cycle or plant first?

[RTR]

I disagree strongly with the statement "In either case, you're going to fight algae, but the sooner you plant your tank, the less of a fight it will be, imo." Perhaps many folks dealing with plants for the first time are doomed to fight algae, but not every newly set planted tank turns into an algae farm. If they did, I would not have any planted tanks.

High levels of ammonia do favor algae. In a heavily planted tank after the plants are established (not overnight), the levels of ammonia should never be detectable by hobby kits. Big difference there from fishless cycling levels.

I do agree that the colonies of the nitrification bacteria in healthy planted tanks will be significantly reduced in comparison to those in FO tanks. But I promise you it is easier to have your over-size colonies die back than to fight algae infestations.

 

[StevieM]

I recently had a two fold problem with my tank cycling and I don't believe that it has truly "cycled" yet. It sort of coincides with this thread so I guess it might be good place to ask it. I medicated my tank while on the verge of cycling about a month after I first got it set up....this wrecked my colonies as the readings of ammonia rose over the next week, the nitrites were fluctuating, and the nitrates went down to 0 and have been there ever since. That was 1.5 months ago. It seemed the ammo>nitrite bacteria were on the rise as I started getting rising levels of nitrite and then a problem with my water going quite acidic inhibited or destroyed them again. 2.5 to 3 months into my foray I am reading about 1.0 ammo, 0 nitrite, 0 nitrate...and i am still doing h20 changes to keep ammo low after getting the pH stabilized and things on the up and up. I have a lightly planted 20g high tank with 2 micro sword pots, hygro, and 2 apon bulbs. Do I need to worry about these ammo levels? Will I ever see a Nirtrite spike again? Do you think with the plants in there it will ever really cycle? Or am I cycled and because I do two water changes in a week that's why i have no Nitrates? Either way, I am just a little curious what I should expect at this point...especially with the plants and Ammo levels regarding bac. pop. Algae is not really a problem at this point...little here and there, but my Bristlenose makes quick work of it when he finds it. Hope to hear from you all, thanks

steve

 

[99RedSi]

After reading this thread I still don't understand what the general consensus is regarding the original question.

I'd rather cycle the tank with nothing in it and then add a HUGE load of plants. But the tank would go from no plants to heavily planted within a matter of hours! Is this the best way to do it? If not, what is the *best* way on average? (Everyone's experiences differ - I'm just looking for on average).

 

[RTR]

99RedSi - I consider your proposed technique conservative and the least likely to result in algae problems.