# new plants and silent cycle question



## sephnroth (Jul 30, 2013)

hi all!

I've been cycling my new tank (just setup the filter and air and added a few fish flakes to it and left it.) and today I headed to LFS for some plants. I have two large and 1 small plant in my original tank but I wanted more because the new tank is much larger and I love plants lots.

The store was offering 5 plants for £10 and I got talking to the guy serving me about their fish etc and then he decided the plants I had picked were not great and went to get another five of his choosing.. which he gave me for free. Happy days! 10 plants for 5  They ARE a little straggly, but im hoping with some care and good lighting they will flourish. Heres what it looks like:










The sad fact is.. I have no idea the names of the plants i've got! can anyone identify them?

Anyway whilst googling around just now I heard of a "silent cycle" for the first time with a website claiming that with enough plants which drink up ammonia you could add fish to a new tank almost right away? is that TRUE?

Its really important to me because my old tank is much smaller and has an ammonia problem, i'm doing water changes at least every 2 days and sometimes every day. I believe its because the filter I was given with the tank is much to small for the bioload. I have 3 yamato shrimps, 2 platys, 2 cloudy white minnows and 1 zebra danio (there were more CWM and danios but they fell victim to my lack of knowledge of the nitrogen cycle and the crappy filter) and if the plants in new tank would be enough to cover their bioload despite being new tank with new filter+pads then that would be amazing, I want them safe!

opinions please


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## sephnroth (Jul 30, 2013)

just for the record, heres photo of the old tank (taken today) because it has the 2 large and 1 small plant in it that would also be moved to main tank when its time to move the fish (i dont want to take their plants away too soon! )

https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=DC89528214610020!601&authkey=!ADmyQRETTNDhz58&v=3


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

The plant on back right is wisteria (I think),the one in back left is anacharis,two in the middle back are vals.The plants help cycle but don't eliminate the need.They will consume some nutrients but probly not enough to avoid water changes in the larger tank.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

To silent cycle the tank needs to be at least 75% filled with fast growing plants. You have a good start there.


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## sephnroth (Jul 30, 2013)

just incase anyone cares.. this is what the tank is looking like atm:










I bought a couple of java ferns (cuz i think they look amazing) and i tied them to the drift wood. Added a few other plants. There is a gap to fill but I think I will fill it using the plants in my old tank when the time comes to migrate the fish 

Have a question: depending on which store I go to the plants come differently.. like in the local garden center they are bound together at the bottom with a small piece of foam around the stem. But at another store I go to they are in plant pots and the pots are full of like.. well a sort of foam but its more like fiberglass? its usually about 3 inches high and not something i want in my tank because its very ugly, but removing it is a big chore because the plants roots are usually grown right through it and have to be so careful not to damage them!

Am I right to unpot the potted plants so i can plant them in my substrate properly?


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Yes unpot them. Also your stems would do much better if you separate them from the bunches. Put a little room between them so light can reach all the way to the bottom. 

I think the tank is coming along nicely.


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## SueD (Aug 4, 2012)

The potted plants are grown in rockwool and that should be removed before planting. I find it a little easier to remove by holding it off and on under running water from the faucet and teasing it away with tweezers.


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## jacksparly (Feb 4, 2014)

Yeah...That's absolutely very good..I never tried aquatic plantation,I thing we need to concentrate more for such type of plantation..

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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

The top pic the plant in the right corner is Anacharis and the one in front of it is Bacopa...not sure which one but looks like Colorata. The grassy plants look like Vallisneria of some type.


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## jacksparly (Feb 4, 2014)

Aquatic plants seems very natural and beautiful....Proper care must be taken so as to ensure healthy growth of plants in water...

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