Is Your Fish Tank Really Cycled?

[@AquariumCoop]

*When do you think a tank is considered "seasoned"? To learn how to use live plants to season or "cycle" your aquarium, check out this video: **kzbin.info/www/bejne/naa3YnqBf5ydf9E*

[@tvshowsnmovies1234]

i think probably after a year when its stable... basically i think it needs to just have consistent good water tests

[@Lazy_Fish_Keeper]

I think it depends on the substrate, the water source, and the filter... Did they come fresh out of another setup ? Is the filtration media already well seeded? Is it deep substrate? How are the plants growing? How slowly is stock being added? Am I working with nature in this tank, or am I trying to force my ideas of what **I** want the tank to look like? Did I use a bunch of wood in the scape? Too many variables to give a single answer.

[@daily_hemilife9375]

Hey I've been looking into setting up my next tank, a 20 gallon and i was wondering on how i should set it up bc i want it planted, but i want to know what is the best way to set it up bc i never have success setting my tanks up can you plz help/give me some pro tips?

[@theresagreen7165]

LOVE the new format. You seem a lot happier!

[@FatherFH]

I use snails as the first animal in the tank. 😏

[@Deady4u]

When setting up a planted tank, the experts are usually always right. Stock up on plants heavily at the start. I've always done this and have gotten to where I want to be very quickly.

[@brettpritchett5762]

What’s very quickly to you? I’m starting a 75 gal planted neocaridina shrimp tank and appreciate the help!

[@dylanhughes5944]

@@thatskrazy8145 what do you do with them after?

[@synthesaurus]

I started one with a bunch of Vals and they all melted in 3 days :(

[@LeeHarvey81]

@@brettpritchett5762 wow thats pretty big for some little skrimps!

[@edsaquascape7891]

@@synthesaurus Add fast-growing plants, they will absorbs ammonia faster.

[@bastianoiry-codello3292]

Me having aquariums running for years : I'll watch a video about cycling an aquarium 🤔. I'll watch anything from Cory.

[@sonofaquack6987]

Same. If Cory had an OnlyFans talking about aquariums for hours I would buy it in a second

[@GunnyPA]

I just got my tank about a month ago or so. I had 2 plants but took em out. I have about 7 tetras, 3 corys and 3 frogs. Should I put a plant or 2 in? I'm not exactly sure what I should do cuz I want a healthy tank w different types of fish

[@napalmviper3213]

Same lol..

[@alena.m.zombie]

@@GunnyPA you really should have at least a couple of plants, like an Amazon Sword, Java fern, moneywort, or moss.

[@thomaslynch4832]

Same here. Always worth watching.

[@danielbarrett6026]

I’ve used the fishless cycling method multiple times with great success and yes you can see bacterial blooms, grow algae, and diatoms. Takes 4-6 weeks and the fish don’t have to swim in ammonia and potentially burning their gills or killing them if it gets to high.

[@MyLifeInTheDesert]

I wish they would have told me about this at the store when I bought the fish. I thought because I bought the water conditioner and bacteria start I was fine. Now I’m dealing with ammonia spikes while I have two goldfish, and having to do constant water changes and constant tests so I don’t kill them. It’s really exhausting. I bought these fish to relax and watch them swim and now 45 hours of you tube videos later I realize how much work this is going to be and I’m worried about my fish!

[@Nomadistar]

Goldfish are a royal PITA! You need the biggest tank you can afford & ALL the filtration & then some!

[@charliewright2667]

@@MyLifeInTheDesert kinda late on this but they make ammonia filter inserts for this reason that help with spikes when adding lots of new fish at once or if you didn't know to cycle

[@releasethealbum6190]

hello can you help me? I'm really confused about cycling, I'm new to aquascaping but not fish keeping. I've had fish for 2 years and never died and I think it's time that I properly cycle my fish tank.

[@charliewright2667]

@@releasethealbum6190 If you've had fish for two years now the tanks is most likely naturally cycled because nitrites and nitrates still build up. The most important part tho is a biological filter material that you don't change, bur only rinse, like a sponge filter, as that's where most of your important beneficial bacteria live.

[@calebcologna8681]

My biggest issue working in a fish store is people for whom waiting even one whole week before adding fish is an inexcusably long wait

[@zenithmaiden2109]

Same! They look at you like you were speaking greek lol. It's not that it can't be done, but for the type that want to just "add water" to a fish tank it's impossibly difficult to impress the importance of developing biologic filtration. Those that do listen usually turn out to be wonderful, caring, and knowledgeable fish nerds though! It's worth saying every time!

[@jeffalbillar7625]

I've always added fish within one week in every single aquarium that I have set up. I start with catfish. I've also had great results. I was away from the hobby for year's and I just came back and I overstocked my aquarium big-time. I also had twenty fish in the aquarium within 10 day's. With the exception of a dwarf gourami that bullied the heck out of other fish and was removed, all of my fishes are still alive and kicking. The Gourami is with a friend and doing fine.

[@plushieoctopusonhead8415]

What I can say, i hate them, but more hate from me belongs to "people" who buy bowl and fish in the same day and have butthurt when I try to explain to them why they are torturing animals in that way

[@thinkinsidetheboxsquarecir3303]

Oh I'm sure it is 😅... I, personally like every process of setting up an aquarium 🤓

[@mattyburrows9059]

sell used seasoned media..setup a sump just for that purpose.

