# When should i add plants?



## dmeador44 (Dec 28, 2008)

I just started to cycle my tank and i'm using some fish to cycle it. Is it ok to add plants now or is there some reason that i should wait for the cycling process to finish?


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## Our_Tanks (Jan 6, 2009)

live plants? if so i would wait, there are no nutrients in the substrate to support plant life for a minimum of 6 months or so. Depends on the type of fish and they type of substrate and filtration i suppose. Unless of course you want to use a liquid fertilizer, that could speed the process up. And a oxygen difuser.


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## Britnick (Apr 18, 2008)

Add the plants straight away. For plants that root in the substrate use a pellet fertiliser. They last about 3 months and really give the plants a kick start, in addition use a good liquid fertilizer for plants that are free floating or attached to rocks/wood.

The reason I say add now is two fold:
1.	The plants will help the cycling process 
2.	The plants can become established before you put the majority of the fish in. Gives the plants a better chance

I had the plants in my tank for 3 months before I put the fish in


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## duaneS (Aug 31, 2006)

I add plants right away, they help jump start the cycling process because they are loaded with the bacteria that cycle.


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## ridley25 (Jan 5, 2008)

I used root tabs in the substrate of my 10g community because it's basically crushed coral. They really helped out.


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

I agree with adding the plants now to get them established.

It's not clear to me what kind of tank you're doing. If you're doing a South American tank, I'd advise you to plant quite heavily and to use some sort of flourite substrate (I like eco-complete for planted tanks). That will make it easier to root your plants and give them the nutrients they need without having to add fertilizers initially. It will also allow the plants to outcompete the algae.

If you're just going with a few anubias or java fern tied to rocks or whatever, that is probably less vital that they go in now.

If you're doing an African tank, I personally wouldn't bother with plants . . .


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## alicem (Jul 26, 2007)

> If you're doing an African tank, I personally wouldn't bother with plants . . .


 :-? 
If the African cichlids are carnivores, then why not?
Is it because of the biotope thing?

I never would with Mbuna and herbivores. I've had limited success with omnivores. 
If the fish is a "digger" then use plants that do well tied to driftwood or gently wedged in the rocks.

Plants will work with many African fish, but I agree, not all.


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

alicem -- as I said, it's just my personal preference, (although the OP did not indicate he was sticking only to carnivorous species.)

I have two South American planted tanks, which I enjoy, but they can be a lot of work as they are heavily planted and I have high light, pressurized C02, etc.

So I enjoy my African peacock/hap tank for its simplicity -- nice rocks and nothing else.


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## duaneS (Aug 31, 2006)

Dimidiochromis compressiceps spend a lot of time hunting in the vallisneria beds of Lake Malawi, as do some other carnivores.
The only problem with some though, is they sometimes uproot plants just for the fun of it


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## alicem (Jul 26, 2007)

hollyfish2000 said:


> alicem -- as I said, it's just my personal preference, (although the OP did not indicate he was sticking only to carnivorous species.)


Oh, sorry, I didn't get the personal preference part, I just read it to mean "stay away from plants with African cichlids" period.



hollyfish2000 said:


> I have two South American planted tanks, which I enjoy, but they can be a lot of work as they are heavily planted and I have high light, pressurized C02, etc.


Yes, that would be very time consuming. I'll bet they are beautiful. :thumb:



duaneS said:


> The only problem with some though, is they sometimes uproot plants just for the fun of it


Naughty naughty fish. :lol: 
Another reason to introduce and establish plants_ during _the cycle _before_ the fish.
hth


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## dmeador44 (Dec 28, 2008)

Wow, thank you for all the quick responses. Looks like i will be going to get some plants tomorrow. I'm doing a 10 gal. S.A. tank that i plan to plant heavily. I already have the driftwood and rocks in it and i'm using a sand substrate so i will get some type of fertilizer to help them along. I'm also going to try a couple plants of vallisneria in my 29 gal. P. saulosi tank that's cycling and will be hoping they don't devour them when i put them in there. Another question that i have is at the fish store there are snails in with the plants. I was wondering when i brought the plants home is there anything that i can do to make sure none of the snails make it in my aquarium? Thanks.


