No Chemical Changes

[Essjay]

Plants will help by taking up ammonia - and they don't turn it into nitrite. If there are enough fast growing plants, you don't need to do a fishless cycle, just wait until the plants are actively growing.

 

[PlantsPlantsandmorePlants]

Plants will help by taking up ammonia - and they don't turn it into nitrite. If there are enough fast growing plants, you don't need to do a fishless cycle, just wait until the plants are actively growing.

Thanks, I gleaned that from articles online. Is it OK if I do a hybrid cycle? Basically using some number of plants, but following the fishless instructions?

 

[Essjay]

It is possible to do a hybrid cycle, but the fishless part won't follow the instructions fully. There won't be as much nitrite made, perhaps none if there are enough plants. But as long as you reach a point where there is zero ammonia and zero nitrite 24 hours after adding ammonia, it doesn't matter that much if it's plants or bacteria which are at work.

 

[PlantsPlantsandmorePlants]

It is possible to do a hybrid cycle, but the fishless part won't follow the instructions fully. There won't be as much nitrite made, perhaps none if there are enough plants. But as long as you reach a point where there is zero ammonia and zero nitrite 24 hours after adding ammonia, it doesn't matter that much if it's plants or bacteria which are at work.

Ok cool, thanks. I figured that basically the only thing that matters is the tank's ability to process the fish waste, whether it's through bacteria, or plants. Glad to hear that confirmed.

 

[PlantsPlantsandmorePlants]

Hello everyone, I'm back with another update, and a request for advice. My ammonia has been dropping, quite rapidly, from about 2ppm to 0.5 ppm the following day 24 hours later, although this has been accompanied by a huge bloom of diatoms (I assume that's what they are, as it's brown algae). The instructions don't have any information as to whether this is normal, indicative of a problem, or whether it means my tank still needs more cycling, although I assume the dropping ammonia is a good sign. Still never tested above 0 on Nitrites, should probably bring some water to my lfs at some point. Any insight as to what I should do about the algae, and the stage I'm at right now would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Essjay]

Diatoms are very common during cycling - all that ammonia feeds it. When there are no live plants, it is recommended to keep the tank lights off but as you do have plants you can't do that. However once the tank is cycled and there are fish in the tank the amount of ammonia at any moment is so low our test kits can't detect it the diatoms do disappear.

There is one option - do a huge water change to remove all the ammonia and nitrite in the tank, then plant a lot more plants - you did say you intend having a number of plants. Wait a week or two to make sure they are not about to die, then add a batch of fish. If ammonia and nitrite remain at zero over several days get the next batch of fish.

 

[PlantsPlantsandmorePlants]

Diatoms are very common during cycling - all that ammonia feeds it. When there are no live plants, it is recommended to keep the tank lights off but as you do have plants you can't do that. However once the tank is cycled and there are fish in the tank the amount of ammonia at any moment is so low our test kits can't detect it the diatoms do disappear.

There is one option - do a huge water change to remove all the ammonia and nitrite in the tank, then plant a lot more plants - you did say you intend having a number of plants. Wait a week or two to make sure they are not about to die, then add a batch of fish. If ammonia and nitrite remain at zero over several days get the next batch of fish.

This area where my tank is does get some natural light. I flipped off my lights for now. I might go for a planted cycle, especially since I kind of need to move my fish from the old tank into this one -- the sealant on the old one is starting to come off. Not in anywhere it would leak, but a risk is there. How much longer do you think it would take to cycle, or is that still mostly up to chance?

 

[Essjay]

With fishless cycling it's impossible to say as every tank and the water in it are different. Plant cycling is more visible - if the plants are growing well, the tank is getting ready for fish.

 

[PlantsPlantsandmorePlants]

With fishless cycling it's impossible to say as every tank and the water in it are different. Plant cycling is more visible - if the plants are growing well, the tank is getting ready for fish.

I ordered 8 plants, in addition to the few I already have, and the 2 from my old tank that I'll transfer. Ammonia tested as zero for the first time, as I went away for a few days and didn't re-dose. Hopefully the tank is almost cycled and the plants will just push it the last bit, but I suspect that diatoms contributed to that drop in ammonia.