1st time “cycling” with plants

[Linda4fish]

I have a 29 gallon that I am getting ready to go.
I am wondering about the aquascaping and If it would be best to do that later and just start with some fast growing plants to get going. Water sprite etc

I am wondering if all my efforts would get covered with algae during the cycling process also the wood would be wet so super glue would not work

So many things to consider and so much easier to do in a dry tank

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

You really can do it any way you want but its usually easiest to do it at the beginning. I tend to do the bulk of it in the beginning and add later. Yes there is the algae consideration but you can always add a Nerite or 2 to help you with the diotoms and short algaes and monitor the lighting so it doesn't get out of control. Super glue works for plants but I've found the Fluval glue works on pretty darn wet plants and wood so I've never tried the super glue route though I usually have some. 

[Odd Duck]

On 10/31/2021 at 7:07 PM, Linda4fish said:

I have a 29 gallon that I am getting ready to go.
I am wondering about the aquascaping and If it would be best to do that later and just start with some fast growing plants to get going. Water sprite etc

I am wondering if all my efforts would get covered with algae during the cycling process also the wood would be wet so super glue would not work

So many things to consider and so much easier to do in a dry tank

I’ve been known to glue plants directly to wood that’s already in the water.  You just have to be fast with your placement since even the superglue gel sets up very fast under water.  Superglue requires moisture to set/harden.  It doesn’t require THAT much moisture, but works just fine underwater as long as you’re quick in getting the surfaces together.  I do sometimes clean a bit of biofilm off wood for better adherence, depending on how fast I expect the particular plant to grow and adhere itself to the wood.  A quick brush with a toothbrush works fine for this.

I’ve never tried a “dry” start before but I’m planning to with my angelfish project once I find the rest of the wood I want for the hardscape.  I’m going to try the blender method for getting moss growing on the wood.  Once I have the moss growing I will add all my other plants, then add water, and proceed as normal.

[Linda4fish]

Thanks for the comment;)

Do  you have a link for the blender method?

[Odd Duck]

Yes!  @Torrey sent me this one just the other day since we got talking about it and I mentioned I hadn’t done it myself but as planning to do it in the angelfish tank.  It had also been a while since I watched a video or read an article on the technique.  This one is a very good video overall on attaching moss.  The blender part is a little later in the vid but it’s so worth watching the whole thing.

Just remember, don’t blender your entire supply of moss just in case it doesn’t work.  It doesn’t take a lot of moss to do the blender method unless you’re doing a LOT of branches/rocks.

 

 

Edited November 3, 2021 by Odd Duck

[Linda4fish]

Great thanks so much😊