NeWcS

Is it ok to cycle a new tank with live plants in it?

-Jay

capekate

Hi Jay,
I may be wrong but I think that it would be ok to cycle your tank with live plants. Hopefully someone will be able to give you a positive answer on this.

fishylp

I'm new at this, but I'll add my two cents. Yes, it's okay. Plants are one of the places that the bacteria will grow. It also helps keep the nitrite level in check, if I remember correctly.

Lucy

I think that's nitrates, not sure about them helping with nitrites.
Someone with plants will be able to help further.

Dozey

I’ll be interested to know the answer to this one. Since ammonia suffocates fish I would think it would have the same effect on plants that also need oxygen.

Elleric

I cycled with plants (no fish) and my plants grew gang busters during the cycle. (warmer water, light on all the time, nothing grazing)

I think plants actually can make use of ammonium that is present during the cycle and will use this over nitrate if its available. I dont think ammonia effects the presence of oxygen, or the ability of that oxygen to be processed but rather it harms/blocks the fish's gills and that leads to the fish being unable to process the oxygen. Since plants dont have anything like this, i dont think the plant/fish comparison is applicable.

Now, given all this, having plants in the tank during the cycle might actually cause the cycle to take longer if there isnt an excess of ammonia being introduced to the tank.

griffin

you can use live plants while cycling, but depending on the fish/plant load, you might have a silent cycle, where you don't see a spike in any of the nitrogens (ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, etc) since the plants take those up as food. i highly recommend live plants.

J J Indy

I am pretty sure but dont quote me that what ever you are going to have in the tank as decorations when you put in fish you should put in right at the start so it gives more surface area for the good bacteria to grow on. I dont think the ammonia will affect them at all but they may slow the cycle process down alittle. Once again not an expert but there are plenty of those who are that will probably answer as well.

Shaina

Short Answer: Yes, it's fine.


Long Answer: Depending on the species of plant you chose, you may have a "silent" cycle, as some above stated.

When I started my fully planted 29, I placed the substrate (EcoComplete) and water in the tank and ran the filter with carbon to remove any nasties.

A week later when everything was settled I removed the carbon and planted all my live plants (filled the tank chock full).

A couple days after that I added a piece of filter floss from my 10gal and four neon tetras which had been living in the 10gal for a few months.

Two weeks after that I started adding more fish (1-3 depending on size) once a week (which was also when they finished their 2 week quarantines in one or the other of the two 10gal tanks I had at the time).

The tiny piece of filter floss would not have been enough to properly seed that tank, but I never saw ammonia or nitrite despite daily testing with my API masterkit. The plants, in the meantime, grew like weeds.

Peterpiper

Having plants in the tank during the cycle, 2 things will happen
1, the plants will take up as much ammonia as thay require.
2, the bio filter will have less ammonia, so less bacteria.
Planted tanks ( Heavy planted ) are great as they remove ammonia, nitrates phosphates etc.
Just remember that if you want a change, and take out a lot of the plants your tank could go into a mini cycle