Quick cycling question.

JDM

If you add enough plants, you don't need the cycle accelerated, save a few bucks and use them for plants and save putting more chems in the tank.

I only suggest this as it is currently working well for me. Lots of plants in a new tank, medium fish load within a week with no sign of ammonia, nitrites or nitrates.

While the bacteria will establish, they will do so much more slowly as the system is not relying on them at all for ammonia handling.

Jeff.

Byron

I agree with the plant idea, plant it well, and include floating plants. Then a few fish can go in.

FranksTanks

I have found that with my 30g tank that with the amount of plants I have in it, I have not had an ammonia spike at all, and doubt I ever will from what I have researched.

And from the get go, I had a fairly decent fish load going on. With about 13 fish. But also had my Pleco and 7 Ghost Shrimp that helped with the clean up of the bottom, etc...

I really think that live plants, medium to heavily planted, really does help the eco system of your tank!

jbib1089

Over the weekend I went out and added 11 live plants to my tank. I also added in my remaining 4 fish from my original 10 gallon set up. I have still yet to see a spike in any of the levels (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate) I have pretty much decided that I will not add any more fish until this tank is cycled. Is there anything else I should do to help it along?

beaslbob

sounds like you're doing everything right.

At this point the main thing to do is:

Resist the urge to help things along.

When I try to do that I always screw things up.

But that's just my .02

JDM

I think that you are too worried about seeing cycling symptoms. With a small fish load, more plants than fish and 55 gallons of water... you may only ever see some nitrates show up eventually. Instead of waiting for the cycle, that may never happen, just wait for the plants to grow a bit, more to prove that your environment is good for the plants that you have selected than anything else.

Just keep checking the water to monitor it but you don't NEED to cycle it or try to hurry it up.

What is your eventual fish stocking plan going to be? I know there are no hard numbers for planting instead of cycling, but I might hazard a suggestion that one single plant per small fish is a good start. As the fish grows, so do the plants. Splitting and propagating the plants lets you do more than just keep up with fish growth too.

Jeff.