I'm finally getting started with cycling my tank, thanks to some great advice from a few of you and my new testing kit. I've also picked up Tetra Safe and ammonia, so I'm all set to begin the process.
Regarding plants, I've got a few questions I'd love to get some input on...
- Will adding plants help speed up the water cycle or make it more efficient?
- I've got a 160 litre tank that's 100x40x40cm - is there a recommended maximum number of plants I can add?
- Are there any plants that are particularly good for beginners, or ones I should avoid?
- My substrate is a mix of sand and small gravel - will that affect my plant choices?
Getting started with planting
Re: Getting started with planting
Glad to see you getting into plants too - I think you'll find it really rewarding. Check out some of the planted tank experts on YouTube, like George Farmer, he's got some great advice.
When you're first starting out, plants can actually help with the cycle by taking up ammonia as they grow. There's no real limit on the number of plants you can have, it just depends on how much maintenance you're willing to do and how much you want to see your fish.
For beginner plants, you can't go wrong with Cryptocorynes, Anubias, or Java Ferns. Fast-growing stem plants are also really helpful at the start, personally I'm a big fan of Limnophilla Sessiflora, but there are loads of others like Hygrophilla Siamensis, Hydrocotyles, Ludwigias, and Cardamynes.
I'm curious, what does your substrate look like with half sand and half gravel? To be honest, I prefer all sand, there are no real downsides and it's better for some fish, whereas gravel can be a problem for certain species, like Geophagus or Corydoras.
When you're first starting out, plants can actually help with the cycle by taking up ammonia as they grow. There's no real limit on the number of plants you can have, it just depends on how much maintenance you're willing to do and how much you want to see your fish.
For beginner plants, you can't go wrong with Cryptocorynes, Anubias, or Java Ferns. Fast-growing stem plants are also really helpful at the start, personally I'm a big fan of Limnophilla Sessiflora, but there are loads of others like Hygrophilla Siamensis, Hydrocotyles, Ludwigias, and Cardamynes.
I'm curious, what does your substrate look like with half sand and half gravel? To be honest, I prefer all sand, there are no real downsides and it's better for some fish, whereas gravel can be a problem for certain species, like Geophagus or Corydoras.
Re: Getting started with planting
If you're looking to speed up the process, having a large quantity of fast-growing floating plants can actually help you skip the traditional fishless cycle method. I've found that plants like salvinia minima, Zorchzon frogbit, and water lettuce are particularly effective at absorbing ammonia. Anacharis and red root floaters are also great options. The key is to have a substantial amount of these plants and ensure they're thriving before introducing fish.
Re: Getting started with planting
I'm still undecided, the cheaper option at the hardware store does have its advantages but personally I prefer the variety of colours and textures that aquatic brands offer, it really depends on what you're looking for in your setup.WildFins wrote: ↑Thu Aug 29, 2024 2:50 pm If you're looking to speed up the process, having a large quantity of fast-growing floating plants can actually help you skip the traditional fishless cycle method. I've found that plants like salvinia minima, Zorchzon frogbit, and water lettuce are particularly effective at absorbing ammonia. Anacharis and red root floaters are also great options. The key is to have a substantial amount of these plants and ensure they're thriving before introducing fish.
Re: Getting started with planting
If you're planning to add ammonia to your tank, you'll need to hold off on adding plants until the cycle is complete. Fish produce ammonia continuously, but in small amounts, so it's not the same as a large dose all at once. Some plants can be sensitive to high levels of ammonia, so it's best to wait.
You can cycle your tank with plants, but patience is key. Make sure your plants are actively growing before adding fish. A good way to check is to take a photo of your tank and compare it two weeks later. If you see significant new growth, it's a good sign that your plants are thriving and you can start introducing fish.
When adding fish, do it in small groups and monitor the water for ammonia and nitrite for a week after each addition. If everything stays at zero, you can add the next group. Your plants will have had time to grow more by then too.
Personally, I've had my fair share of struggles with plants. I killed every single one I tried for years. But then I discovered that slow-growing plants attached to decor were the way to go for me. From there, I gradually moved on to planting in the substrate. I've learned that I'm best sticking to 'easy' plants. Tropica's website is a great resource for this - you can filter by difficulty level. I avoid anything in the 'medium' or 'advanced' category.
You can cycle your tank with plants, but patience is key. Make sure your plants are actively growing before adding fish. A good way to check is to take a photo of your tank and compare it two weeks later. If you see significant new growth, it's a good sign that your plants are thriving and you can start introducing fish.
When adding fish, do it in small groups and monitor the water for ammonia and nitrite for a week after each addition. If everything stays at zero, you can add the next group. Your plants will have had time to grow more by then too.
Personally, I've had my fair share of struggles with plants. I killed every single one I tried for years. But then I discovered that slow-growing plants attached to decor were the way to go for me. From there, I gradually moved on to planting in the substrate. I've learned that I'm best sticking to 'easy' plants. Tropica's website is a great resource for this - you can filter by difficulty level. I avoid anything in the 'medium' or 'advanced' category.
Re: Getting started with planting
I can see where you're coming from, eeflux8h. I've used both hardware store sand and aquatic brands, and I think it ultimately comes down to personal preference. If you're looking for a specific color or texture, then aquatic brands might be the way to go. I've used Carib Sea Natuflake Sunset Gold in the past and it looked great, but I do think some of the more unnatural colors might not be the best choice for the fish.
