My cycling experiences / guide.

[mbrew345]

Total Lumens - 1000
PAR@12" - 36
PAR@18" - 28
PAR@24" - 21

My tank is 15" from top of rim to top of substrate. So PAR is somewhere between 36 and 28. They say 18 watts but on I read on the forum it's not much watts anymore more on PAR.

 

[Pandicorn]

Total Lumens - 1000
PAR@12" - 36
PAR@18" - 28
PAR@24" - 21

My tank is 15" from top of rim to top of substrate. So PAR is somewhere between 36 and 28. They say 18 watts but on I read on the forum it's not much watts anymore more on PAR.

Hm... That's not a lot... What plants?

 

[mbrew345]

Telanthera Cardinalis - Alternanthera reineckii 'cardinalis'
Telanthera Cardinalis - Alternanthera reineckii 'cardinalis'
Staurogyne Repens - Staurogyne Repens
Anubias Nana - Anubias Nana
Anubias Congensis - Anubias Congensis
Anubias Afzelii - Anubias Afzelii
Umbrella Plant - Spathiphyllum Wallisii
Umbrella Plant - Spathiphyllum Wallisii

 

[Pandicorn]

Telanthera Cardinalis - Alternanthera reineckii 'cardinalis'
Telanthera Cardinalis - Alternanthera reineckii 'cardinalis'
Staurogyne Repens - Staurogyne Repens
Anubias Nana - Anubias Nana
Anubias Congensis - Anubias Congensis
Anubias Afzelii - Anubias Afzelii
Umbrella Plant - Spathiphyllum Wallisii
Umbrella Plant - Spathiphyllum Wallisii

Eh, these are all relatively low light plants. I'm not expert on plants, so I would ask around a bit. The repens MAY carpet,but slowly at that.

 

[mbrew345]

I've got guppy wigglers...

 

[Pandicorn]

Congrats!

 

[PB_Smith]

Meh they complain due to lack of knowledge and patience. 1 WC a week vs 1 WC a month most people don't realize it takes a good 1-3 weeks for nitrates to show up...

I'm at about 40 years into the hobby and my experience tells me that fishless cycling is some kind of "politically correct" way of cycling a tank, as if there were such a thing.
sounds to me as if having to add ammonia, test so frequently, yada, yada, yada, is a bit silly and pretentious.

I just finished cycling a 30 gal salt tank with three damsels, a banded coral shrimp and 5 hermits, no issues whatsoever.
It just requires understanding what is happening when and how the fish will respond. I use the fish's behavior in unison with testing to determine if a water change is needed.

You actually need to be more cautious when cycling a tank with "live sand" or with seeded filter material or whatever.
Sure it jump starts the cycle, but the downside is that you end up with elevated levels of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate concurrently, whereas cycling a tank completely fresh the cycle goes through the definite stages; ammonia>>nitrite>>>nitrate.
That is something to be aware of when seeding a new tank, elevated levels across the board do more harm than levels going up and down in stages.

but having said that, I am still a big advocate of using "live" sand/rock and seeding with "good" safe material, just have to keep a clo0ser eye on it for the first couple of weeks.

 

[Mebbid]

Just couldn't resist the opportunity to "stir the pot" a little and put in a plug for fish in tank cycling. From my seat, fishless cycling doesn't provide a steady source of ammonia like the guaranteed source you get from the fish. The fish are way cheaper than the chemicals.
B

I can get a gallon of ammonia for just a little over $1... How is that more expensive than fish?

I'm at about 40 years into the hobby and my experience tells me that fishless cycling is some kind of "politically correct" way of cycling a tank, as if there were such a thing.
sounds to me as if having to add ammonia, test so frequently, yada, yada, yada, is a bit silly and pretentious.

I just finished cycling a 30 gal salt tank with three damsels, a banded coral shrimp and 5 hermits, no issues whatsoever.
It just requires understanding what is happening when and how the fish will respond. I use the fish's behavior in unison with testing to determine if a water change is needed.

You actually need to be more cautious when cycling a tank with "live sand" or with seeded filter material or whatever.
Sure it jump starts the cycle, but the downside is that you end up with elevated levels of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate concurrently, whereas cycling a tank completely fresh the cycle goes through the definite stages; ammonia>>nitrite>>>nitrate.
That is something to be aware of when seeding a new tank, elevated levels across the board do more harm than levels going up and down in stages.

but having said that, I am still a big advocate of using "live" sand/rock and seeding with "good" safe material, just have to keep a clo0ser eye on it for the first couple of weeks.

For people that are more experienced in the hobby fish in cycling is perfectly fine. However I wouldn't suggest a fish in cycle to a newcomer. Fishless cycling is easier on both the aquarist and the fish.