View Full Version : question on fishless cycling
mikedel
11-04-2003, 11:07 PM
If I add live plants while cycling a tank without fish, will the plants eat all of the ammonia I add to the tank. Will there be plenty of ammonia for both the plants and bacteria to grow?
Grassguy
11-05-2003, 4:36 AM
Yes. I recently did a fishless cycle with plants already in the tank. I keot the ammonia right where I wanted it and the tank cycled fine.
mikedel
11-05-2003, 7:18 AM
So where you still able to add your entire stock as soon as the tank was done cycling? Did you have any mortality, and would you fishless cycle again?
Grassguy
11-05-2003, 7:47 AM
It was only a six gal for my son. Three days after the cycle, we added 1 Betta and 3 emerald cories. Everyone is doing fine.
The water got a little cloudy yesterday, but I found that he had over fed. So, I think it's cloudy due to the extra food. Oh well, he's only five. Still learning, I think we've all done that at least once before.:rolleyes:
i recently cycled my 29 using the fishless planted method. it worked fine. plants helped smooth it all out. all in all it took about 3 weeks. and a week after it finished i was at full stocking level. not deaths due to cycle ( 2 to ich). next time i cycle i will either do the fishless or check out biospira if im not feeling patient.
carpguy
11-06-2003, 8:53 PM
A fishless cycle on a planted tank isn't really a great idea for a few reasons.
If you're tank is set up for plants (with adequate lighting, etc), the high ammonia levels are basically an invitation for algae to move in and take advantage of a nutrient imbalance.
On the other hand, as you've already noted, the ammonia is a plant nutrient. Yes the plants will compete with the bacteria and may even outcompete them. They'll continue to do that after you add fish. In other words a healthy and well planted tank doesn't require the same bacteria loads to run the nitrogen cycle. The plants will run it instead.
To the degree that the plants can't handle the load, bacteria will. Plants and bacteria both need a chance to get established, and the plant's capacity for ammonia-hoovering is related to how much healthy growing plant you've got. A sprig of something green in the dark may not be doing much of anything.
Check out this article (http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_newtank.htm) on setting up a new planted tank for all the details and head on over to the Planted forum for other good info…
HTH :)