At What Stage Do You Add Plants

[Communitytank1]

At long last I have set up my fish tank, however, I need some advice please.
When do you add plants to the fish tank after cycling or add once the tank has reached the temperature the cycle (fishless of course).
I look forward to your comments.

Thanks

 

[kelly528]

At long last I have set up my fish tank, however, I need some advice please.
When do you add plants to the fish tank after cycling or add once the tank has reached the temperature the cycle (fishless of course).
I look forward to your comments.

Thanks

IMO you can add them whenever. Because you will be fertilising them, they won't be solely relying on the 'cycle' bacteria for their nutrients. Also, it is somuch easier to fidget around with the aquascape when there are no fish in the way/ mulm to get stirred up. Good luck!

 

[fatheadminnow]

Really, you can add them anytime.

Plants will actually use ammonia and nitrate as a source of nutrients. So, plants really cold help speed up your cycle.

You really don't need to add any fertilizer, unless you want to. Plants should be just fine and live well in a aquarium without the aid of ferts. After the plants are living well on their own, then you can go ahead and add ferts to help the thrive! But, you can add ferts from the beginning if you want, it won't hurt a thing.

So yeah, you can add plants right now if you want, the only thing is, plants need light to live. Since you are doing a fishless cycle, you are constantly adding ammonia to your tank. Well, ammonia + light = algae. Since you need you lights on for your plants, and you have a high level of ammonia in your tank, you might have some algae issues.

So, it is best not to have your lights on during a fishless cycle, I mean, you don't need them on anyways. The bacteria in your filter will grow the same if the light was on or off.

-FHM

 

[Truck]

it depends on whether you enjoy the sight of algae or not.

if you dont like algae, they should be added after, but if your doing a fish in cycle, put in some fast growers, and perform daily water changes and fertilise daily along with CO2, that brings another question, whether you need ferts or CO2 or not depends on how many gallons your tank holds, if there are any floating plants, and how many watts are the bulbs? also are they T8s? an inch in diameter or less?

 

[FishHelper101]

does this goes for artificial plants too?