[@rebeccamccoy1997]

I am currently cycling/establishing my first tank and this video just gave me SO much peace! I put two plants in to start and once I saw them put some growth on, I figured that was a good signal to invest in more plants. I just finished putting in all the new plants last night and it looks beautiful, but I am going to give it some time for all the plants to establish before I put in some shrimp or easy fish. I have been stressing over how I will be able to recognize the cycle as established, and how often I will need to do testing… But going with a planted tank has given me so much more peace about it and I feel really good about letting it sit and watching the plants as the signal to how healthy the tank is and ready for fish!

[@Allycat101010]

I thnk you'll do GREAT! When I was a kid I watched my dad set up our very first tank without any of this and lose a lot of our first fish sadly (RIP zebra tetras...) but it's true, after all those years we had a small, stable amount of algae and the tank was healthy as could be. Even adding new guys was always a breeze. You're probably fine even now, if the plants are growing!

[@adrianneavenicci]

I’m an absolute beginner but my intuition told me to start growing plants first too. If the plants are growing well then surely the fish will be healthy too.

[@sissi8610]

Yes, same here! I'm getting a 220 litre bigger tank ready for 2 gold fish I inherited. I put it Centella Asiatica 3 days ago, it's happy. I will add Bacopa Monnieri tomorrow, and some other plants, those gold fish lived in a small tank for 5 years, at the neighbour's, and I want them to have 3 times the space. But I'm horrified I could actually kill them, if I don't do it right. I spent so much money, but that's beside the point. I don't want my love to go wasted and kill them instead of making them happily swimming in a huge tank.

[@bobv5806]

@@sissi8610 How’s it going?

[@sissi8610]

@@bobv5806 they're still alive! The large tank is great, Gotu Kola and Brahmi still growing, partially submerged. Added some other submerged plants, but the fish damage them, even though I got them in pots. That's ok, they can eat those ones. And I've got a Lilly Pilly growing out of it, removed the soil, cut back the roots, it's doing great.

[@ryder_fff]

@@sissi8610 Quick question how often do you do water changes and also how much do you take out?

[@sissi8610]

@@ryder_fff Around 30%, every 2 weeks, but right now I have to do more, because I've been over-feeding them, need to get the Nitrate lower again. My neighbour used to feed them every two days, I will have to stick to that, otherwise we'll get trouble. I have 2 goldfish, fantails, in a 220 litre tank. Tested the water on Monday, was a bit of a shock. It's so easy to overfeed them. I have to stop that.

[@JamesCroney]

I love the disclaimer "I made this up but it's also true" haha feels like science was involved.

[@armouredjester1622]

Science is when you collect data to confirm your hypothesis, but it sounds like Cory just looks at it instead of documenting the variables and results.

[@JamesCroney]

'm also not sure what the bar for "KZbin fish scientist" is but I feel Cory might pass. :-D

[@JamesCroney]

@@dusk1947 I agree with your concept of science being a process that involves observation, and essentially underlies "why things work the way they do". But "poking it with a stick until it does something different and thinking about why that happens" is the first step in the scientific method, even if you write a paper later saying "we started with objective observations". .. but I get it to some degree. Putting on the upset pants when someone invokes the name of science in vain is kinda fun haha. The question that always gets me about Science with a capital S is that some beliefs in India lay out the scientific method plus two or three other steps. So... Should the scientific method be able to add steps or even subtract them if there is a "happier" analysis process to use? I always came to the conclusion that the scientific method can never adapt under new data, about itself. And that at least fails the "evolution of science" in that we will just replicate the kinds of Science you can achieve with only the scientific method. Which will probably get us to Mars but won't discover what makes us think.

[@JamesCroney]

@@dusk1947 it is just a tool, an amazing one. But I would venture to claim that science can be conducted in ways that don't invoke the scientific method rigidly. The scientific method is great for proof but seems limiting in the discovery process. It's good to prove things with the scientific method, as it helps ensure reproducibility. But even then I would venture to say that proving something doesn't require science. Sometimes it's just logic.

[@FatherFH]

You don't have to be a scientist to do science.

[@alexandragreene7598]

Love this! It took me getting really sick for a few weeks where I physically couldn't do water changes or anything but feed the fish to finally realize this. Letting it sit allowed it to reduce like a quality pan sauce

[@wendygillard2133]

I hope you are feeling much better now.

[@Aquascape_Dreaming]

For beginners who may not realise, when Cory's talking about aerating the tank, the overwhelming majority of this is done at the surface where the bubbles hit the top and break, causing surface agitation. This process is called gas exchange, and is how dissolved oxygen enters the water column.

[@ECFUTAH]

This is the best and most important video you've ever made. I've been in the hobby 20+ years. I rarely test water parameters and I've never "cycled" a tank either. I try to teach people they need to build an ecosystem not an aquarium and your method is very similar to mine. If a person with no experience comes into the hobby this is the first video they should see.