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## Britnick (Apr 18, 2008)

Snails are a problem. I found the best thing was to wash and inspect the plants thoroughly. Remove any eggs to snails you see, but you are unlikely to get them all.

Those snails that are left may well be picked off by the fish you keepâ€¦ :wink:


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## duaneS (Aug 31, 2006)

I consider Malay snails a good thing, they are constantly rummaging through the substrate. This keeps it from compacting. But if you feel the are getting out of hand in a tank, just toss in a few Paretroplus and the snails are gone in a day or too.








Ramshorn snails are a bit more problematic, although the Paretroplus eat them too.
Or just crush them against the glass and just about any fish can eat them.








You can see the snail eggs in this pic


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## alicem (Jul 26, 2007)

When you add plants you should always disinfect them.
The way I do it is I use a product called Clear Water by Jungle. You can find it at Walmart and it is relatively inexpensive. 
The active ingred. in it is potassium permanganate. It will disinfect the plants and possilby kill snail eggs.

I take a fish bucket and put some lightly warm tap water in it. I don't declorinate the water because some folks use bleach to disinfect plants anyway.

I think using bleach for disinfectants on plants is too rough. 
Anyway, squirt some Clear Water in the bucket of water (a couple of squirts) and put the plant in and swish it around a little. 
The water will be a light purple.

Leave it to soak in the solution for 10-20 minutes.

Now be careful, because that stuff will stain your clothes and towels! 
Be sure to wash your hands after getting it on you, even in the diluted form.

When time is up remove the plant (remember the drips may stain, so do it over a sink or something) and rinse under lightly warm tap water. 
I like to run my fingers along the roots, stems and leaves to dislodge any snails. 
I don't think the potass. perm. will kill snails, just the eggs.

Being cautious, I like to soak it a short while (or even just a rinse will do) in declorinated water to get that tap water that's on it declorinated before putting it in your tank.

Another caution, when you discard the bucket of Clear Water solution, if you have a septic system, don't pour it down the drain. 
It will kill the good bacteria in your septic tank and you don't want that! 
I just toss it in the middle of the drive and it soaks in there.

Rinsing the plant in the sink shouldn't hurt anything since it is a very small amount of potassium permanganate off the plant.
hth


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## 2ToneArmy (Feb 8, 2003)

I don't think this was mentioned so i'll add this - the plants help cycle not only because they might have beneficial nitrifying bacteria on them, but because plants act as a biological filter in that they eat fish waste (ammonia). A lot of heavily planted tanks have very light mechanical filtration, similar to marine tanks.


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## dmeador44 (Dec 28, 2008)

Well i just got my plants all set up in my 10 gal. and put some root tabs in the sand. Then i went to look up some information about Mondo Grass which just so happens not to be a real aquatic plant and will die in a couple months. I just couldn't help myself when i saw a whole tank of it in the store haha. Oh well, the rest of my plants i had already researched and knew what i was buying. I got a few anubia's to put on the rocks and driftwood. A java fern is in the back middle of the tank but it is still really tiny. And i have a few bacopa's in the back. Now all i need is a foreground plant to replace the mondo grass. Thanks for the help everyone.


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## alicem (Jul 26, 2007)

> Mondo Grass which just so happens not to be a real aquatic plant and will die in a couple months. I just couldn't help myself when i saw a whole tank of it in the store haha


Been there, done that :roll:



> Now all i need is a foreground plant to replace the mondo grass.


How about "sagittaria subulata" commonly known as Dwarf sag
http://www.plantgeek.net/plantguide_viewer.php?id=189
hth


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## TheBanker (Jun 14, 2008)

i agree with others, add the plants right away, it will help with the cycle. Bleach dips aren't really "rough" to me, just certain plants can take the dip, and some can't without melting. Check out plantedtank.net ..lots of great info.


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