Re: Cycling a new planted aquarium....add plants before or after cycling??

["Jennifer Marshall" <zephyr18 at ev1_net>]

> Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2003 00:23:25 -0700
> From: "Lorenzo Rota" <lorenzo1961 at hotmail_com>
> Subject: Cycling a new planted aquarium....add plants before or after
cycling??
>
> Hi...
>
> Im finding conflicting information regarding setup of new planted
aquariums
> and would like some clarification.
>
> Basically...when initially setting up a new tank....should I fill it, add
> some hardy 'cycling' fish and "Cycle"( or similar bacteria additive) and
> wait for the "30 day cycle" to complete before I add plants....OR...do I
> plant right after I fill it...then add the hardy fish and bacteria
additive?

Lorenzo,
I just set up a 68gal plant tank.  Following advice from many posts on this
list, I put in mulm, (the lovely black stuff that you suction out of an
established tank's gravel)to provide some organic material and friendly
bacteria, then I put in my substrate, and then I packed the tank with
fast-growing, nutrient-using plants.  For a little over two weeks, before I
put in any fish, I had my new powerful lights on, and I cranked up my CO2 so
that the plants would get a good footing and out-compete  any potential
algae.  At the end of this period, my tank had cycled perfectly, and I had
none of the new-tank algae bloom that I was dreading.
It worked for me!
- Jennifer in Austin, TX