Silent Cycle

R

reiverix

Aye
Sep 4, 2004
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Columbus, OH
Has anyone here ever tried a silent cycle before? My 75g has now been up and running for a week (fluval 304, 2wpg CF, eco complete). It's fairly heavily planted but still needs to grow in somewhat.

I can't decide whether to -

1. Try a silent cycle. After completion, move my filter and fish from my 20g

2. Move fish and filter from 20g and then slowly add new fish.

I've managed to get the water params similar except for nitrates which are barely present in the 75g, so I'm going to track down some KNO3 after work.
 
plants use any amonia faster than it could be produced. thus making the tests show no amonia, or not say anything about amonia.

so the cycle happens, just your tests are mum or silent about it going on in that situation.

So that would depend on how fast your plants are growing as to how much amonia they could sop up and make that cycle silent and safe for your fish.

so just having plants changes the whole idea of cycleing with bacteria anyway.

switch your filter and fish over when larger tank is stable and plants in it are growing well and gradually add more fish. if you at any point detect amonia your plants are slowing growth for some reason or you have added fish to many to fast
 
reiverix said:
Has anyone here ever tried a silent cycle before? My 75g has now been up and running for a week (fluval 304, 2wpg CF, eco complete). It's fairly heavily planted but still needs to grow in somewhat.

I can't decide whether to -
1. Try a silent cycle. After completion, move my filter and fish from my 20g
2. Move fish and filter from 20g and then slowly add new fish.
I've managed to get the water params similar except for nitrates which are barely present in the 75g, so I'm going to track down some KNO3 after work.
Click to expand...

Why would you want to do a cycle?
I think you mean the Fishless cycle, not the slient cycle?

What is the purpose?
NH4 causes algae when you add light/nutrients, adding plants removes the NH4 directly.

Do not add any NH4 to your tank.
Bacteria play only a small role in planted tanks.

Add fish, feed, don't worry about it if you have plenty of plants and they are growing. You'll need to add NO3 actually in most cases if you use CO2(fish waste will not be enough).

Regards,
Tom Barr
 
Thanks for explanation. I know there is no cycle involved in a well planted tank since the plants eat the amonia and don't make nitrites which also means there should be low to no nitrates most of the time. I have plenty of well planted tanks but have never heard the term "silent cycle", probably because it is a misnomer.
 
I've heard the term several times, and also have heard it called a plant cycle, essentially as said the plants will consume the ammonia and thus the need for estabilishing your bio-filter is not seen. at the same time the bio-filter will estabilish at some level, but in a planted tank the plants usually outcompete the bacteria for ammonia, and thus the bio-filter is never very big and would be unable to handle the bio-load if the plants were removed suddenly.

As far as the original question, if you have the tank set and planted, and the plants are doing well. Then move the fish in and add a few at a time until you reach your desired level. It would be best to move the filter or part of the filter as well, but shouldn't be necessary with the plants going well.
dave
 
Well here it is. The transition from my 20g was seamless. I tested the water this morning and then in the late afternoon and all is well. It will look a bit better when the plants grow out.

jP1010001.JPG



The zebra rock looks kind of nice with eco-complete.

jP1010003.JPG
 
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