cycling with live plants

[Tcal01]

I am about to start cycling my 30 g tank an I am wondering if the cycling process is changed if u do it with live plants. This is my first major tank so any advice helps. Thank you

 

[mrhelton]

Should be no problem, go ahead and plant them without changing anything. I've heard they use a little bit of the ammonia and nitrite up, but it should be negligible. It will be nice to have some nice, big plants once you are ready to have fish!

 

[Tcal01]

Definitely. But I've also heard that u shouldn't hav your light on wen u r cycling cuz it promotes algea growth. Don't the plants need the light tho?

 

[-Mac-]

I cycled with lights and plants, yes there was some algae, but as I was preparing for otos it was ideal. I'm cycling my class tank, with plants and lights again, this time with a bnp in mind, (knowing that we'll be trading him out when he's too big, relax peeps). That said, I didn't get *huge* amounts of anything but a pretty good diatoms outbreak, normal and it dies off unless something eats it. Don't worry, plant away.

 

[jcolon]

Definitely. But I've also heard that u shouldn't hav your light on wen u r cycling cuz it promotes algea growth. Don't the plants need the light tho?

You can have the lights on ... just stick to around 8hrs on per day schedule, that should keep algae growth to a minimum if any. I do 4 hrs on starting at 10am ... from 2pm-6pm lights off, then from 6pm -11pm.

 

[Tcal01]

I'm also confused a pwc's. Wuldnt they get rid of all if your beneficial bacteria? Especially the big one that u r supposed to do towards the end

 

[ashleynicole]

the bacteria are in the filter, gravel, etc. pwc's will not remove bacteria.

 

[Tcal01]

Ooooooooooh. Ok. Thank u sooooo much for the clarification. Shuld driftwood be put in before or after cycling

 

[mrhelton]

Go ahead and put it in now so that tannins can leech out now and you can dump them when you do your big water change at the end of the cycle.

 

[-Mac-]

If it's small enough or you have a large enough pot, boil the DW for a few hours or run it a couple times through the dishwasher with no soap. Failing that, soak it until it leaches only a bit then pop it into the tank. As you'll be doing at least one or two water changes before the end of the cycle after a boil or run through the disher, go for it, drop it in. The tannins may leach more but pwc's will clear it up. No worries.

 

[Tcal01]

Can I just soak it in the tank or should I soak it in a separate container

 

[picture_117]

Soak it in a different container, it releases tannins and makes your tank look tea colored, but that's it. It's easier to get a bucket fill it with water and leave the DW in there for about 2 days depending on if it keeps releasing tannins.

 

[Tcal01]

Alright. Thank u guys soooooo much. I'll try to put a cycling log when I het started