Cycling Planted Tank

[WisChris]

Trying to cycle my planted tank (Echinodorus spp., A. reineckii, Micro Sword, Mayaca, Pennywort, Dwarf sag & Cabomba to start with). Have EcoComplete & CO2 (had problem, returned & waiting for new system…dosing Florin Axis in the meantime). My LFS suggested cycling my tank w/bloodfin tetras, since none of my permanent occupants are hardy. So I'm 7 days into this, nothing happening yet, starting to ponder bacteria in a bottle. Ammonia has been stuck at 0.25 for the duration, and no nitrite or nitrate to speak of (using API Master). Did a 25-30% water change @ day 6.

Should I remain patient, or is bacteria in a bottle (Dr. Tim's, etc.) worth it?

Thanks

 

[Berylla]

If you want to use plants to cycle your tank for a fishless cycle, you need to use real soil, and not the eco-complete stuff.

Take a medium size ceramic pot from home depot, fill the bottom with a thin layer of gravel. Then fill with ORGANIC and non fertilized soil. Plant a aquatic plant, then cap with sand. Gently fill the pot with water over a sink so that it gets heavy with water then place in your tank. Make sure you have proper plant lights and the right wattage. Your tank will be cycled in 2 to 4 weeks. I would also increase your temps to 80. When your tank has cycled, take the pot out. Easy.

 

[Mebbid]

If you want to use plants to cycle your tank for a fishless cycle, you need to use real soil, and not the eco-complete stuff.

Take a medium size ceramic pot from home depot, fill the bottom with a thin layer of gravel. Then fill with ORGANIC and non fertilized soil. Plant a aquatic plant, then cap with sand. Gently fill the pot with water over a sink so that it gets heavy with water then place in your tank. Make sure you have proper plant lights and the right wattage. Your tank will be cycled in 2 to 4 weeks. I would also increase your temps to 80. When your tank has cycled, take the pot out. Easy.

I'm not sure I understand your reasoning behind this.. why would you need soil to cycle a tank?

Cycling with plants is called the silent start method. It basically involves filling your tank up with quick growing stem plants and stocking lightly so there isn't ever a high ammonia level. You can do it with just about any setup but you will likely need to add fertilizers during the process depending on your light level.

 

[Berylla]

I'm not sure I understand your reasoning behind this.. why would you need soil to cycle a tank?

Cycling with plants is called the silent start method. It basically involves filling your tank up with quick growing stem plants and stocking lightly so there isn't ever a high ammonia level. You can do it with just about any setup but you will likely need to add fertilizers during the process depending on your light level.

I actually learned about this technique with one of the big aquarium magazines. The organic soil contains alot of dead plant material already and bacteria. When placed in the tank, the organic material starts to rot, producing the required ammonia to cycle your tank. And it's fishless! If you have a large tank, you would need more than one planted pot to speed up this process.

 

[Mebbid]

Ahhh I gotcha. Interesting methodology. I haven't heard of trying that before.

 

[Berylla]

Ahhh I gotcha. Interesting methodology. I haven't heard of trying that before.

It's fairly new (I read the article last year I think) and there is alot of resistance to it. But I've tried it a few times and it WORKS like a charm, esp. if you increase the heat in the tank.

 

[WisChris]

Thanks Berylla & Mebbid…

I'm already planted & the 4 bloodfins have been in the tank for a week. I think I had my canister running with substrate & driftwood for 5-7 days prior to that. I hoped with the substrate & all of the plants I'd have enough bacterial growth to get my biofilter started quickly, but nothing as of yet?

I've read that Dr. Tim's seems to be the best bacteria in a bottle.

Just wondering if I should stay the course, or go to plan B?

Thanks!

 

[Rivercats]

I've done both dirted and non-dirted tanks since the 80's before dirted tanks became the "in" thing to do. You can do a silent cycle with or without the tank being dirted. Either method works. The biggest thing when doing a silent cycle is to be sure a minimum of 80% and preferable more of the substrate is planted with mostly fast growing plants, especially stem plants. When doing a dirted tank it is even more important to have as many fast growing plants in there as possible due to the fact the newly breaking down organics in the soil literally saturate the tank with ammonia. You also have to be very careful about not having a photoperiod over 6 hours for a couple months are algae can be a real issue in dirted tanks, compared to other substrate tanks.

