36g Stocking, Plants, Cycling

[carligraceee]

Hey guys! I have created a thread similar to this but now my tank is getting closer. I have decided it was my obligation to save for a tank before I save for a car, especially since my mom is willing to pay for my car (I just wanted to help out haha). So here are some questions I have!

Cycling:
Can I cycle the tank with all my plants/rocks/driftwood in it?
Where can I buy ammonia?
Can someone link a detailed description of the nitrogen cycle and how to cycle? I want to get it right this time.
How long is an estimated time?

Stocking:
I currently have six livebearers and some babies. I think it totals to about 14 fish. I think I would give some to my LFS or some friends. I would have about 10 livebearers.
Could I add a guorami? I am in love with them and think they would be a cool centerpiece fish.
With this stock, will I still have room for a bristlenose pleco? I clean my tank very thoroughly and stay consistent with water changes.

Plants:
I need some plant ideas!
Give me floating plants, plants that attach to driftwood, plants that grow out of the substrate (will be gravel/pebble). Some with low maintenance and won't need fertilizer or if they do, won't need a lot of it.

Thank you everyone! Please answer as many questions as you can. I appreciate it!

 

[Slaphppy7]

Cycling: https://www.fishforums.net/threads/cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first.421488/

Get your ammonia at Ace Hardware, or order some Dr. Tim's ammonia starter

You can cycle the tank fully assembled

BNP and pleco should be fine, as well as a gourami, after the tank is established...do beware that the livebearers may overtake the tank in sheer numbers, regardless of other fish you have in there, which could become a bioload issue

 

[Byron]

If you plant the tank and the plants show signs of growth, it is better to forget "cycling" with ammonia. This could harm the plants, but it is not needed in any event provided the plants are alive and growing. Fast growers like floating plants are ideal for this.

Plants need nitrogen, and most aquatic plants prefer taking up nitrogen as ammonia/ammonium. And they are remarkably fast at doing this, the fast growing plants anyway. So in a new tank, with fish, the plants will assimilate the ammonia/ammonium rapidly and you're home free from the start.

Floating plants like Water Sprite, Frogbit, Water Lettuce are ideal. Plants that attach to wood or rock include Anubias, mosses, Java Fern; these are slower growing, thus requiring less light and nutrients than the floating plants at the surface which are rapid growing plants.

 

[carligraceee]

If you plant the tank and the plants show signs of growth, it is better to forget "cycling" with ammonia. This could harm the plants, but it is not needed in any event provided the plants are alive and growing. Fast growers like floating plants are ideal for this.

Plants need nitrogen, and most aquatic plants prefer taking up nitrogen as ammonia/ammonium. And they are remarkably fast at doing this, the fast growing plants anyway. So in a new tank, with fish, the plants will assimilate the ammonia/ammonium rapidly and you're home free from the start.

Floating plants like Water Sprite, Frogbit, Water Lettuce are ideal. Plants that attach to wood or rock include Anubias, mosses, Java Fern; these are slower growing, thus requiring less light and nutrients than the floating plants at the surface which are rapid growing plants.

Okay! So are you saying if I have a planted tank I don’t need to add ammonia, I can just add the fish?

 

[carligraceee]

Cycling: https://www.fishforums.net/threads/cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first.421488/

Get your ammonia at Ace Hardware, or order some Dr. Tim's ammonia starter

You can cycle the tank fully assembled

BNP and pleco should be fine, as well as a gourami, after the tank is established...do beware that the livebearers may overtake the tank in sheer numbers, regardless of other fish you have in there, which could become a bioload issue

Haha I am aware. I have a ton of babies right now. I might need to start a business!!

 

[Byron]

Okay! So are you saying if I have a planted tank I don’t need to add ammonia, I can just add the fish?

Correct. But as this is your first time for this, we can discuss the fish to add once we know the plants are settled and the intended fish species is confirmed. And I cannot stress too much the importance of floating plants for this.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Correct. But as this is your first time for this, we can discuss the fish to add once we know the plants are settled and the intended fish species is confirmed. And I cannot stress too much the importance of floating plants for this.

Seeded media would make no difference?

 

[carligraceee]

Correct. But as this is your first time for this, we can discuss the fish to add once we know the plants are settled and the intended fish species is confirmed. And I cannot stress too much the importance of floating plants for this.

I have a 11.5g that I did a fish in cycle with but had little plants and lost two fish during it... was it because I didn’t have enough plants?

Don’t worry- I am set on getting floating plants. I am guessing it’ll be a month or less until i get the tank and everything for it.

 

[Byron]

Seeded media would make no difference?

Provided the plants are relatively fast growing species, and are obviously "growing" in the tank, then you can forget "cycling;" but having said that, there is nothing wrong with being cautious and using bacteria seeding from an existing tank filter.

 

[Byron]

I have a 11.5g that I did a fish in cycle with but had little plants and lost two fish during it... was it because I didn’t have enough plants?

Possibly, but I don't know the data for that tank.

 

[carligraceee]

Possibly, but I don't know the data for that tank.

I went to an aquarium store and had them test my water. They said I had an ammonia spike. Currently, my stats are perfect with :

7.6pH
0 ammonia
0 nitrites
5 nitrates

 

[Essjay]

Plant cycling

Planted/silent cycling

So ya got yourself a fish tank, and now you're wondering how to cycle it. You have a few options: 1) Fishless cycle: Set up your substrate and filter (decorations and plants are optional), buy pure ammonia, add enough to your tank to read 3ppm, wait. Full instructions here...

www.fishforums.net

 

[carligraceee]

Plant cycling

Planted/silent cycling

So ya got yourself a fish tank, and now you're wondering how to cycle it. You have a few options: 1) Fishless cycle: Set up your substrate and filter (decorations and plants are optional), buy pure ammonia, add enough to your tank to read 3ppm, wait. Full instructions here...

www.fishforums.net

Goodness this is perfect, thank you! This is exactly what I was looking for, detailed and informative. Shoutout to you and the person who made this

 

[Essjay]

It was written by mcordelia, I just stickied it