[alharvey]

Great article on cycling a new tank. Your information was more concise and detailed than other articles I have read. I'm using the straight ammonia method (no fish or plants) and have a few questions:
1.You did not mention water changes in this method. The first day I overdosed the tank and had to change about 40% of the water to get the ammonia level to 4.0 ppm. Do I need to do any water changes throughout this process?
2. When can I add plants? I bought a few anubias and staurogyne repens in gel packs so a have a while before they "dry out".
3. Should I wait until the complete water cycle before adding any algae eaters. I haven't developed any algae yet but thought they would be the best first in the tank. I am thinking about shrimp and catfish. :roll:
Sorry so long but I could use some guidance on these issues.
Thank you in advance
A.L. Harvey

 

[Romad]

Hello and welcome to the forum :wave:

Water changes of about 25% can be done during cycling to decrease high nitrAtes and stabilize ph somewhat. Since you are going fishless, you don't need to worry about water changes to keep your fish alive.

You can add plants at any time.

I would not add any fish until the tank is cycled. Others might not agree but that means a lot more water changes with a good water conditioner to keep the fish safe. The plants would go a long way in helping there as well.

 

[alharvey]

Got my aquarium tools in the mail today. Can't wait to start putting my plants in.