Question About Plants?

[mrcobrajet]

Can you put live plants into a tank that is being fishless cycled?

 

[techen]

I heard you can but others say this slows down the process. It's entire up to yourself though.

 

[PlumbersMerchant]

I didnt get any live plants till a few months after i had fish. Techen is right in what he says that others have said it slows down the cycle process though. I use plastics and a few real ones, Mainly because i dont really understand substrates and all that stuff and adding liquid fertilizer and stuff
 
Sorry its vague, had a pint or two tonight ha ha

 

[mrcobrajet]

I never had any real plants... I was told to put them in the tank for the fry to hide in... And it really works... I used hornwort and some of my fish eat it too... So every few months I have to add some more..
THANX

 

[eaglesaquarium]

You can put live plants into a tank being fishlessly cycled.  Its a good idea to wait until the very end of the process to add the plants, not so much because of it slowing the process down... plants can use ammonia as their nitrogen source (some actually prefer it) and whether the bacteria take the ammonia out of the water and turn it into nitrate (eventually) or the plants use it directly, it doesn't matter.
 
 
In fact, many folks in the planted section won't do a "fishless cycle", instead they will do a "silent cycle".  Planting lots of stem plants into the substrate (75%, I believe) and then add a few fish.  The plants take up the ammonia so the tank is instantly "cycled" from that perspective.  Ultimately, the bacteria may develop a bit, but the plants themselves deal with the issue.
 
 
As far as needing to know about substrates, fertilizers, etc. to have live plants.  That's not really true.  The key is to buy plants that match the lights.  Keep the lighting low and the plants correct for those lights, and the fish waste will provide sufficient fertilizer that you don't need to add anything.
 
Some plants to start with for easy growth: anubias and java fern.  You can also add some anacharis (egeria densa) as well.  There are many more, but these are all VERY easy to find.