[@EmoPunkgirl144]

Q: I am brand new to the hobby I just have a pretty chill Beta, and a few snails that came with my plants LOL. Is there any thing else I can add to my tank that will help build a better Ecosystem? (I have live plants too, but a small tank its only a 2.6 gal at this time. I want a bigger tank for my beta in the future but I got this one to start off with. I will be converting this tank to a quarantine tank in the future.) My first big leaf plant did end up dying off, but the second one seems to be doing better now. My tank this week has just started to grow a layer of algae over the plants (Which i was told is a good thing) and on the side of my tank now. I am just wondering mostly if i should be cleaning this ect or if i an get something else that helps clean it. the snails in the tank are super small so im not sure how much they can clean it lol.

[@dtecrust]

Does this method work for axolotls

[@bridge5575]

@@dtecrust likely not, axolotls are a lot more delicate overall, and building an ecosystem based on their needs would be very difficult. I'd look for info related more to axolotls than tropical fish. Also, be sure to make sure axolotls are legal where you are living, it varies a lot in countries and in the USA there are certain states where they are illegal to own.

[@PorcheGardener]

I never thought I would be applying my permaculture knowledge to an aquarium! I recently got my first aquarium (got lucky on craigs list with a 97 gallon) and I've been in a flurry of learning. It's early days but the fish are happy and my daughter is ecstatic that we finally have an aquarium

[@thisisthewronghat2706]

Fellow permaculture fan here! Google deep sand beds to get bacteria to do the water changes for you, or growing mosquitoes larvae for free fish food.

[@PorcheGardener]

@@thisisthewronghat2706 I ended up doing bentonite clay, soil, and sand for a total of roughly 5 inches deep. I deliberately introduced bacteria and wild snails which sped up the process. I only have to top up the water every 2 weeks and the fish have doubled in size (comet goldfish)

[@thisisthewronghat2706]

@@PorcheGardener that's amazing! watching nature do her thing in your tank must be a treat

[@wenbucha]

similar. I am a hydroponic farmer and I'm just building my first tank.

[@theblackwizard9437]

@@PorcheGardener same i wanna start permaculture and I figured a Fish Tank would be a great start. I was thinking once my cycle got big enough to produce more nitrates than my tank can handle I could introduce aquaponic filter systems using plants that fish can eat

[@ihavecojones]

Finally... someone not pushing products...just real logical advice... Just pay attention to your tank... and it will "talk" to you. I never added no chemicals (appart from the odd Methylene blue, here and there) and never tested my tank... and it's a 60liter tank...these things go south really fast... I just pay attention to it and give it time and patience. I noticed there are 2 kinds of people when it comes to fish tanks... people that have patience and py a bit of attention and use logic commoned with knowledge to keep their tanks healthy and happy.... and people that just pour lots and lots and lots of money to pour in chemical after chemical after chemical...and still have their fish die on them. A fishtank doesn't have to be expensive... actually... after getting it started... the best marker that you're doing it well is that appart from fish food, you don't (have to) spend money on ANYTHING ELSE.

[@Frailerpark]

I have a tank with plants I setup three weeks ago. This is the best thing I've watched, I'm gonna grab a beer and stop with the testing all the time and freaking out about algae. Thanks!

[@sissi8610]

Prost!🍻🍺

[@heyitsnovabound]

I'm in the process of cycling my 75g after moving to a new house and just got my big coop plant order yesterday. I got nitrites so far and had JUST decided yesterday to wait until my plants started getting settled in and growing before getting fish and THEN this video comes out lol. Thank you for the reassuring info

[@BenOchart]

Very sensible approach. I've been using, probably stolen from you, the "seasoned" term. I've been setting up tanks with the Fritz Zyme7 and Turbo products with success and recently, along with media from established tanks. Seeing algae, life, is a good thing. It's truly a fluid situation!

[@chrdebru]

Is it weird to say that sometimes you just *know* when the tank is ready or doing well/unwell?

[@alexzanderroberts995]

It's kinda like being able to look at a pet and just know something is wrong with it. Like just intuition. It is awesome. I only have 1 aquarium at a time, so I get acquainted with every fish. I cant tell when just one is acting wierd. I could do this since being 10 years old.

[@simonllewellyn1825]

So we’ve just started a 64L (14gal) community tank and we probably rushed the start (before we watched more videos). We set the the tank up, put some plants in, then we added 4 platies (platys?) and a couple of snails and some shrimp. Then we added some tetras, found some baby platies (!), added more plants, more cleanup crew. It’s still working ok. Didn’t water change much at the start but currently doing weekly water changes. Basically we just took it slow with small changes and kept watching. This time it worked for us. Thanks to people like Cory for championing less reliance on chemicals.

[@Ben-kv7wr]

I found a sturdy 6 gallon dome at a second hand store and couldn't help turning it into a DIY rice fish pond. My bf was so frustrated with me for leaving it full of water but empty, save for a single snail and substrate for MONTHS. I insisted on having the algae bloom and bust at least twice before even adding in plants. Months later theres embers in there too now, and I'm thinking about some amanos to graze on the biofilm :) Thanks for the years of videos and tips like this, really helped me go nuts without killing fish once I finally moved out!

