From my perspective the more intelligence on the thread the better (I use the word in the sense of "data", but I like the other meaning too
).
Personally, it seems there's a risk the cycling with fish will put them at risk or cause them discomfort even with heavily planted tanks. So for the sake of waiting a few weeks why not just go fish less. No risk at all that way.
I tend to agree, though if you follow the rules about "fish in" cycling and keep on top of the water changes and parameter monitoring I doubt the fish would be any more discomforted than in the LFS tanks, lol.
Jim at TGM even advised waiting to plant with the Aquasoil as the combination of ammonia, lights and small/adjusting plants will give algae big time, or require daily large water changes. So while my tank is taking its sweet time to cycle ( some related to my timetable to be fair), I've only had to change water once a week and no real algae apart from some stuff on the red moor which had dropped off with the nh3 spike dropping away.
Sorted out the electrical cables today - my 6 yr old just fit enough to reach the sockets to replace the old tank's plugs with the new two lots of 6 sockets surge protected, individually switched.
Lol, keep him hungry so he can remain small enough to get in those cracks and crevices you cannot reach. Do you make him sweep the chimney too, and go through transome windows for you at night? FAGIN! hahahaha
I got the 12 because although I won't need 12, I will need 4 or 5 timer sockets, and these take up so much space.
So, my sockets use will be:
Eheim 2180
APS 1000EX UV
1 set of two T5 lights on timer
1 set of two T5 lights on timer (to use the 4 lights evenly and give flexibility
1 solenoid on timer
1 set moonlight LEDs on timer
1 koralia power head for flow on timer
1 for water change pump
You'll note there's more than 4 on timer switches. I may put the koralia on the same timer as the solenoid, so there's high flow when the co2 is on, but not at night.
LOL I hope you got the electronic timers or the whirring will make more noise than your filter! You sure you dont want a 2075 as a backup ?
I fitted the koralia today. Think I may have oversized it (it was on offer cheaper than the smaller models...). It doesn't look much but the substrate was more or less being lifted off the ground ( Aquasoil powder, no plants), and this is after the water has travelled a good meter or so. I hope this will be fine once the plants and carpeting plants go in. The good news is I can see the circulation pattern is robust at least ( before plants that is).
Hmm, whatever it is doing to the substrate it will do to the plants surely ? I wonder if they can be connected to a rheostat switch to ramp them up and down a bit ?
Sounds like things are progressing well at least. If you can't book a day off for your planting you may have to splash out on a day out for the rest of the family one weekend, LOL. Send them to the London Eye or something...