# Dirted Tank Cycle Time



## Fishnerd101

I recently set up a 29 gallon dirted tank with organic topsoil topped with black Petco brand sand. Tank is currently sparsely planted and stocked with only a few Malaysian trumpet snails. The light fixture I am using is a 24 inch t5ho 28 watt light with a 6400k light bulb. I have a baffled powerhead set up with new filter floss and am planning to plant more heavily when my order of plants comes in. I have flourish comprehensive and excel on hand. Should I begin dosing both chemicals? And around how long do you think it will be before it is safe to add fish? I'm aware that dirted tanks will leech ammonia, I just want to have an estimated time frame.


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## Embouck7

Well how much dirt in inches did you use? How much sand? Light timer?

Probably wont need the comprhensive for a while. Excell everyday b4 lights on. Iron and potasium are good to add.

Plant it up with a rainge of root feeding plants (swords cryps) and a few leafy plants (ludwigia cambomba). Anything you like really just a good mix of plant types.
After planting I would do heavy water changes (hold off on ferts till the water goes clear). 
Week or two later the water is clear and the plants have had a bit of time to grow roots. Now I would add fish in reasonable numbers without fear of a spike. Weekly water changes untill you determine the plants are established enough to go alot longer.


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## Fishnerd101

I used about an inch of topsoil and a half inch of sand. It's currently planted with dwarf hairgrass and staurogyne repens, but it will soon be planted with ludwigia and giant hairgrass. It'll be pretty densely planted.


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