cycling planted tank

[angiras]

i know that with the right types of plants - you can cycle a tank using the plants. I dont think I will have enough stem plants to do this - does anyone know of an online vendor that sells biospira?

-Ben

 

[Cichlidguy]

Bio-spira is halting production untill late summer, so I doubt you'll be able to find any.

 

[trenac]

Nope, no Bio-spira. If you have another established tank you can use some gravel from it or put some bio media in it to get established for your new tank or both. Also in addition to this you can add some hardy fish to your new tank to help the process along. I am doing this in my planted 55G tank now. I miss the Bio-Spira!

 

[Guest]

Stem plants are usually pretty cheap, 4-5 dollars worth of Anacharis, hornwort, and/or hygro really ought to be enough. thats 5 bucks total, not of each type. They will suck up ammonia so fast you won't believe it. If you just have some stem plants, and more rooted varieties, just stock your fish slower and you/they'll be fine.

I get frustrated when I read posts like these on a day like today, when I threw a couple pounds of hornwort and anacharis on the compost heap. Wish I could help, but shipping costs aren't worth it, dang it!

 

[betowess]

Danios can live through anything. I can't seem to get rid of the bunch from my first cycle. They have been through all kinds of "heck". They are still fun to watch racing around, the hyper little devils... Ditto the stem plants sucking up ammonia. I keep tossing cuttings on one of my wife's flower beds too.