New setup, fishless cycle with plants and mts.

[piao liang yu]

I got some malaysian trumpet snails with some driftwood and plants I purchased. I am doing a fishless cycle, but what do I need to add for the plants and snails? I only have java ferns and anubias right now.

 

[shellieca]

When you say fish LESS cycle, what exactly do you mean? Are you dosing to 4ppm with pure ammonia? The plants will be fine. I have little to no experience with MTS so someone can correct me if I'm wrong; I would think MTS are like other snails, sensitive to water parameters therefore would not survive a true fish LESS cycling method.

 

[Hholly]

I had pond snails during my fishless cycle and hey had no problem with the water. Don't know about mts though.

 

[piao liang yu]

When you say fish LESS cycle, what exactly do you mean? Are you dosing to 4ppm with pure ammonia? The plants will be fine. I have little to no experience with MTS so someone can correct me if I'm wrong; I would think MTS are like other snails, sensitive to water parameters therefore would not survive a true fish LESS cycling method.

Yes, i am adding ammonia. I did not intend to have snails. They were stowaways in the driftwood and plants i bought on Saturday when i got my tank up and running. I have a bottle of tetra safestart. If i decided to use that stuff would cherry shrimp be something i could use in conjunction with the safestart to expedite the cycle?

 

[Coursair]

Yes, i am adding ammonia. I did not intend to have snails. They were stowaways in the driftwood and plants i bought on Saturday when i got my tank up and running. I have a bottle of tetra safestart. If i decided to use that stuff would cherry shrimp be something i could use in conjunction with the safestart to expedite the cycle?

Do not add RCS (Red Cherry Shrimp) till your tank is cycled. MTS are almost bullet proof. Shrimp are not !! They need stable water conditions.

Live plants may help cycle tank faster.

 

[piao liang yu]

Do not add RCS (Red Cherry Shrimp) till your tank is cycled. MTS are almost bullet proof. Shrimp are not !! They need stable water conditions.

Live plants may help cycle tank faster.

Well i was not going to use the tetra safe start stuff, but i was worried that the snails would die if i did not start a fish in cycle with the safestart. I was told the tetra safestart makes it safe to do a fish in cycle. Anyway, i was just curious if rcs would work in that scenario. If i go that route i will go with something more hardy.

 

[Coursair]

Well i was not going to use the tetra safe start stuff, but i was worried that the snails would die if i did not start a fish in cycle with the safestart. I was told the tetra safestart makes it safe to do a fish in cycle. Anyway, i was just curious if rcs would work in that scenario. If i go that route i will go with something more hardy.

Those snails are hard to kill ! If they do die they will just add to your Ammonia. Not that I'm saying kill your snails. I've cycled my tanks using them and plants and fish food. And I sometimes do have a Betta or something in there.

These days I have established tanks so I swap filters or share plants to cycle faster.

The Safe Start does seem to work for many. If you chose to try Shrimp, don't try more than 5 and keep an eye on the water. Shrimp hardly have any bioload so they won't help cycle much.

 

[piao liang yu]

Those snails are hard to kill ! If they do die they will just add to your Ammonia. Not that I'm saying kill your snails. I've cycled my tanks using them and plants and fish food. And I sometimes do have a Betta or something in there.

These days I have established tanks so I swap filters or share plants to cycle faster.

The Safe Start does seem to work for many. If you chose to try Shrimp, don't try more than 5 and keep an eye on the water. Shrimp hardly have any bioload so they won't help cycle much.

Yeah, that helps. If I do go that route I will use a hardy fish with more of a bioload.