Keeping Leftover Plants

[PADogman]

I assume this is in the plant-only tank, the one with the extra plants but no fish. A whitish cloudiness is most likely a bacterial bloom. Common in new tank setups. The bacteria that reproduce rapidly in the water thus making it hazy or cloudy are those that eat organics. There are a lot of organics in tap water, microscopic so you don't see it. When you add conditioner to dechlorinate, you open the door for the waste-control bacteria and they multiply.

Yessir. The leftover plants in their own tank.
And it is a white cloudiness.

In essence, is this tank cycling just by having the plants in it?
Should I save the water when I actually go to set it up and use it?

There shouldn't be any chlorine in it, but I did not test for it. I am on well water.

 

[PADogman]

Yesterday you could see the black background just as clear as the top half without water.

 

[Byron]

Yessir. The leftover plants in their own tank.
And it is a white cloudiness.

In essence, is this tank cycling just by having the plants in it?
Should I save the water when I actually go to set it up and use it?

There shouldn't be any chlorine in it, but I did not test for it. I am on well water.

Well water that does not have chlorine/chloramine (as you said) would be the same as dechlorinated tap water...the bacteria have no impediment so they reproduce rapidly to "eat" all the organics in the water.

Once there is a source of ammonia, the "cycling" process will (so far as I am aware) establish itself. The advantage of live plants that are reasonably fast growing species is that they take up ammonia/ammonium faster than the bacteria do, so they out-compete the bacteria, and use most of the ammonia/ammonium. This means that fish in the tank do not have to deal with ammonia or nitrite, and at the end nitrates will also be less (often even zero, depending upon the fish load). You should not even be able to detect (using our basic test kits) ammonia or nitrite during all this, thanks to the plants.

Obviously, cloudiness of the water can be due to other factors. Microscopic particulate matter from the substrate (this will usually settle out on its own), or dissolved in the tap water (whatever the source), are other sources. But bacterial blooms are the most common in new tanks.

 

[PADogman]

Would it be worth saving and re-using this water?

 

[Byron]

Would it be worth saving and re-using this water?

You can use it to water plants and shrubs in the garden, or house plants. But fish-wise there is no advantage to "old" water, provided the fresh water is OK (which would seem to be the case here). Plants also like fresh water. Once fish are in the tank, you certainly do not want to be using old water, it has pollutants you want to get rid of (hence the regular water changes).

 

[PADogman]

Thanks, @Byron . I was hoping it would be like adding old substrate to a new tank. That there would be something beneficial going on.

 

[Byron]

Thanks, @Byron . I was hoping it would be like adding old substrate to a new tank. That there would be something beneficial going on.

There is nothing beneficial in/with old tank water...except if you have to move the fish to a temporary (usually smaller) tank when replacing substrate for example; this is when I sometimes use water siphoned from the top of the existing tank to fill (or partly fill) the temporary tank, as this has less immediate stress for fish especially if there is a significant difference in parameters (GH and pH). It depends upon the fish species though, I don't always do this, and I most certainly never put "old" water in a new tank set-up, it is always fresh tap water with conditioner.

If I had to remove a fish into quarantine [only once in 30+ years has this been necessary!], I would use water siphoned from the main tank to avoid any shock/change. And if moving fry (or eggs) to another tank, same.

BTW, the benefit of using old substrate (meaning substrate that is "dirty" from being in an existing tank) is usually less benefit and more detriment. It somewhat depends upon the situation, but I have never done this and never would. I always rinse used substrate under the tap before re-using. Same for filter media. But then I do have plants, always. Though it is debatable if tap water really harms nitrifying bacteria...it may, but it also may not in most cases, depending upon the circumstances. Just to get one thinking.

 

[PADogman]

Just to say...
It almost sounds like you are thinking I would use old tank water from an existing fish tank.
I was referring to using the water in the plant tank thinking it might be cycling due to the bacterial bloom you said is going on.

I would never add old fish tank water to a new setup

 

[Byron]

Just to say...
It almost sounds like you are thinking I would use old tank water from an existing fish tank.
I was referring to using the water in the plant tank thinking it might be cycling due to the bacterial bloom you said is going on.

I would never add old fish tank water to a new setup

We have had a number of members on here periodically asking this question, or indicating they regularly do use old tank water. That is why when I answer someone, I tend to explain beyond the actual question, just to ensure the member or others reading the thread do not come to the wrong conclusion.

 

[PADogman]

Ah. OK.