.

im not running pressurised though...easy carbo for me with powders...i will be doing 50% water changes a day anyway just to get rid of any possible chances the algae may have.

sounds good, looking forward to it.. got any substrate thoughts? oli knotts nature soil is awesome, but at the same time expensive.

Adam

how much is knotts soil? and how much do you get? i was thinking of clay based cat litter capped with sand

i brought it for 49.99 for 10l, and i have used about 7 on a 35litre.. some may say alot, but i say worth it, its the best on the market atm, better than ADA!

clay cat litter with sand passed through my mind, but i figured it would be quite messy, if you head over to ukaps you can find info about akadama, a clay ball, used for bonzai plants usually, this will need to be capped, fine black gravel imo is the best for the job

Adam

 

[aaronnorth]

There isnt much maturity needed reallly, just plants adapting to submersed growth, and rooting. A few rasboras wont pull them up anyway! just bottom feeders depending on the size, but saying that mine are fairly big and hardly anything comes up

Just do some big trims and new growth will be sprouting out from everywhere. You can tell the difference, some plants which i cannot reach arent half as big as the ones at te front.

 

[mdwheeler]

do you not have a filter? If you're saving for a good external get some sponge attachments for your powerhead while your waiting.

 

[Truck]

do you not have a filter? If you're saving for a good external get some sponge attachments for your powerhead while your waiting.

i shouldnt really call it a powerhead...its technically a circulation pump

 

[mdwheeler]

do you not have a filter? If you're saving for a good external get some sponge attachments for your powerhead while your waiting.

i shouldnt really call it a powerhead...its technically a circulation pump

LIke a hydor koralia? Yeah....no sponges for those

 

[Truck]

do you not have a filter? If you're saving for a good external get some sponge attachments for your powerhead while your waiting.

i shouldnt really call it a powerhead...its technically a circulation pump

LIke a hydor koralia? Yeah....no sponges for those

indeed lol

 

[Truck]

so if i planted my tank and turned on the pumps and dosed etc...and then added a filter and fish 5 weeks later All should be okay?

 

[AdAndrews]

so if i planted my tank and turned on the pumps and dosed etc...and then added a filter and fish 5 weeks later All should be okay?

should be yeah, only problem is, algae.. when levels of ammonia(a trigger) are unstable algae is more common, so its best to have a matured filter from the start really, but if you have any problems you will just have to deal with them accordingly

good luck

 

[Truck]

so if i planted my tank and turned on the pumps and dosed etc...and then added a filter and fish 5 weeks later All should be okay?

should be yeah, only problem is, algae.. when levels of ammonia(a trigger) are unstable algae is more common, so its best to have a matured filter from the start really, but if you have any problems you will just have to deal with them accordingly

good luck

im going to put a bag of purigen in there to prevent this from happening