# What First.... Live Plants Or Fish?



## smellie92 (Mar 6, 2012)

Hi, about a week ago i set up a new tank for my fish, they are currently in a smaller tank and we are moving them to our new bigger tank. I just wanted to know what i need to add first, the live plants or the fish? as the local fish shop said to not add the plants until we have added the fish, just wondered what everyone elses thoughts were?

Cheers


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## Philnominal (Dec 22, 2011)

smellie92 said:


> Hi, about a week ago i set up a new tank for my fish, they are currently in a smaller tank and we are moving them to our new bigger tank. I just wanted to know what i need to add first, the live plants or the fish? as the local fish shop said to not add the plants until we have added the fish, just wondered what everyone elses thoughts were?
> 
> Cheers


plants will help with the cycling process and it would stress fish just being added to an aquarium to have someone sticking their arms in there to do aquascaping. I would say plants first, assuming it wont take down the level of biological filtration in your smaller tank to a point where it cannot keep up with the fish should you put the plants in several days before adding the fish to the tank.


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## smellie92 (Mar 6, 2012)

Philnominal said:


> plants will help with the cycling process and it would stress fish just being added to an aquarium to have someone sticking their arms in there to do aquascaping. I would say plants first, assuming it wont take down the level of biological filtration in your smaller tank to a point where it cannot keep up with the fish should you put the plants in several days before adding the fish to the tank.


cheers for your quick response. the live plants would be brand new from the LFS as the smaller tank only has the plastic plants in. Would it still be add the live plants first?


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## Philnominal (Dec 22, 2011)

if you are talking about adding live plants to the larger tank first? Yes. They will speed up the cycle process help the biological filtration, especially when you first add the fish.


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## smellie92 (Mar 6, 2012)

Philnominal said:


> if you are talking about adding live plants to the larger tank first? Yes. They will speed up the cycle process help the biological filtration, especially when you first add the fish.


yeah, adding the live plants to the larger tank before adding the fish. how many days before should i add the plants before adding the fish?


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## Philnominal (Dec 22, 2011)

I have done it same day several times. Not entirely sure if there is much of a difference in waiting. Maybe another member will have a better idea.


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

Definitely plant the tank at the start. Get everything (filter, heater) going with the plants. If all is well, you can start adding some fish. But go slow.

If some of the plants are fast growing, such as stem plants, or better yet, floating, they will easily assimilate the ammonia from the fish. I don't know the tank size, or intended fish, or intended plants...some fish are better added to an established tank. If you can provide this data, I might have further suggestions.

But the bottom line is that sufficient fast-growing live plants and a few fish will allow you to go from day one with no harm to the fish.

Byron.


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## dieseldoc (Feb 2, 2010)

In my 65 gallon hex I added a majority of the plants first and them establish themselves then added the fish. And have added more plants since then with no addition of more fish. Now that my tank is completely planted and growing I will now work on the stocking of this tank.


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## Adamson (Feb 5, 2012)

I believe a fast ammonia spike is the key to a good and more speedy cycle. So I could personally add the plants first, all things being equal.


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## AbbeysDad (Mar 28, 2011)

Adamson said:


> I believe a fast ammonia spike is the key to a good and more speedy cycle. So I could personally add the plants first, all things being equal.


With plants there will most likely never be an (unwanted) ammonia spike.


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## osti (Feb 12, 2012)

*live plants*

I would do the plants first, when I set up my 150 gallon I put plants in right away and my tank cycled a lot faster.


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## Adamson (Feb 5, 2012)

But without an ammonia spike will your tank ever cycle?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

Adamson said:


> But without an ammonia spike will your tank ever cycle?
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


I thought I'd answered this in another thread, but no matter; since it is asked here, I'll respond.

With live plants there should be no discernible rise in ammonia or nitrite. The plants grab the majority of ammonia and use it as ammonium, and nitrite is not a by-product.

However, some ammonia obviously gets past the plants, eventually if not initially, and nitrosomonas bacteria will naturally colonize accordingly, and from that Nitrospira to handle the minimal nitrite. This is your "cycle." But this is (or should be) so minimal you cannot detect it with our basic test kits, and no harm is done to the fish. 

This is why in a natural planted tank nitrates are so low; many planted tanks have zero nitrates, mine run < 5ppm. The more fish you have and/or the higher the organics the more likely some nitrates may appear, if the ammonia is being produced from these sources beyond the capacity of the plants to take it up.


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