[@cattfishing]

My best tank has always been my unfiltered, heavily planted, snail of every kind, copapod, daphnia, and other organism filled 5 gal tank. With shrimp babies on and off. I top off for evaporation, and will vac/small water change if too much food decay before being eaten.(darn zucchini) anyway, it has now become a black tiger badis nursery tank wonderland for the fry. Haha their is one of those teeny tiny sponge filter that is run currently. It's the size of a quarter. And was made for a betta bowl. Just to provide air/water circulation and a bit of filtration. Tho, that thing is so tiny, it's not really do much of that. Just another surface for life to cling to:)

[@AlexandraEmerald]

I’m not using a filter on my 10 gallon with 1 betta and plants in it. Do you think I’m better keeping him without a filter on his tank? (I’m new to this....)

[@sophiabaade2574]

Alexandra Emerald I’m late but bettas need filters even in a ten gallon

[@x-zav]

@@AlexandraEmerald With no filter you're essentially creating an ecosystem. You will need ***fast growing plants, snails, shrimp, or some sort of cleaning fish to control ammonia and waste. I recommend nutrient rich substrate or ferts for your plants. The fast growing plants will filter the water sufficiently, and the cleaners will help control water parameters as well. You don't need to but I also recommend adding a bubbler for slight water flow, it really helps the overall health of the tank. Before you can sit back and relax, you'll need to pay attention to your water parameters closely until your tank matures(seasons) as Cory was stating in the video. If one thing in the system becomes unbalanced everything else will as well. The best thing about no filter tanks is once it matures, you don't really have to do much to it anymore other than water top ups and enjoy it. Sorry for the paragraph but these are all the things I've learned for a successful no filter tank. Wish you all the success!

[@lincoln3307]

Love Aquarium Co-Op! It's simple, common sense advise that I've been using for over 10 years. Glad to hear a Professional state good advice instead of ALWAYS hocking products. Good luck guys!

[@areyounatz]

Love this content. I prefer the term seasoned versus cycled. More of a long-term outlook for your aquarium. Also, as someone living in the tropics, the fishless method won't work since mosquitoes would start taking over, so I need the fish to stop them from laying their eggs. Lol

[@shesellsfish]

I use your "seasoned" term all the time now. Makes perfect sense to me. I've always used plants, hardwood leaves, and a mystery snail as the first occupant as they produce tons of good infusoria to really get that seasoning going quickly. Then I add in some ramshorn snails, and when they start reproducing and doing well, THEN I start adding in shrimp or fish. 👍💓👍

[@ithewho6603]

"I'm not old, I'm seasoned."

[@priyankardas2668]

Few people noticed, but the production quality is crazy. Aquarium co-op has come so far...

[@benreeve9130]

The zooming in when he talks is a little dramatic

[@jimmygimbal]

@@benreeve9130 it's an editing technique used to skip time, umm's ahs and reduce the fatigue of jagged jump cuts. It's dramatic for sure but opposed to jagged cuts it's just better for a talking head.

[@benreeve9130]

@@jimmygimbal thanks 👍

[@tifa2733]

I'm new to the hobby and planning a planted tank. Wasn't even thinking of getting fish for a long time, not until I know I can keep my plants alive. This video gave me great assurance that I don't need fish in the start! Thank you!

[@vesawuoristo4162]

I have always used live plants to establish new tanks , being from Finland plants are more common idea in aquariums.

[@sarahwoodring5587]

Fantastic video! I agree that algae is the great unsung hero of the aquarium hobby. I love using it as an indicator of water quality and nutrient availability, and I actually like the way it looks on rocks and decor.

[@0Sarenity0]

My major is in marine science and most of my experience in this hobby has been based on me relying on my education to figure things out, and OH BOY. I have always strongly felt letting a tank season, as in age a little with something like using pest snail to help season the tank, was the best way to go, but I could never put it into words right. Now I have a go-to video lol

[@mariand7]

Thank you!!! Have been shouting this out and people think I'm nuts...more then 30 years of experience in DIY pond and aquarium keeping showed me that nature knows what it needs, you just have to be cool about it and relax!!! Now days is all about perimeters lol.... Keep up the great work Cory...my hellos from Crete Greece

[@OCRay1]

I have a tank and am starting to collect things that I will need now and in the future but the more videos I watch the more overwhelming it gets. This is definitely one of the best channels for aquarium education though.

[@CatalinaFOIA]

Cory... I don't know if you'll ever see this comment but I began researching why our fishtank fish (goldfish) were struggling. After a ton of research I finally came across your videos. After 6+ hours and a lot of learning at age 42, I was able to save my daughter's fish. After $100; I probably only needed to spend $75... but I'm happy to report the fish are thriving. I've come to the conclusion the whole tank got fin rot. How? It started when our water tower was being repainted so a change in water and the parameters were all off. In addition, I believe they had an internal parasite ( unsure how but possibly thru bad water) we didn't add any new fish. Long story short: after thinking I'd lose all 6, we only lost 1. It's been months. I'll be doing a 2nd treatment next week just to be sure the internal parasites are gone. Our water tower is finally done and our towns RO system is back. Yes our little city has a full RO system and it's awesome and very expensive. Just wanted to say THANK YOU!

[@WeldonTanks]

Well explained! I recently just did this with an aquarium. Let it sit for over a month and just watched nature take place and it was fascinating.

[@TazawaTanks]

I embrace algae. On another note, I kind of like that little diver decoration! 😆🤿

[@AquariumCoop]

I thought the same thing. Kinda want to get some decorations

[@svvids1247]

Hey twaza

[@svvids1247]

Tazawa sorry for misspell

[@reaodasdf]

got a 20 gallon i only need to do water changes on every 2 months and id like to thank my plants and aquaclear 30

[@JenniferBennett83]

Aquaclear is my favourite HOB filter by far.

[@Pesticide7G]

If you had more plants you can get away with water changes for years

[@reaodasdf]

@@Pesticide7G yeah or if i didnt get rid of any algae growth

[@renaelogston7704]

Love the dramatic close up shots when saying Seasoned Tank Time...but good insight to make an ecosystem instead of just cycle and chuck fish in

[@theknittingrev]

Time is your best friend in all things fish-related! Algae and infusoria is a GREAT sign that things are moving in the right direction. I get excited for the little copepods zipping around like bumper cars on the glass and know that we are almost there!

[@Nomadistar]

6:02 The vibe of this tank is right up my ally...stamping this for when I am ready to scape. I just love it & want to have these plants. Now to figure out what all those plants are @.@

[@3gmom408]

I subscribed to your channel 2 years ago because I had just started keeping fish. After 2 years my fish are doing ok, the water is clear and everything is good. I have learnt so much from this channel. Thank you !

[@lisawhereisthecultjam]

I just put old filter media into any new tank and filter I set up. Works for me.

[@MichaelClark-uw7ex]

As always, your advice is spot on. I always add some water and filter sludge from a healthy established tank into a new tank, I can add fish within a week. But I always use the gradual load method, add a fish or two then watch the tank before adding the rest of the animals. If you use Eco Complete substrate, you can add fish immediately, the substrate is already populated with nitrifying bacteria, but that can be cost prohibitive. I did a 75g with Eco as a comparison to my other tanks and it cost over $200 just for the substrate; however, the stuff is amazing, plants and animals are thriving but the price is ridiculous.

[@somegirlswill]

Wow Thankyou! I only got back into fish a year ago so I’m constantly learning, but I’m very much a lazy fish keeper, I don’t clean algae unless I can’t see in the tank, I rarely test parameters, even water changes are sporadic (that’s more due to my mental health though) mostly I just leave my tanks alone. It’s good to hear another take on the “cycle” thing,

[@jackdyet2902]

Ive only ever done one full fishless cycle, then used media plants etc from that tank to boost the bacteria growth in all my other tanks when cycling then

[@James_Hande]

Since the 60's I have always used the fish in cycle method. Once cycled I'd add just a few more fish at a time. It wasn't until months after I reached my final stocking level with no issues did I consider my tank seasoned. 😁

[@smorc65]

Ironic that this idea has been around in saltwater (hearing reef people say a tank isn't 'mature' for 6 months or longer) to such a degree that they hardly even talk about it

[@lewisevans3451]

I planted my 15 gallon fluval flex from the start densely with carpet grass and anubias ver nana and watched it for a month doing tests every 2 weeks and I added a Betta and 5 silver tip tetra and it’s been doing well the past 3 months

[@mikeyangel420]

I've been keeping tadpoles in an outside makeshift pond on and off for a few years. I always focus on the basics of an ecosystem and go off of that. I let the pond mature for a month before breeding season. When eggs are laid I start pulling weeds from my garden and add them to the water for filtration. Letting sticks soak in water until brown for some natual tannins. Having a rainwater bucket set asside to harvest mosquito larvae for free food. I've always just gone with my gut and it's always worked out. This is very similar to that and I'm very happy to see I can do something like it indoors. I've always been intimated by getting a tank because of cycling but now I feel like it's possible.

[@neutron1453]

i agree with the visual indicators rather than the test strips personally cuz i cant afford them but really i like the hands-on feel to it. Really if ur curious whether ur tanks have bacterium or not just feel around it, if its slippery, there u go, if not, keep waiting

[@zenithmaiden2109]

As someone who's lived all over the place, when establishing a tank different locales present all kinds of microfauna/flora to investigate too! It's always interesting to see which develops first and what kind it is! I just find it so fascinating, it's one of the reasons I love keeping nano or micro specie in my tanks since they interact with it more directly than other, larger species do.

[@sharonjack7239]

People from the Olympic Peninsula over here, are talking about their enjoyable trips to your shop. I am so happy to know you are nearby. I wanna go, lol!!!USA

[@michealfaulkner5612]

Way before you coined the term, seasoned tank time, you've talked about this method all the time and it was a game changer in my hobby in the way I approach setting tanks up. Also keeping those same techniques after the tank has matured. What to look for and how to counter it. Again truly a game changer for my hobby. Thanks Cory!

[@pkoppart]

The other theory behind fishless and plantless cycling is - to get rid of excess ammonia that your soil substrate might leach, you might want to do a Dark State Method. Like ADA Amazonia, well known to give those ammonia spikes. These ammonia spikes could actually also be stressful for plants too, especially initial days when/if they are transitioning from their emersed state (in their greenhouses) to their submersed state (in your tank). I have tried this Dark Start Method and was happy with the results.

[@luisrivas1618]

Thanks so much for this! I’ve had trouble balancing my tanks. One week it’s perfect the next it starts to fluctuate. It’s discouraging at times but this makes total sense now. I stopped buying plants because they would die after a while but now I know why. Sometimes I’d go a couple days without feeding because I was trying to lower my ammonia. I was starving my plants and I had no idea. I’m going to try this approach when setting up new tanks. That’s why I love this hobby, I’m always learning.

[@TylerDeLisle]

Wow! As a newbie to the hobby, I've watched so many videos on cycling and setting up a tank, some really well explained, but none made it click as clearly as this video. Explaining finding that balance between waste and plants and the benefits of algae have really brought everything together. I only wish I had found this video a few weeks ago as we're kind of panicking trying to keep our initial fish happy and healthy, hah.

[@nikhilkharkar1753]

Its your concept which is so true and am experiencing it with population explosion and the rate at which i feed have 0 ammonia and 0 nitrates!! Great advices all throughout in each of your videos/ articles

[@nickaugust3124]

so many times I have explain that thing to new and "old" hobbyists, and they get surprised about it. very nice video

[@HonestValkyrie]

I am a beginner, first time cycling a tank and I now have algae growth! Very excited, going to keep waiting, and add some more plants :)

[@myriad1973]

Going with a planted tank was probably the best thing I have ever done.... and using the approach that Cory described is so much less stressful than constantly checking water parameters every single day when you’re cycling a sterile tank. I have had some fish loss since I started my current tank 18 months ago, but not like I did with my first tank 10 years ago, and it was from illness rather than ammonia and/or nitrite spikes.

[@xakirax_8864]

With my tank, did a fish less cycle for a couple weeks,added Prime,crossed my fingers and hoped for the best 😂

[@JacobBoone]

Everything I hear in this video makes a lot of sense. I’ve been in and out of the hobby for a couple years, mainly with saltwater. Now I’ve moved on to outdoor ponds and now a 125g freshwater planted tank. I’m currently 2 weeks into the “cycle” and this was a great video to shed some light on my upcoming year with the tank!

[@kasunrajapaksha4108]

Love your videos, your content are so realistic & you are not hiding anything. Thanks a lot for preparing these videos. I bought a 25 gallon tank, 20 neon tetras, 6 penguin tetras & 10 swordtails :) & some plants, which I still don't know the name. Of course a some type of submersible filter :) Then started to watch some of your videos :) Realized the mistake, moved all Swordtails to a pond in my garden, bought a good light & some more plants. Fingers crossed. Now doing 20-30 % water change everyday & pray for fish to not die. Let's see how I fight this uphill battle with the help of your videos

[@pickled_sneeze]

I love videos like this, my tank has only been going for like 6 months, but it's always great on seeing better ways to do my tank (and dream of future tanks)

[@micahlovesjesus3437]

I really like this take on setting up an aquarium and I hope to share this take on my blog! Something I have recently dealt with is the inability to buy the fish I want due to COVID, so I decided to focus on my tank environment first. Get the plants well established, let the algae do its thing, and these live organisms will season your tank! I also have a question: How can detritus worms thrive in a plant only aquarium(no fish whatsoever) and what might cause them to overpopulate? I had to deal with this a few months ago.

[@KasyMini]

Fantastic video. I'm new to keeping fish and I started my first 15 gallon nano tank 2 weeks ago. Right now it only has a few plants as I'm waiting for more to plant. Hopefully, things will go smoothly and I can have some fishies and shrimps in a couple of weeks.

[@audreycooper4860]

Thank you for sharing this, I have been cycling my tank for about 7 weeks now with liquid ammonia and nitrifying bacteria (taking forever but I have chosen to wait lol). I have live plants which are ALL growing new leaves and really thriving which is one enjoyable feature in my aquarium with no fish lol. Anyway this makes a lot of sense to me I’m so glad I stumbled on this video!

[@luisen1996]

I have a 9G Fluval Flex. At first I thought it was cycled because nitrates were showing up in the test strips. Turns out my tap water has nitrates… Now that I just added live plants, a lot of diatoms appeared at first. After 2 weeks I’m seeing less diatom growth and some plants are starting to grow new leaves. I’ll be following your method before adding fish.

[@debbiebacon6495]

I have 3 tanks set up and running. The first, a 10gal, I set up with plants, a filter and an air stone, and then Covid hit. It sat with only beautiful, well-growing plants for almost a year before I was willing to risk going to a store to get fish (I began cancer treatment less than a week before shutdown and wasn’t willing to risk it). The second tank is a 40gal breader, which I started with plants and dropped an old filter from my 10gal to give it a boost. It took less than a month before there was green algae growing on the glass. It’s in my classroom and I wanted something as large at home, so I bought a tall 40gal for home, and again set it up with plants and a filter from my 10gal just hanging out in the tank, sharing the bacteria love. This one was full of algae in half the time, but I still let both big tanks hang out in the happy plants with no fish for a couple more months. I have 2 questions, though… I bought 2 angelfish for the classroom tank, and after being okay together for 6 months, they started biting at each other’s gills. A friend who has kept angels for years suggested getting a 3rd angelfish to tame them a bit. I tried. The new fish buddied up with one of the original and they teamed up against the other original. So I brought the poor guy home to put in my big tank. My two questions are: 1) Will it ever be safe to have the three of them together? Will they remember each other for long periods of time and continue the bullying if I try to keep them in one tank together? 2) The angelfish I brought home went from being semitransparent with fins that changed from totally transparent to black with his mood, to now not at all transparent, instead his fins are black and his body is white and grey fading into the black fins. Is that normal???

