Yes they do, but Essjay is using the BB on her plants to "insta-cycle" her QT when she sets it up, instead of using filter media
Try-hard Quarantine Tank
- Thread starter PlasticGalaxy
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PlasticGalaxy
Fish Gatherer
Ohh yeah, I see what you mean. Must have misread... Or just not read at all lol. I didn't know you could do that with plants! Maybe I'll go down that route.
That is with WELL ESTABLISHED tanks, newer tanks will still have plenty of BB in the filter media
They have to be cycled. That's why I used to take media from my main tank. But when I did that at the end of 2019 I added ammonia to check and it was the same the following day, and for several days afterwards. I ended up doing a 7 week fishless cycle before I could use it. That's when I realised the filter in my main tanks has hardly any bacteria in it.
When I set it last year I did a sort of plant cycle where plants take up all the ammonia and turn it into protein. I used two types of fast growing plants - one type of proper floating plant (water sprite) and one type of stem plant which I also left floating.
My main tank has been running since 2013, and the filter, substrate and decor came from a smaller tank. And in the last few years I've also been increasing the live plants. The bacteria do grow mainly in the filter in a new tank but as it matures the bacteria grow everywhere in the tank. Live plants also take up ammonia faster than bacteria so when there are lots of plants in a tank, there are fewer bacteria than there would be if there were no live plants.
It is possible to cycle a tank using just plants.
www.fishforums.net
When I set it last year I did a sort of plant cycle where plants take up all the ammonia and turn it into protein. I used two types of fast growing plants - one type of proper floating plant (water sprite) and one type of stem plant which I also left floating.
My main tank has been running since 2013, and the filter, substrate and decor came from a smaller tank. And in the last few years I've also been increasing the live plants. The bacteria do grow mainly in the filter in a new tank but as it matures the bacteria grow everywhere in the tank. Live plants also take up ammonia faster than bacteria so when there are lots of plants in a tank, there are fewer bacteria than there would be if there were no live plants.
It is possible to cycle a tank using just plants.
What is a planted/silent cycle?
So ya got yourself a fish tank, and now you're wondering how to cycle it. You have a few options: 1) Fishless cycle: Set up your substrate and filter (decorations and plants are optional), buy pure ammonia, add enough to your tank to read 3ppm, wait. Full instructions here...
www.fishforums.net
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PlasticGalaxy
Fish Gatherer
Alright, I see what you mean. Thank you for the help... I'll have a run through the best options and figure it out from there.They have to be cycled. That's why I used to take media from my main tank. But when I did that at the end of 2019 I added ammonia to check and it was the same the following day, and for several days afterwards. I ended up doing a 7 week fishless cycle before I could use it. That's when I realised the filter in my main tanks has hardly any bacteria in it.
When I set it last year I did a sort of plant cycle where plants take up all the ammonia and turn it into protein. I used two types of fast growing plants - one type of proper floating plant (water sprite) and one type of stem plant which I also left floating.
My main tank has been running since 2013, and the filter, substrate and decor came from a smaller tank. And in the last few years I've also been increasing the live plants. The bacteria do grow mainly in the filter in a new tank but as it matures the bacteria grow everywhere in the tank. Live plants also take up ammonia faster than bacteria so when there are lots of plants in a tank, there are fewer bacteria than there would be if there were no live plants.
It is possible to cycle a tank using just plants.
What is a planted/silent cycle?
So ya got yourself a fish tank, and now you're wondering how to cycle it. You have a few options: 1) Fishless cycle: Set up your substrate and filter (decorations and plants are optional), buy pure ammonia, add enough to your tank to read 3ppm, wait. Full instructions here...
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PlasticGalaxy
Fish Gatherer
26.03.2021
So I went away to think about it for a couple of days, and I've come to now have a general idea of what I'm going to do for this tank.
I'm going to have the tank set up permanently next to my other two tanks on a little table I found on eBay. Comes up to 45cm so it'll be a little lower than my other tanks but should be alright.
Ordered an Interpret Nano Stat heater which should come within the next few days. A filter came with the tank but I've got two backups if this one packs up (which I'm honestly expecting). No light so far, but I'm probably just going to use something simple like a little clip on light.
Going to buy a 2kg bag of substrate since this was the amount of gravel that came with the tank. I don't really know what I was expecting to be fair.
But... Terribly thought out party-bags of gravel aside, soon enough I'm hoping to get this tank set up. I'm probably going to put my salvinia in this tank since it's taking up space in my 54L right now. Maybe some waterweed too, but I'm not sure.
Any ideas on hardy plants I can keep with minimal maintenance?
So I went away to think about it for a couple of days, and I've come to now have a general idea of what I'm going to do for this tank.
I'm going to have the tank set up permanently next to my other two tanks on a little table I found on eBay. Comes up to 45cm so it'll be a little lower than my other tanks but should be alright.
Ordered an Interpret Nano Stat heater which should come within the next few days. A filter came with the tank but I've got two backups if this one packs up (which I'm honestly expecting). No light so far, but I'm probably just going to use something simple like a little clip on light.
Going to buy a 2kg bag of substrate since this was the amount of gravel that came with the tank. I don't really know what I was expecting to be fair.
