Starting To Cycle

[Xraymark]

Hi everyone

Have posted on emergency forum previously on repeated fish deaths. From that a fish-less cycle recommended.

My conern is that I have three smallish plants from last set up, crinum thaianam(onion plant), echinodorus Rose and.bacopa australis. Is it achievable to cycle with them in tank.

 

[HayzH]

Hi everyone

Have posted on emergency forum previously on repeated fish deaths. From that a fish-less cycle recommended.

My conern is that I have three smallish plants from last set up, crinum thaianam(onion plant), echinodorus Rose and.bacopa australis. Is it achievable to cycle with them in tank.

as i replied before...plants help eradicate ammonia, therefor it will make your cycle much longer...as it will give you incorrect Amm readings.
Best to leave them out.

 

[Xraymark]

How long can plants live in a bucket of dechlorinated water?

Query post cycle.

 

[StandbySetting]

The effect of 3 plants will be negligible, the only problem presented is algal growth from lighting and ammonia, combined they encourage algae.

 

[KittyKat]

The effect of 3 plants will be negligible, the only problem presented is algal growth from lighting and ammonia, combined they encourage algae.

+1

as i replied before...plants help eradicate ammonia, therefore it will make your cycle much longer...as it will give you incorrect Amm readings.
Best to leave them out.

The cycle should actually take quicker because the filter won't need to have as many bacteria because the plants will use up some of the ammonium. The readings we care about are the rate at which ammonia is used up and the quantity of ammonia used up, there is no reason to care about *how* this happens. As long as the plants are not removed before the fish are added, the cycle would still be equally valid as one without plants.

How long can plants live in a bucket of dechlorinated water?

Query post cycle.

Depends on the species. Without aeration, in good light, most plants will live from a few weeks to indefinitely. With aeration in good light, most will survive for months. In a dark place, most will survive from a few days to a couple of weeks.

 

[Xraymark]

The effect of 3 plants will be negligible, the only problem presented is algal growth from lighting and ammonia, combined they encourage algae.

+1

as i replied before...plants help eradicate ammonia, therefore it will make your cycle much longer...as it will give you incorrect Amm readings.
Best to leave them out.

The cycle should actually take quicker because the filter won't need to have as many bacteria because the plants will use up some of the ammonium. The readings we care about are the rate at which ammonia is used up and the quantity of ammonia used up, there is no reason to care about *how* this happens. As long as the plants are not removed before the fish are added, the cycle would still be equally valid as one without plants.

How long can plants live in a bucket of dechlorinated water?

Query post cycle.

Depends on the species. Without aeration, in good light, most plants will live from a few weeks to indefinitely. With aeration in good light, most will survive for months. In a dark place, most will survive from a few days to a couple of weeks.

Would be keen to keep plants in tank. I could cycle with plants but limit the light to about 5 hours a day. Maybe have an hour break in between to limit algae growth.

Thanks for advice.

 

[StandbySetting]

The hour break will favour algal growth as it is the more adaptable organism, what species are the 3 plants you have? Don't buy any more plants until you've cycled the tank.

 

[Xraymark]

Sorry I thought in an established tank an hour break of light helped limit algae growth.

I had named the species of plant in my first post

Cheers.

 

[BigbruiserAl]

Sorry I thought in an established tank an hour break of light helped limit algae growth.

I had named the species of plant in my first post

Cheers.

Old fish keeping myth, better to have lights on for one solid peroid

 

[StandbySetting]

Personally I'd take the plants out and put them in a clear plastic container that receives sun light until the tank cycles, then you'll have no risk of algae.

 

[Xraymark]

That sounds like reasonably advice. Happy if I can keep plants living.

Will keep plants in container and change water every so often.

Thanks.

 

[KittyKat]

Sorry I thought in an established tank an hour break of light helped limit algae growth.

Your tank is definitely not established, nor heavily planted.

A few hours break *may* help for *some* heavily planted, "low tech" setups which have at least 6 hours of light on either side of the break, but it's not something you should be considering for the near future.