[@catzplantzandaquatix]

I like the way you think! I find though, you put decor, gravel, and live plants that came from a cycled tank will automatically cycle the tank. And if you have all that good bacteria in there even with feeding the tank, that bacteria will die from starvation. But that's just what works for me. It may not work for someone else, and vice versa. Love your channel! And love the info you bring to the community and the people in it ❤

[@jt9513]

I have been a big follower of your channel and can't thank you enough. I had started this hobby during Covid times and was impatient for not able to keep plants and fish alive. I had followed every rule from the book but it just didn't happen that time the way I wanted. Now almost 2 years into this and my 2 tanks have matured like anything. Since last 1 year less fish deaths (unless fish had diseases from the shop itself) and plants are growing crazy. Thank you and lot of other You Tubers for providing extensive knowledge. Going to set up my 3rd tank pretty soon. By the way both my tanks are low tech tank 10g capacity no CO2 with shrimps, snails, guppies only. I recently had 50 guppy fry in one tank and in the other have kept shrimps only for breeding.

[@francesknop7856]

I bought some of your plants and fertilizer and they have been amazing! 10/10 thank you Cory!!

[@drinny26]

Ive been setting up my tank for a month and I’m not done snd i have no fish but i love it. Patience is key.

[@johnwood738]

Cool video, probably going to get in trouble for saying this but unless something bad happens I don’t test my aquariums that much any more. I watch plants and fish/ shrimp and let that tell me how things are going.

[@TheDrivingCrooner117]

Thanks for this video. It's explained the way a noobie like me can understand. I just started a new tank (only my second) and the first thing I like to do is plant it. Wait until my plants are healthy and growing. I planted my first tank back in June and I just added fish last week (guppies). So far so good!

[@sharonjack7239]

Very well said. So glad I watched this as my newly set up tank has developed some nice algae. The fish look happy. I added plenty of plants and a few fish and watching it closely. Doing the partial water changes for 3 weeks. I like the natural approach that you explain. Thanks so much from a WA state neighboring fish-adorer!! USA

[@Elemental_Shift]

The timing of this video couldn't have been any better for me. I just finished setting up an aquarium and am excited to watch all the changes occur as the tank matures and becomes seasoned.

[@johnn8414]

Good Advice. Wish I saw this a bit sooner...I made a few mistakes, everybody happy now tho...The plants I did, but the plant food/Algae I didn't know. I did do potting soil, with natural fertilizer, and it helped, but knowing a bit more would have made things much smoother. I did a small 'Fish - in' cycle which worked, but was slow. Next time, no fish until stable, , the 3-4 week wait time I think causes the most problems, especially if you have kids 'Where's the Fish?' Lol. Impatience is the gotcha for most beginners. Thanks for your Vids and products, biggest help was sticking with good advice! Appreciate ya! TY.

[@MasterPhotographer]

Once again, You’ve enlightened us with great common sense information! Your insight into the hobby is always spot on.

[@freemansaquatics5326]

Got a friend who needs alot of help and ignored my warnings but I'm confident he will do better from now on I recommend you yet again have for years...take care 🍻

[@xisotopex]

my very first aquarium was a dirt tank... it worked REALLY well, and it was only a 10 gallon... great plant growth and the fish were happy and healthy....

[@MidwestBenji]

Hey I want to put this out there because I learned the hard way like a lot of others, if you’re not running in a filtered water supply (like fish rooms and stores) make sure you know what’s in the water supply and use the proper stuff to remove it, ammonia test the water when you first start up because chloramine breaks down to ammonia when you remove the chlorine, and use Prime by seachem if you’ve got chloramine

[@Freedom_Fighter72]

I just started a 20g, ( in a vintage console TV) plants, driftwood, and one raw shrimp ( suggested by a guy in an aquarium group)....my patience is low, but it will be worth it in the end

[@shaunapurcell9436]

I needed this so much. I was trying to cycle a tank and it wasn't working but then when I watched this video, it probably was stable enough for 1 betta fish But I just didn't know! Thanks for posting. I had recently completely started over my tank so hopefully with this new information things will work out!

[@charles24852]

I stressed out setting up my first tank and it failed I was sad. Then I decided to grow plants first and it's been successful ever since. I don't stress over anything my plants tell me everything. My 2 major must haves are duckweed because if it don't grow something is seriously wrong and bladder snails these little guys will breed like crazy and clean up excess food. It's been 9 months and I haven't had to change my water just top it off once a month and my fish are fine and happy.

[@shngsam8777]

very nice concept. something that we all doing but put into a new perspective last year i setup a new tank without fish and with just some snails move some stone from established tank too, not long after i got algae on the glass. now i know it is 'seasoned' ( but for that time i waited much longer before adding fish )

[@shannykinredgate3451]

We always had a ten gallon community tank when i was a kid way back in the 70's. No test kits or anything. Mom never let us get fish till the decorations were "slimy" (biofilm) then we could get a couple of fish to season it. She called it seasning just like you! I remember checking the decorations for slime every day!