OP remember that with the plants being in the tank you are not going to show high levels of ammonia since the plants use ammonia and nitrates. I personally wouldn't waste my money on bacteria in the bottle. People have mixed results when using these type of products so you'll have people on both sides of the fence.

What size tank is it?

 

[WisChris]

I've done both dirted and non-dirted tanks since the 80's before dirted tanks became the "in" thing to do. You can do a silent cycle with or without the tank being dirted. Either method works. The biggest thing when doing a silent cycle is to be sure a minimum of 80% and preferable more of the substrate is planted with mostly fast growing plants, especially stem plants. When doing a dirted tank it is even more important to have as many fast growing plants in there as possible due to the fact the newly breaking down organics in the soil literally saturate the tank with ammonia. You also have to be very careful about not having a photoperiod over 6 hours for a couple months are algae can be a real issue in dirted tanks, compared to other substrate tanks.

OP remember that with the plants being in the tank you are not going to show high levels of ammonia since the plants use ammonia and nitrates. I personally wouldn't waste my money on bacteria in the bottle. People have mixed results when using these type of products so you'll have people on both sides of the fence.

What size tank is it?

Hi Rivercats,

It's a 26 gallon. My plants are doing ok, growth will pick up later this week when my CO2 is running

I've almost over-researched planted tank cycling to where I've confused myself with all of the various opinions on the topic.

If my plants are taking up most of my ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates…how do I confirm that my tank has actually cycled?

Thanks for sharing your experience

 

[marie74]

This is a great thread. I am starting a 125gallon planted, going to use organic potting mix capped with eco-complete fine.. just waiting for it to arrive.

I have a 10 gallon crammed with plants just waiting for the eco complete to arrive to transfer to the big tank.. It won't be heavily planted to start.. hoping the current plants divide/fill in.

I was planning to cycle with maybe 10 tetras...
will the organic soil under the eco-complete cycle the tank? I'd rather not kill fish...

 

[Berylla]

This is a great thread. I am starting a 125gallon planted, going to use organic potting mix capped with eco-complete fine.. just waiting for it to arrive.

I have a 10 gallon crammed with plants just waiting for the eco complete to arrive to transfer to the big tank.. It won't be heavily planted to start.. hoping the current plants divide/fill in.

I was planning to cycle with maybe 10 tetras...
will the organic soil under the eco-complete cycle the tank? I'd rather not kill fish...

Since you are starting a new tank, you can give your plants a headstart by planting them in the substrate without filling the tank with water for 2 weeks.

Fill tank with soil.

Water soil until very damp but not drip soggy, carefully pouring small amounts so not to disturb your soil.

Cap with the eco-complete.

Plant your plants. If you are planting a ground cover, split up the pieces in small clumps and plant them evenly.

Spray plants and substrate until very damp. Cover tank with glass lid. Turn on plant friendly lights. Keep on a timer.

Spray plants and soil every day until very damp. The glass top will keep the moisture in the tank and prevent you plants from drying out.

In two weeks, your plants will have established a healthy root system and the good bacteria is already growing in your tank. Fill tank with water, careful not to disturb the plants. In another two weeks, your tank should be cycled. Perform weekly water changes and water testing.

Introduce fish when tank is fully cycled.

 

[marie74]

Since you are starting a new tank, you can give your plants a headstart by planting them in the substrate without filling the tank with water for 2 weeks.

Fill tank with soil.

Water soil until very damp but not drip soggy, carefully pouring small amounts so not to disturb your soil.

Cap with the eco-complete.

Plant your plants. If you are planting a ground cover, split up the pieces in small clumps and plant them evenly.

Spray plants and substrate until very damp. Cover tank with glass lid. Turn on plant friendly lights. Keep on a timer.

Spray plants and soil every day until very damp. The glass top will keep the moisture in the tank and prevent you plants from drying out.

In two weeks, your plants will have established a healthy root system and the good bacteria is already growing in your tank. Fill tank with water, careful not to disturb the plants. In another two weeks, your tank should be cycled. Perform weekly water changes and water testing.

Introduce fish when tank is fully cycled.

Thank you!!! The step by step is VERY helpful!!!

