Why certain plants cause high ammonia levels

[rockyfox]

I've got a pretty good plant selection going on - 5 java ferns, 4 anubias coffeefolia, loads of java moss, and a bunch of red root floaters. Now I'm wondering, can they handle ammonia levels of 3ppm while the tank's cycling?

[bronze_shield]

I've got a pretty good plant selection going on - 5 java ferns, 4 anubias coffeefolia, loads of java moss, and a bunch of red root floaters. Now I'm wondering, can they handle ammonia levels of 3ppm while the tank's cycling?

Only the floaters will be pulling their weight during the cycling process.

When it comes to choosing plants for this stage, we go for the fast growers - it's their rapid growth that helps mop up the ammonia and other nasties. If a plant's not going to be putting on a growth spurt anytime soon, it's not going to be much help with ammonia removal.

Your plants will likely be fine at 3ppm ammonia, but don't expect the levels to drop drastically until those floaters kick into high gear.

Here's a little something I put together, just for you - Plants by Growth Rate.

[rockyfox]

I see what you're getting at, rockyfox. You just want to give those plants a head start, get them cozy while the tank's cycling, and maybe even take care of any unwanted snail hitchhikers with that 3ppm ammonia. Makes sense, really. The bacteria will appreciate the extra real estate, and the plants will be getting to know each other while they're at it. I still stand by my previous point, though - only the floaters are going to be the real heroes during the cycling process, using up that ammonia with their rapid growth.

[rockyfox]

I've got a pretty good plant selection going on - 5 java ferns, 4 anubias coffeefolia, loads of java moss, and a bunch of red root floaters. Now I'm wondering, can they handle ammonia levels of 3ppm while the tank's cycling?

Only the floaters will be pulling their weight during the cycling process.

When it comes to choosing plants for this stage, we go for the fast growers - it's their rapid growth that helps mop up the ammonia and other nasties. If a plant's not going to be putting on a growth spurt anytime soon, it's not going to be much help with ammonia removal.

Your plants will likely be fine at 3ppm ammonia, but don't expect the levels to drop drastically until those floaters kick into high gear.

Here's a little something I put together, just for you - Plants by Growth Rate.

I appreciate the tip, thanks for sharing.

[bronze_shield]

I've got a pretty good plant selection going on - 5 java ferns, 4 anubias coffeefolia, loads of java moss, and a bunch of red root floaters. Now I'm wondering, can they handle ammonia levels of 3ppm while the tank's cycling?

I recall mentioning getting rid of unwanted 'guests' on plants earlier. To refresh your memory, I briefly dipped the plants in a weak bleach solution before giving them a thorough rinse. When I cycled my planted tanks, I actually used Nerite snails to give the process a bit of a boost, with their waste contributing tiny amounts of ammonia. However, I made sure to have some fast-growing plants in place, which did a great job of taking care of the ammonia and its by-products.

[happyone]

I've got a pretty good plant selection going on - 5 java ferns, 4 anubias coffeefolia, loads of java moss, and a bunch of red root floaters. Now I'm wondering, can they handle ammonia levels of 3ppm while the tank's cycling?

The plants should be fine, but the ammonia levels will be taking a while to drop, as I mentioned before, only the fast-growing plants like the floaters will be using it up quickly.

[rockyfox]

I've got a pretty good plant selection going on - 5 java ferns, 4 anubias coffeefolia, loads of java moss, and a bunch of red root floaters. Now I'm wondering, can they handle ammonia levels of 3ppm while the tank's cycling?

The plants should be fine, but the ammonia levels will be taking a while to drop, as I mentioned before, only the fast-growing plants like the floaters will be using it up quickly.

I'm really looking forward to getting my tank set up now, I'll place my plant order when the time is right. Thanks for the help.

[rockyfox]

I've got a pretty good plant selection going on - 5 java ferns, 4 anubias coffeefolia, loads of java moss, and a bunch of red root floaters. Now I'm wondering, can they handle ammonia levels of 3ppm while the tank's cycling?

Only the floaters will be pulling their weight during the cycling process.

When it comes to choosing plants for this stage, we go for the fast growers - it's their rapid growth that helps mop up the ammonia and other nasties. If a plant's not going to be putting on a growth spurt anytime soon, it's not going to be much help with ammonia removal.

Your plants will likely be fine at 3ppm ammonia, but don't expect the levels to drop drastically until those floaters kick into high gear.

Here's a little something I put together, just for you - Plants by Growth Rate.

I'd rather not do that since I'm not relying on the plants to drive the cycling process.

[rockyfox]

My mom thinks I'm overdoing it with the plants, and now I'm having second thoughts. Is 5 java ferns and 4 anubias coffeefolia really too much for a 20H tank? Should I scale it back a bit? And what's a good starting point for the red root floaters - I don't want to overcrowd the surface either.

[sSjey]

You don't need a lot of red root floater, it's a rapid grower. I got a small amount for my 23 litre tank and now I'm constantly getting rid of excess. It's getting to the point where I have to dispose of handfuls every month, sometimes less. Today, it was almost an inch deep, so I ended up throwing about half of it away.