But... Terribly thought out party-bags of gravel aside, soon enough I'm hoping to get this tank set up. I'm probably going to put my salvinia in this tank since it's taking up space in my 54L right now. Maybe some waterweed too, but I'm not sure.
Any ideas on hardy plants I can keep with minimal maintenance?
Java fern, crypts
I have a clip on light on my shrimp tank and I can recommend it.
www.aquael-aquarium.co.uk
LEDDY SMART 2 - Aquael
www.aquael-aquarium.co.uk
OP
OP
PlasticGalaxy
Fish Gatherer
Ooh, thank you. Is it with that I think crypts are kind of ugly? Java fern is nice, though.
OP
OP
PlasticGalaxy
Fish Gatherer
Thank you!! I'll see what's left in my budget and see if I can get myself one. If not then I'll just save up for a little lol.I have a clip on light on my shrimp tank and I can recommend it.
LEDDY SMART 2 - Aquael
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PlasticGalaxy
Fish Gatherer
30.03.2021
So now we're really rolling. My order from ProShrimp came in today, got a 10kg bag of large, smooth-ish gravel along with a little sticker thermometer and treats for my community tank.
I'll see how the little filter goes for now. In theory it should be alright but just in case, I can always switch to something more powerful. The water's already to temperature (according to my little thermometer label) and everything seems so be looking alright.
Here's a photo from when I'd put the gravel in,
I got a 10kg bag for a tank that only needs about 0.5kg, but at least I came prepared. That, and I can use it for other projects and bits and bobs in the garden for the future. It was probably the dirtiest substrate I've washed so far, and took a good few washes until the water ran clear. Once I'd put the gravel in, I moved it from my wardrobe to the table that I mentioned earlier. It was on local pickup on eBay, and only for £10! Seems like solid wood, but I'm not entirely sure. It's heavy as hell and sturdy, though, so that's the main thing.
I put the heater and filter in, and put the thermometer on before filling it up. I used some ugly A5 glitter card as a backing so you couldn't see all the wires, and here it is so far. Maybe I should have gone with rainbow gravel... But anyway, I'll be putting some ugly little ornaments in soon enough. Should I put in a fake plant or two?
Also... Here's the closest you'll get to a face reveal for a while. You can sort of make out my hair and unbelievable paleness.
So now we're really rolling. My order from ProShrimp came in today, got a 10kg bag of large, smooth-ish gravel along with a little sticker thermometer and treats for my community tank.
I'll see how the little filter goes for now. In theory it should be alright but just in case, I can always switch to something more powerful. The water's already to temperature (according to my little thermometer label) and everything seems so be looking alright.
Here's a photo from when I'd put the gravel in,
I got a 10kg bag for a tank that only needs about 0.5kg, but at least I came prepared. That, and I can use it for other projects and bits and bobs in the garden for the future. It was probably the dirtiest substrate I've washed so far, and took a good few washes until the water ran clear. Once I'd put the gravel in, I moved it from my wardrobe to the table that I mentioned earlier. It was on local pickup on eBay, and only for £10! Seems like solid wood, but I'm not entirely sure. It's heavy as hell and sturdy, though, so that's the main thing.
I put the heater and filter in, and put the thermometer on before filling it up. I used some ugly A5 glitter card as a backing so you couldn't see all the wires, and here it is so far. Maybe I should have gone with rainbow gravel... But anyway, I'll be putting some ugly little ornaments in soon enough. Should I put in a fake plant or two?
Also... Here's the closest you'll get to a face reveal for a while. You can sort of make out my hair and unbelievable paleness.
OP
OP
PlasticGalaxy
Fish Gatherer
11.04.2021 - I messed up!
Okay, well, I got frustrated with the fact that, no matter how much ammonia I used and whatever method I tried, the parameters stayed at 0.00ppm for both nitrite and ammonia. Put in a few sinking pellets and some more ammonia, and left it for a week.
Cut to bright red nitrite test water, 8.0ppm. Starting over, of course. This is going to be a short entry, since all I really want to do is ask a question:
Can I just put water from my established tank(s) in the quarantine tank? And what if I just left the quarantine tank's filter running in my 54L (currently the most mature tank due to my 170L overhaul resetting pretty much everything) before putting it back in the quarantine tank?
I wanted to cycle the tank properly like how the pros do it, but I just couldn't get it to work!
Oh, and I lost 1.5" of water due to evaporation since I set it up. Unsurprising, but a little annoying.
I'll restart it tomorrow.
Okay, well, I got frustrated with the fact that, no matter how much ammonia I used and whatever method I tried, the parameters stayed at 0.00ppm for both nitrite and ammonia. Put in a few sinking pellets and some more ammonia, and left it for a week.
Cut to bright red nitrite test water, 8.0ppm. Starting over, of course. This is going to be a short entry, since all I really want to do is ask a question:
Can I just put water from my established tank(s) in the quarantine tank? And what if I just left the quarantine tank's filter running in my 54L (currently the most mature tank due to my 170L overhaul resetting pretty much everything) before putting it back in the quarantine tank?
I wanted to cycle the tank properly like how the pros do it, but I just couldn't get it to work!
Oh, and I lost 1.5" of water due to evaporation since I set it up. Unsurprising, but a little annoying.
I'll restart it tomorrow.
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