# Silent Cycle



## Russgro (Apr 14, 2010)

I am curious if anybody around here has ever started a tank in this way? Im about to start a 75G planted and think this is how I'm going to cycle my tank, so if you have any experiences please share.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

I usually start most of my tanks this way. 

The most important thing is to plant heavily right from the start. One or two plants is not going to be enough; imagine a fully scaped Iwagumi and/or Dutch setup, and you will have an idea of how many plants you need.


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## Russgro (Apr 14, 2010)

yeah, i read around and 4 or 5 stems per 5 gallons seems good.


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## Russgro (Apr 14, 2010)

I already have a 10 G planted as well with cabomba, amazon sword, dwarf anubis, and rosefloria. I definitely gonna need a whole lot more plants, hopefully i can find most locally for pretty a good price. My 10 g isn't very structured I would like to pull off a hardscape like the an iwagumi tank hopefully i can find some rocks locally as well in the creeks or maybe waterfall rocks from Hamilton.


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## arinsi (Mar 14, 2010)

suitable rocks are hard to find


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## Russgro (Apr 14, 2010)

Really, I thought i could just climb mount Fiji and get some. All joking a side, I have found a few that i find quite suitable for what i want i my have to chisel some, but just adds to the fun. I just looked at your tank its nice how long you been at that one for?


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## brapbrapboom (Sep 2, 2009)

Yes, I started my tank like this. It worked pretty well imo.


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## Zebrapl3co (Mar 29, 2006)

Wow, I didn't know that many people do this way. Just out of curiousity, do you guy bleach dip your plants first?
I always wonder if that will stall your cycling process ...

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## brapbrapboom (Sep 2, 2009)

Actually I didn't bleach dip mines. After the filter took action on the cloudy water at first I started adding plants, plants, and more plants. Did about 30% water change and introduced the algae eaters.

After a week I have started adding livestock.

Also, I got a hookup of bacteria from a friend which made it cycling faster I guess.


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## Russgro (Apr 14, 2010)

One step closer. I Just got 60 pounds of flourite dark, now what to mix with it, i was thinking some shallow river pebbles from spectrastone, but not sold on it, wanted the amazon river gravel but BA didn't have it in store.


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## Zebrapl3co (Mar 29, 2006)

Having mixed flourite with other gravels. I find that in the end, flourites, looks best as is. Just doesn't look right with the other gravels.

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## Russgro (Apr 14, 2010)

I mixed the black, it looked great. I think i may just use an inch of sand for a base builder.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

Whether you decide to mix the substrate or not is your call, but I also prefer the look of a single, uniform substrate.


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## Mr Fishies (Sep 21, 2007)

Darkblade48 said:


> Whether you decide to mix the substrate or not is your call, but I also prefer the look of a single, uniform substrate.


I agree - and when you keep it to a single substrate you can re-use it again and again, re-scaping your tank won't make a mixed up mess. Layering and mixing gravel/substrates often leads to a non-reusable, cosmetically inferior (IMO) end result.

For a 75G tank, 60lbs of planted substrate mixed with inert quartz or sand is not really going to offer any appreciable benefit - add enough gravel to build a 3" + slope base and the fluorite is less than 1/2 the total volume.


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## Russgro (Apr 14, 2010)

yeh i guess I may as well go buy 2 more bags.


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## Russgro (Apr 14, 2010)

got another 30 pounds of flourite. my rena xp3 is on the way with needle valve. i will add another xp3 soon enough, stand next week, I'll show a pic of my regulator and solenoid. almost time to get this setup rolling.


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## Russgro (Apr 14, 2010)

started a journal hope to have the tank up and running by the middle of next week.

http://www.gtaaquaria.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14179


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