Cycle Info

I am 10 days into the fishless cycle now, and todays readings are ammonia 2 (doses back up with ammonia), nitrite 2. I havent been measuring ph or nitratebecause I dont think they matter much at this stage do they?

I have ordered some plants for the tank online, but I am wondering now what to do with them. If I plant them will they mess up the cycle and if so how much, and if I dont plant them how will I keep them alive?

Couldnt you just keep them in a bucket of warm water and feed them rusty. I'm only guessing by the way!

Adding plants during the cycling process isn't generally recommended as they slow down the process due to the fact that they absorb a certain amount of the nitrates. If possible, delay delivery until after the cycle is over. Alternatively, do as tardis suggested but I've never done this for more than a couple of days so I'm not sure if they'd survive without the tank lights.

Put them in a window sill, they should be fine. I had some in a jug for a couple of weeks, they lived

I bow to those with more experience... :lol:

Thanks for all the advice. Can someone explain to me why the plants mess up the cycle though? If it is because they use up the nitrates, isnt that the end result of the cycle process? The waste product sort of thing?

It wouldnt matter if the plants used that up would it because the bacteria numbers would still be building up in the filter because of the ammonia and nitrite wouldnt they?

Or am I getting this all mixed up

Thats a good question rusty. I wonder if the plants do use up some of the other stuff too and so slow down the bacteria growing?? Hopefully one of the experts will come on soon and let us know! :lol:

Mary wrote:

Having plants in the tank during a cycle will slow it down because they absorb a certain amount of the ammonia etc. so they compete with the filter bacteria for the same source. However, when the
cycle is completed, a planted tank has the advantage of absorbing the excess nitrates that are the end product of the nitrogen cycle.

Rusty...have a look in the aquatic plants section, there are a few posts by other members which might help

There is a load of info on another thread which is really interesting - on how to avoid having to do the fshless cycle but loads of plants are used instead. Cant remember the name of the thread, but it's really interesting, worth a read.

Just found it tardis - it was in egans thread - here's the link

https://tropicalfishfanatics.forumotion.com/tropical-beginners-forum-f20/am-i-cycled-t1173.htm

Thats an interesting read Angel, I would be tempted to try that if I was getting another tank. I think if you seeded the new tanks filter and then heavily planted that would be a good way to get fish early on.

Now to save for a big tank! :lol: