View Full Version : 2 questions- Low light plants & Cycling
Cypress
09-10-2007, 11:01 PM
I have a 55 with the crappy hoods/lights it came with. About .6 WPG. I plan on replacing the lights within the next couple of weeks. Would low light plants survive until I replace the lights, or should I wait? (I am using 60lbs Ecocomplete)
Also, I have seen several people recommend the "Rex's Guide" site. He recommends the plant & fish cycle. Have you had success with this method?
You could throw some hornwort in; this would float under the lights and grow nicely (and decompose where it doesn't get any light). Wisteria works sometimes, Java moss and java fern always. There are quite a few plants that at least try to grow in the beginning with not so much light.
I made a fish plus plants cycle with my first aquarium. It worked very well, probably because I started with lots of plants. You will still have to monitor the N values, but I didn't lose any fish although I started with 10 guppies in an uncycled 10 gallon (definitely NOT recommended!).
Mgamer20o0
09-11-2007, 2:52 AM
i dont support it. it can be done but you need lots of plants and growing good. for newer people its hard for them to wrap their heads around everything at once. fishless cycle with plants.... best of both worlds..... i would just wait until you get new lights....
Fishy cycle with plants does require lots of fast growers to suck up excess nutrients. So as Mgamers says, unless you can stuff that tank full I wouldn't try to cycle that way.