[@Honda_Hooligan]

I've had my aquarium for 10 years and never tested it. Not once. My fish are happy and most live long lives. I've relied on a great above-tank mechanical/bio trickle filter and regular water changes. When I originally got it I chucked in some fish food to kick start the cycle, sat back and waited 2 months before adding fish. Worked for me!

[@luisen1996]

Smell is also a very empiric sign, if my aquarium smells like a fish store, something’s off. A nice, creek or river like smell is an indicator that the tank is healthy or at least heading in the right direction.

[@mitchpaul3904]

Great information! Seasoned tank time makes so much more sense. And I really liked the editing style of this video. Thanks, and keep them coming!

[@gregc7646]

I really enjoy your videos. A few months ago I watched one about cycling and to many water changes. I say thank you. My plants are thriving like never before. I use a Rena canister filter for a 65 gallon tall. About 25 fish. Most full grown. Thanks again.

[@ZaneofAustin]

i just got a 110 gallon pond. I added a couple HoB filters to it, with some used aquarium water, mixed with rainwater. I also went down to my local creek and sourced some gravel, sand and rocks. as well as some moss and plants (they were growing in the water so i assume aquatic?) now i'm just waiting on the water to clear up :3 before I go and get me some pan fishies :3 natural pond, used filter, used fish tank water, local sourced river rocks and gravel. im hoping by next month i'll see it get super green. then a week later super clear and it will be time

[@viktormichael821]

Instinctual fishkeeping. Green is good. I use emergent plants in some tanks. Big peace lilly above. Pothos vined over the whole top, like a topiary. The Peace Lilly let's down a huge mass of roots. Fish love to hide, and sleep in them.

[@fredricksfishkeeping3007]

The other thing I always recommend to beginners is to get filter media or substrate from someone else. If you're worried about pests that's a different story, but even adding some used rock or sand or wood goes a long way.

[@adacskipper]

My girlfriend is just getting me into the hobby, and this video is super helpful!! I'm looking forward to setting up a tank and experimenting with plants and bacteria before I get any fish; it seems like a great way to learn without putting any animals in harm's way.

[@Scott_AI5EF]

Thank you, Cory. Cycling is so confusing. This is great information.

[@dominiccampbell3908]

I am so glad I watched your video I have been searching for weeks for a simplified and down to earth obvious information already knew just common sense really dnt rush.. Have never had an aquarium I am getting aa 50 gallon breeder but I am keeping axlotls I am sticking to your channel from now on

[@linglinglo]

Thank you for this, I'm setting up a puny 2 gallon at the moment with live plants. I was getting worried not seeing any nitrite after a week even though i am using a seeded filter and plants from my main tank. Just gotta be patient for the plants to settle and grow.

[@arrow2589]

Unless your fertilizing your plants they are just most likely consuming the NO3-, NO2-, and NH4. If the plants are growing and algea is there you are good.

[@jigokutsuushin]

Transferring filter media (along with substrate and plants) has never failed me. And I agree with Cory, algae filled tanks may look ugly, but I have never seen an ammonia spike in one except when I accidentally overfed it (but that got resolved after a couple of water changes)

[@danielwcheng6381]

Great video Cory...many times I think we all get caught in the "Cycling trap". Ultimately a well seasoned / cycled tank just works....and fish don't "mysteriously" die. Alas what most people don't appreciate is the the time and patience in setting up a tank.

[@2tardi]

💐 thanks! Yes algae is not our enemy! I always use old mud/aquarium water to cycle my tanks. Take filters from running aquarium helps too. First time it takes a lot of time. I’ve just filled water in (with hardscape and plants) and walk away for a couple of weeks. One tiny little thing: it goes easier with old plants. Meaning plants who were in a running aquarium than new plants as they are often grew on land. The change takes 2-4 weeks. Before they don’t consume nitrate.

[@pjp9383]

"Old" plants will also already be coated with biofilm / beneficial bacteria on their leaves, so they bring that into the new tank too.

[@coreyb4073]

Just helped my boss do a tank, started him with a few amazon swords and jungle val in eco complete, basically told him one pinch of food a day till the brown algae shows up, then tested to make sure I saw no ammonia or nitrites, then in went the ottos and nerrites. He went to Hawaii for a week and came back to a spotless crystal clear aquarium, then add a few tetras, then a few angels, and now he has a nice stable tank and because he spread it out he has developed a good rapport with the local fish shop. Aquariums are a long game, if you rush into it you will lose or not have fun with it.

[@awkwardt]

We just got our first aquarium (no fish yet) and this is exactly what I needed to see!

[@Rachel-lq9vl]

This makes me feel a little bit better about my mistake as a newbie fishkeeper having not cycled the tank before getting my betta....but at least what I did do right is I have a 10 gallon with a filter, heater, and 4 different species of plants along with a log that came from a fish tank so it has the beneficial bacteria on it, which will help jumpstart. I love the look of a natural tank, but having an ecosystem is super important to me. Also because a healthy functioning ecosystem means less work for me, and healthy everything lol