Plecs or not, ammonia kills fish. Nitrates are the natural end product of the denitrifying process. Simple diagnosis, your filters aren't cycled. Last week we're talking about what filter to buy, this week theres fish in the tank. Filters take about 4-6 weeks to cycle & become suitable for supporting fish. You should also check your nitrites.
There hasn't been a product that i've seen that can cycle a filter in days. Most, if effective at all, shorten the cycle time by a few days of the 4-6 weeks.
Also weird why one tank is at pH 7.6 & the other 6. I'd avoid using chemicals to buffer the pH its a never ending struggle. If you've already got your fish in the tanks, changing the water parameters, especially quickly, can cause major problems. Most sources recommend no more than a 0.2 change in pH in 24 hours.
very well said :thumbup:
every aquarium should be set up in a way for the water to suit the fish with out using cemicals.
thought it is understandable when people try mimic ph readings of 9+ minrals need to be added!
Agreed. My next question then, if there is no fish in the tank, is where is the ammonia coming from? Just for clarification, tanks don't cycle, its the filters that cycle. Also, the denitrifying bacteria are living creatures so if not provided a food source, ammonia/nitrite, they will die off.
:thumbup: just one thing tanks do not cycle but they do build up with bacteria everything in the aquarium will be covered with bacteria substrate glass caves drift which helps
even tho all you need is a cycled filter to get started but only when your whole tank is "cycled" you are 100%
No offence but it think you may be over estimating your experiance level, almost all of your questions an experienced fish keeper would know as its fairly basic stuff. using old tank water is pointless and wont help you cycle any quicker as it will have little or no bacteria to aid the cycle process. fishless cycling with ammonia, fish in cycling with lots of water changes or using mature media is the main ways to cycle, when cycled you wouldn't get a cloudy tank as that is a bacteria bloom.
no holding back ay
most new people get overly exited and end up asking questions that they might already know the answers to,
but.....
as long as they dont lie! people will still help them as they wont end up feeling as its pointless! as if we recieve incorrect info we canot help with the correct answers
i hope all is well plecomate take some new pics to show us ur tanks and gear also could you clarify if you have the fish or not?
if that filter came from an established tank "not from someone else, who you bought it from but from your tank then it should be cycled" if you bought it from some one else then i would say it was left empty or full with out running it so it doesnt have the bacteria anymore!
so you will need to start again!
points you should consider
breeding a easyer fish to start with
only getting one breeding pair
making sure you have the ph stable to your liking before ading any fish
as ph will drop with amonia!
like i said drift will drop your ph and calcium based rocks will raise it! perfect amout of each will give you your desired ph!
