Ozdude wrote:
"Nikki Casali" wrote in message
...


Ozdude wrote:


You really need the tank cycled completely and plants and fish in it
before you start with the CO2.


Set up an aquarium with enough quick growing plants, light and CO2, and
the tank will even skip the cycling process altogether because the plants
will consume the preferred ammonia directly.

http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_newtank.htm


Sometimes It depends on the number of plants. I think they are talking a
really dense planting, to be honest.

Most people start of with nowhere near enough plants at the beginning of a
tank, well notenoughtooutcompetealgaeandactaschemicalsponges.

If there is one plant I can recommend if you are going to try this it would
be Hornwort, and lots of it.

I've just started another planted tank, 110L. I've put in a huge bunch
of Elodea, a Watersprite, Java Fern and a couple of rows of Echinodorus
Tenellus. The Elodea, especially, is pearling like crazy. I've also put
in 4 Amano shrimp, 3 Cherry Barbs and 1 Ancistrus. I'm 3 days in and
ammonia still reads 0. To be honest, I've only thrown in a couple of
flakes, but none of the occupants seems interested.

The Cherry Barbs are chasing each other like nutters. Hyperactive or
what? The shrimp appear to be extremely busy doing something with their
hands and feet. Can't tell what. And the lone Ancistrus is window
cleaning free of charge. I'm presuming all of these critters can survive
on algae alone?

I'm going to start increasing the food gradually. If I start getting an
ammonia reading, I'll cut back on the food and let the plants catch up.
This will be an interesting experiment...erm..or science project!

Nikki