Plants growing a sign of tank health?

[MiyuMikaelson]

I've been cycling my tank for at least a week and a half now with plants in it. (I don't know if that was bad or not, just how it ended up happening. D; )

I've been giving them plant food and doing my best to cycle the aquarium without a fish in it. (Although I'm due for a shipment of RCS's in the next couple of days.) The plants are growing surprisingly quickly, particularly my Bacopa.

I just wanted to know if that meant the tank is going weeeell, or not so well? lol. This is my first time cycling a tank and I just don't want to get it wrong. I've been trying the test strips, and according to them everything's healthy and normal? But I don't know if it's cycled long enough to get a proper reading? Klaus is due here between the 16th-19th and I'd like to be sure the tank is doing well.

*spazz* Any help is welcomed and encouraged! My tank:

[Kuronue]

Sounds like its coming along quite nicely to me. :]

While cycling a tank one is usually testing the water parameters daily and closely looking for any changes improvement or otherwise.

Plants or other fish can both help speed up the cycling process.

[MiyuMikaelson]

Originally Posted by Kuronue

Sounds like its coming along quite nicely to me. :]

While cycling a tank one is usually testing the water parameters daily and closely looking for any changes improvement or otherwise.

Plants or other fish can both help speed up the cycling process.

Not a whole lot has changed, honestly! Haha. I started testing after day 5; and it's always been in the "Healthy" range. I started out with the Bacopa being the only plant in there, but I quickly started adding more. I guess it's done nothing but benefit? Haha.

[Otterfun]

Do you use ammonia to speed up the production of nitrites by the BB? Do you use additives like Stress Zyme or other cycling products to speed up establishment of BB?

What are your test results for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, pH?
What do you mean by healthy range?

[MiyuMikaelson]

Originally Posted by Otterfun

Do you use ammonia to speed up the production of nitrites by the BB? Do you use additives like Stress Zyme or other cycling products to speed up establishment of BB?

What are your test results for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, pH?
What do you mean by healthy range?

I've been using crushed fish flakes; that was recommended by a few people. I've never heard of Stress Zyme honestly I need to look into it. I use water conditioner and plant food as the only "chemicals" that I put into the tank. Healthy range meaning that the test kit I use always tells me everything's low and in the "Ideal" catagory. Although the Total Hardness was very slightly raised yesterday. (It was still near Ideal though.)

To be honest, I'm very embarrassed. I've never honestly cycled a tank or owned a fish before. So I'm trying my darndest to do it properly.

[Perseusmom]

Hi there and dont be embarrassed this is where I came when I got my first fish and wanted to cycle my 5 gallon tank. There are lots of people to help you along the way so be sure and ask as many questions as you need and I find the thread of cycling and post it for you. If I were you I would stop using the test strips I used them to at first and they were a waste of money, you can get a good kit like the API Fresh Water Master kit to check all your levels with, it might cost more to begin with but wlll save you in the end and is much more accurate then the strips.
I ordered mine from Amazon they have the cheapest price I could find. Hang on where I find the threads about cycling.

Oh and I did a fish in cycle and it went smoothly for my fish but I was nervous...lol

[Perseusmom]

Here ya go this is the best one for cycling and understanding how to do it.

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread....cycling+thread

[MiyuMikaelson]

Could the tiny white specs on my glass be BB? Because those started showing up like 3 days in? I haven't wiped the glass off or anything and I did remove the Anacharis and Wisteria from established tanks to put into my own. I have done routine partial water changes and been closely examining everything.

I should have RCS's some time today or tomorrow that I'll be placing in there to help speed up the process even faster before Niklaus gets here. I've had snails in there for a while too.

[Perseusmom]

From what I know the BB is slimy and sticks to things and yes even the glass but not sure what color that would show up as. I know on the filter it is brown so check your filter and see if it looks dirty which would be a good sign. Since you have so many plants you could have a silent cycle which means the plants are using up all the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. There should have been something about that on the link I posted.

[MiyuMikaelson]

Originally Posted by Perseusmom

From what I know the BB is slimy and sticks to things and yes even the glass but not sure what color that would show up as. I know on the filter it is brown so check your filter and see if it looks dirty which would be a good sign. Since you have so many plants you could have a silent cycle which means the plants are using up all the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. There should have been something about that on the link I posted.

So, do I have too many plants?


I just want to give optimum conditions for my Betta to thrive in. I know the RCS's wont add much to the tank's bio-load; but maybe they'll kick up a flare in the Ammonia/Nitrite levels... From what I've read online, the white things on my glass could be algae from too much light it would seem. (Or heaven forbid they be snail eggs. D; )