Re: Getting started with planting
Plant cycling isn't a quick fix. It's not like adding plants and expecting everything to magically work out overnight. It's a process that takes time and patience, and you need to be sure those plants are actively growing before adding fish.sSjey wrote: ↑Thu Aug 29, 2024 7:36 pm If you're planning to add ammonia to your tank, you'll need to hold off on adding plants until the cycle is complete. Fish produce ammonia continuously, but in small amounts, so it's not the same as a large dose all at once. Some plants can be sensitive to high levels of ammonia, so it's best to wait.
You can cycle your tank with plants, but patience is key. Make sure your plants are actively growing before adding fish. A good way to check is to take a photo of your tank and compare it two weeks later. If you see significant new growth, it's a good sign that your plants are thriving and you can start introducing fish.
When adding fish, do it in small groups and monitor the water for ammonia and nitrite for a week after each addition. If everything stays at zero, you can add the next group. Your plants will have had time to grow more by then too.
Personally, I've had my fair share of struggles with plants. I killed every single one I tried for years. But then I discovered that slow-growing plants attached to decor were the way to go for me. From there, I gradually moved on to planting in the substrate. I've learned that I'm best sticking to 'easy' plants. Tropica's website is a great resource for this - you can filter by difficulty level. I avoid anything in the 'medium' or 'advanced' category.
Re: Getting started with planting
I've got stones at either side of the tank and I'm planning a pathway in the middle, but this is just the initial setup - still a work in progress.
Re: Getting started with planting
If you add ammonia to the tank, it's best to wait until the cycle is finished before introducing plants. I've learned that having a lot of ammonia in the water can be detrimental to plants, especially when added all at once.
Yes, you can cycle a tank with plants, but patience is key. You need to be certain that the plants are actively growing and thriving. A good approach is to plant the tank, take a photo, and compare it two weeks later. If there's significant new growth, it's safe to add fish. If not, wait a bit longer. When adding fish, do it in groups, testing for ammonia and nitrite for several days after each addition. If the levels remain at zero, you can add the next batch of fish, and the plants will have grown some more.
I've had my fair share of struggles with plants in the past. I killed every plant I tried for years, but eventually found success with slow-growing plants attached to decor rather than rooted in the substrate. From there, I progressed to having a mix of plants attached to decor and planted in the substrate. I've discovered that I need to stick to 'easy' category plants. The Tropica website is a great resource, allowing you to search for plants by difficulty. I avoid anything in the 'medium' or 'advanced' group.
Considering your setup, I think it's great that you're not rushing into things. As for your question, I think plants would survive better in sand than gravel, but that's just my opinion.
Regarding your idea of using plastic boxes with aquarium soil and plants popping out of holes, it's not entirely silly. However, I'm not sure how well it would work in practice. It might be worth exploring further, but I'd love to hear from others who may have experience with this approach.
Yes, you can cycle a tank with plants, but patience is key. You need to be certain that the plants are actively growing and thriving. A good approach is to plant the tank, take a photo, and compare it two weeks later. If there's significant new growth, it's safe to add fish. If not, wait a bit longer. When adding fish, do it in groups, testing for ammonia and nitrite for several days after each addition. If the levels remain at zero, you can add the next batch of fish, and the plants will have grown some more.
I've had my fair share of struggles with plants in the past. I killed every plant I tried for years, but eventually found success with slow-growing plants attached to decor rather than rooted in the substrate. From there, I progressed to having a mix of plants attached to decor and planted in the substrate. I've discovered that I need to stick to 'easy' category plants. The Tropica website is a great resource, allowing you to search for plants by difficulty. I avoid anything in the 'medium' or 'advanced' group.
Considering your setup, I think it's great that you're not rushing into things. As for your question, I think plants would survive better in sand than gravel, but that's just my opinion.
Regarding your idea of using plastic boxes with aquarium soil and plants popping out of holes, it's not entirely silly. However, I'm not sure how well it would work in practice. It might be worth exploring further, but I'd love to hear from others who may have experience with this approach.
Re: Getting started with planting
I'd advise against using 'aquarium soil' for your first tank, as many of these products release ammonia into the water for months. For plants, plain sand or gravel is more than sufficient, provided you add fertiliser. Some plants, like Zorchzon swords, are heavy root feeders and require fertiliser in tablet form, inserted into the substrate near the plant. Others are leaf feeders and need liquid fertiliser added to the water.
The type of fertiliser and dose rate will depend on the type of plants you have. Slow-growing plants require less fertiliser than fast-growing ones. Looking at your photo, the gravel is fine and shouldn't cause any issues for your plants. It's the gravel with large particles that plants tend to struggle with. Over time, you may find that the sand settles at the bottom and the gravel rises to the top due to water movement and fish activity.
The type of fertiliser and dose rate will depend on the type of plants you have. Slow-growing plants require less fertiliser than fast-growing ones. Looking at your photo, the gravel is fine and shouldn't cause any issues for your plants. It's the gravel with large particles that plants tend to struggle with. Over time, you may find that the sand settles at the bottom and the gravel rises to the top due to water movement and fish activity.