NorCalAl
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
I'd like to start dosing my plants and I'm still in cycle. Just wondering if either will have any effect.
Will using Excel or Comprehensive effect cycle?
- Thread starter NorCalAl
- Start date
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NorCalAl
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Yes it is. I'm up to around 17 plants now with 7 on the way. I think I'm done with this tank at that point.
Since the other tanks is cichlids...can I have live plants in there? It's a 55tall, and with the big pleco, I don't think they'd make it. Plus I thought the cichlids would munch them....not that my bloody gouramis aren't! They sliced and diced the val's till they was gone! I think that the val's had some kind of algae on them when they went in. I'm personally thinking they had something to do with my pleco's demise and that the reason the gouramis are slicing them up is to get at whatever was on them. They are being pulled (the val's, not the gouramis) tomorrow morn.
Since the other tanks is cichlids...can I have live plants in there? It's a 55tall, and with the big pleco, I don't think they'd make it. Plus I thought the cichlids would munch them....not that my bloody gouramis aren't! They sliced and diced the val's till they was gone! I think that the val's had some kind of algae on them when they went in. I'm personally thinking they had something to do with my pleco's demise and that the reason the gouramis are slicing them up is to get at whatever was on them. They are being pulled (the val's, not the gouramis) tomorrow morn.
malkore
Aquarium Advice Addict
with 160watts of PC over a 65gal, are you running CO2? I'm guessing not, since you ask about Excel.
With a higher light, CO2 injected tank, you don't exactly have to cycle the normal way.
Plants will use ammonia as a source of nitrogen. You can technically start slowly stocking your tank, and just check ammonia and nitrite every day. If you get a spike, do water changes...but its unlikely you'll detect ammonia, and nitrites should stay very low as there won't be much ammonia to convert ot nitrite.
after a month you should see nitrates, and then your cycle is completed.
With 2.5wpg on that size tank, I would absolutely be running CO2, preferably pressurized CO2.
With a higher light, CO2 injected tank, you don't exactly have to cycle the normal way.
Plants will use ammonia as a source of nitrogen. You can technically start slowly stocking your tank, and just check ammonia and nitrite every day. If you get a spike, do water changes...but its unlikely you'll detect ammonia, and nitrites should stay very low as there won't be much ammonia to convert ot nitrite.
after a month you should see nitrates, and then your cycle is completed.
With 2.5wpg on that size tank, I would absolutely be running CO2, preferably pressurized CO2.
NorCalAl
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
I know and I keep hearing that. Even tho my tank was free, nothing else has been and I had nothing to start with. So adding co2 right now is not in the cards (nor in the wallet). In addition, I'm not sure I want to add the complexity of the whole pressurized thing...right now. Part of my goal with this tank is to provide me with an outlet for my tendencies to fiddle with things and so I can see co2 in the future.
Soon as my orchids get outside, I'll probably go to 250w by taking my CFL's off the orchids and onto the tank. Then I WILL add co2.
The other problem, naturally, is adding the 125g that a friend has for me. That has filter, tank, stand and gravel. On that one, I'm going to start slower and make it fully planted from the get-go. It will have co2 from the start.
Anyway, this one, for now, is just going to get excel. Last night was the first dosing of comprehensive and (unless it's my imagination) the plants already look better!
Soon as my orchids get outside, I'll probably go to 250w by taking my CFL's off the orchids and onto the tank. Then I WILL add co2.
The other problem, naturally, is adding the 125g that a friend has for me. That has filter, tank, stand and gravel. On that one, I'm going to start slower and make it fully planted from the get-go. It will have co2 from the start.
Anyway, this one, for now, is just going to get excel. Last night was the first dosing of comprehensive and (unless it's my imagination) the plants already look better!
malkore
Aquarium Advice Addict
Well, keep in mind that the 'added complexity' of CO2, means the 'decreased aggrivation' from constant algae battles.
Throwing a lot of light at plants makes them photosynthesize rapidly, and they will use up available CO2 in the water (which is normally only 3ppm). When the CO2 is gone,t he plants can't breathe.
If they can't breathe, they won't 'eat' nutrients.
Since algae spores are ever-present...wham...algae will grow prolifically when CO2 bottoms out.
If you don't have the funds or inclination for CO2 at this time, I would suggest running only half your lighting at this time, or swap in some 50/50 bulbs, since the actinic half doesn't really help plants or algae grow, you could run at half wattage that way (obviously only viable if you already had 50/50 bulbs laying around. no cash for CO2 = no cash for Bulbs either)
Throwing a lot of light at plants makes them photosynthesize rapidly, and they will use up available CO2 in the water (which is normally only 3ppm). When the CO2 is gone,t he plants can't breathe.
If they can't breathe, they won't 'eat' nutrients.
Since algae spores are ever-present...wham...algae will grow prolifically when CO2 bottoms out.
If you don't have the funds or inclination for CO2 at this time, I would suggest running only half your lighting at this time, or swap in some 50/50 bulbs, since the actinic half doesn't really help plants or algae grow, you could run at half wattage that way (obviously only viable if you already had 50/50 bulbs laying around. no cash for CO2 = no cash for Bulbs either)
