Cycling with live plants???

[flitabout]

I don't know anybody with a tank atm so I have no seed matrial to start with. What I was think was getting live plants. They come with seed material. I already have the fish (county fair fish game). Yes I know this is backwards, so what does everybody thing of cycling with plants?

 

[Mebbid]

With the proper light in place it's quite easy to cycle using live plants. Just get ahold of a fair amount of fast growing stem plants such as anacharis or water sprite and it should work just fine.

 

[flitabout]

Lights should be good although I am not really used to the LED I will have to see when I get it out of the box. Nope haven't started yet!

 

[Mebbid]

Which LED did you buy?

 

[Coursair]

Goldfish tend to eat or uproot plants. 8 Goldfish can do a lot of damage.

2 Goldfish can live for a short time in a 37g.
Comets/Commons are POND fish.

I do cycle with plants. Try Anubias and Java Fern. Tie them to DW or smooth rocks. No spiky decor in Goldie tanks.

I know your kids like the fish, they will hate when they die. Rehome them and get fish that can live comfortably in a 37g. They'll be much happier with live pets.

Or buy a couple of stock tanks or build a Pond.

Comets grow FAST or they die young if they can't grow. They can live over 25yrs and get over a foot long each.

 

[BBradbury]

Hello flit...

Plants aren't a source of ammonia, which is what's needed to start the "nitrogen cycle". I used some feeder female Guppies when I cycled my first tank. Used 8 of them in a 30 G tank. Worked really well. All the fish survived. The bonus was, the females had quite a few fry, so the water must not have been too bad during the process.

B