 

[Rivercats]

Using a Dry Start Method as described above is good for carpet plants such as Dwarf Baby Tears, Dwarf Hairgrass, and such but not for some other plants. When using a DSM the plants actually grow leaves in their emersed form. Meaning roots in the water but leaves grow out of the water. Then when you flood your tank those leaves will have to change to their immersed (underwater) form. If your wanting to do an Iwagumi style tank then a DSM is great but if your not using that style then I suggest setting up the tank and planting it. My largest dirted tank is my 220g, 100% planted. It has a 2-1/2" layer of organic potting soil and a 2" layer of Eco Complete. The tank was about 90% planted when set up and was cycled in 10 days. I added my 12 angelfish on day 14.

Plants themselves produce waste which causes ammonia. If your dirting your tank that produces incredibly high amounts of ammonia. Now remember while plants use both ammonia and nitrates rarely can they utilize all the ammonia in a new tank which leaves enough to keep the tank cycling. If your ammonia and nitrites and even sometimes nitrates are all reading 0 you can then add fish slowly, a few at a time depending on the size of the tank. What then happens is a few fish will add more ammonia, the plants will utilize as much as they need (the higher the light, the longer the photoperiod, the more ammonia they will use) but there will be some ammonia left to keep the BB growing slowly but not at the high levels you would see if plants were not in the tank. As you keep adding your fish stock your BB colony will grow as needed. Not wanting to confuse you more but some people also add pure ammonia as you would in a fishless cycle. This is fine also for the plants but will build up a larger colony of BB so when the tank is finally cycled most of your stock can be added at once.

 

[marie74]

Rivercats- I have amazon sword, ludwigia, java fern, and something called "hygro" that someone gave me. I assume that I will need the method you described, as I believe they will all be submerged.

 

[Rivercats]

Those plants will do best planting in a filled tank. Don't get me wrong that all these plants are capable of being grown emersed it's just that you really don't want to plant them in a DSM if they are already in their immersed form.

 

[Berylla]

Those plants will do best planting in a filled tank. Don't get me wrong that all these plants are capable of being grown emersed it's just that you really don't want to plant them in a DSM if they are already in their immersed form.

Thanks for the clarification. I plant all me plants DSM short or tall and start adding water when their root systems are established at 2 weeks. I have noticed a bit of dieback on some of the plants, but they right themselves very quickly after that.

 

[WisChris]

Thanks all for sharing your knowledge & experience

This 26 gallon is my first foray into the planted world…If this experiment goes well, I'm eyeing a 72 bow front for next winter's planted project.

I'm still wondering how I will know I can start adding less hardy fish? With all these plants impacting Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate levels, how do I really know where the cycle stands?

I have 4 bloodfin tetras as temporary cycling fish, but wonder how I know I can safely begin adding the permanent fauna

Sterbai Cories, Neon Tetras, Purple Pencilfish, Otocinclus, & pari of Apistos.

 

[Berylla]

Thanks all for sharing your knowledge & experience

This 26 gallon is my first foray into the planted world…If this experiment goes well, I'm eyeing a 72 bow front for next winter's planted project.

I'm still wondering how I will know I can start adding less hardy fish? With all these plants impacting Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate levels, how do I really know where the cycle stands?

I have 4 bloodfin tetras as temporary cycling fish, but wonder how I know I can safely begin adding the permanent fauna

Sterbai Cories, Neon Tetras, Purple Pencilfish, Otocinclus, & pari of Apistos.

Just add one at a time once the levels read 0,0, 10. Then wait a week, read the levels again, then add another.

 

[Rivercats]

Yes you want ammonia and nitrites to be 0 and have some nitrates. If you add some fish and your ammonia and nitrites never rise you need to add even more fish so there is enough food, ammonia, to give BB food to grow.

 

[WisChris]

Yes you want ammonia and nitrites to be 0 and have some nitrates. If you add some fish and your ammonia and nitrites never rise you need to add even more fish so there is enough food, ammonia, to give BB food to grow.

Thanks Rivercats & beryl

Day 11 since I added the "cycling fish"...Ammonia seems just below 0.25, no nitrite, and "maybe" a small amount of nitrate? Not real sure though, was subtle, but looked a little different today