Dark Start Method - avoid algae and melting plants

[Art]

My friend, Jurijs Jutjajevs, a professional aquascaper from Germany and old co-host of the ScapeFu Podcast with me, has released a high-quality YouTube video describing the dark start method. It's a method for starting your aquarium by first building a biological base (cycle the tank) before adding plants. I used this method in my latest build.

Enjoy!

 

[*Ci*]

A couple of questions that were not addressed in the video. He mentioned a minimum of two weeks - how do you determine when the dark start is done? Should you be testing ammonia and nitrite throughout the process as you do with other cycling methods?

It was mentioned that this method would work well for inert substrates as well as active ones, but do you need to add bottled ammonia if using an inert substrate (which would also imply testing)?

I assume when the process is over, you do a 100% water change to remove tannins and high nitrates and then plant? Do you then immediately add co2 and start fertilizing? I will be using inert gravel with small pockets of ADA Aquasoil in a nano tank.

Thanks for any advice!

 

[Zeus.]

James Finley profesional aquascaper who use to own The Green Machine. Did lots of utube vids for the hobby. He used the dark start in the tanks he did, although its not mentioned in the vids. Got most of my hardscape rocks from Green Machine so got all the info from his guys.
Think he use to leave them 6weeks, AS and rocks in,filter on, no lights or CO2.
Then drain tank substrate level then plant the whole tank fill.
Then tank,substrate and filter was cycled.

 

[Yugang]

These video's are funny, in the first minute he says twice that it is completely free, and then just in the second minute recommends 2Hr Aquarist APT Start to kick start the process Not saying it does not work, but like other products with bacteria not much evidence published regarding efficacy. Good for newbies, maybe, but for more experienced hobbyists like yourself @*Ci* probably not the most pragmatic.

Here is what I would do, but I know that there are others on this forum more experienced with starting tanks. I know that @Tim Harrison usually cycles his tank in less than 2 weeks, so he may have some further advice.

You are using mostly inert substrate, and just a little aquasoil. So most likely some ammonia spike from the AS, good food for the bacteria but not too much really. You also have existing tanks, and probably filter material. I would use the gunk, or perhaps even filtration material from an existing tank to kick start the microorganisms in the new tank. From what I have read, you may very well have the new tank cycled within a week or two, as to be confirmed with testing ammonia and nitrites. Time to turn on the light, water change never does harm, and you may then want to add some faster growing plants first. Start fertilising and CO2 now. Do one more check on ammonia and nitrites later before you want to add any livestock and more sensitive plants.

I believe the above makes sense, and just pragmatic. No need to overthink the process, or go shopping, just use what you already have in your existing tanks.

 

[Jeff Miotke]

James Finley profesional aquascaper who use to own The Green Machine. Did lots of utube vids for the hobby. He used the dark start in the tanks he did, although its not mentioned in the vids. Got most of my hardscape rocks from Green Machine so got all the info from his guys.
Think he use to leave them 6weeks, AS and rocks in,filter on, no lights or CO2.
Then drain tank substrate level then plant the whole tank fill.
Then tank,substrate and filter was cycled.

I thought the same exact thing…Green Machine! And also reef guys with real live rock back in the day did this too. Funny how these things pop up from the past as new.