Folks, I keep hearing arguments for both sides of this issue. Do you add your plants before or after you cycle the tank? Why? Have you tried both ways?

We aren't planning to have delicate plants, but there will be some Java fern and water sprite and plenty of anacharis for the fish to nosh on.

It makes sense to me to for the initial set-up to be as much like it's going to be as possible. Add gravel, add plants, add ornaments, and then start cycling (either fishless or not). It just makes sense to provide as much bacteria-growing area as possible to begin with, and if plants are going to be altering your oxygen/CO2 levels and other chemistry, the tank might as well get cycled with those variables present.

But every so often, what makes sense to me runs up against reality. WHAMMO.

So, what's wrong with adding plants before cycling? What's the converse argument?

Thanks,
Caroline in San Jose

P.S. We're adding 6 very small goldfish to a 75 gallon tank to see how fast they get how big. It was going to be 5, but a tiny baby red cap oranda recently followed us home. We already have 2 little fancy guys. And 3 tiny babies will be from Orandaman's spawning (recently featured in Koko's breeding discussion forum).

I'm not sure, but I added my plants in near the end of my fishless cycle (during the nitrite spike) and they seem to be doing okay, looking healthy still. So i don't think the plants would really die during the cycle. I added in wisteria and java fern. Not sure if high ammonia would do anything, since there was no plants in the beginning

you can add the plants that are the harder ones. I personaly wouldnt add delicate ones till you have some nitrates in the tank. Also remember the more delicate the plant the more likely the goldfish will have it for dinner