ambush0908
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Hello,
I purchased a 125 gallon tank with 12 African Cichlids. It also had 2 plecos. Substrate is a thin layer of sand. It was about a 2 hour ride from where I bought it. I transported all fish, substrate, rocks and about 22 gallons of water in buckets. I set it up with no major issues. I did notice that there was a ton of waste in substrate from plecos. Also the filter media was loaded with waste. There are 2 Aqueon 75 filters and I added another one I had. The next day I tested water and nitrates were off the charts. 180+. Ammonia was .25 and nitrites 0. I did a 60% water change, vacuumed and added prime. Next day same reading. Did another 60% water change and vacuum. I also brought Plecos to fish store. I decided to scrap the filter media and swap it out with my media from my established 75 gallon planted tank. I did that reluctantly but it was so disgusting I pulled the trigger. I tested water today and nitrates were down to 80 but ammonia was still .25. Nitrites still 0. I decided no to do a water change because I was afraid 3 days in a row of large water changes could stress fish too much. Is it normal that nitrates would be so high and still have ammonia with no nitrites? I am hoping the tank is still cycled. Has any one encountered this situation before?
FYI, tap water has 0 ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. PH is around 8.
I purchased a 125 gallon tank with 12 African Cichlids. It also had 2 plecos. Substrate is a thin layer of sand. It was about a 2 hour ride from where I bought it. I transported all fish, substrate, rocks and about 22 gallons of water in buckets. I set it up with no major issues. I did notice that there was a ton of waste in substrate from plecos. Also the filter media was loaded with waste. There are 2 Aqueon 75 filters and I added another one I had. The next day I tested water and nitrates were off the charts. 180+. Ammonia was .25 and nitrites 0. I did a 60% water change, vacuumed and added prime. Next day same reading. Did another 60% water change and vacuum. I also brought Plecos to fish store. I decided to scrap the filter media and swap it out with my media from my established 75 gallon planted tank. I did that reluctantly but it was so disgusting I pulled the trigger. I tested water today and nitrates were down to 80 but ammonia was still .25. Nitrites still 0. I decided no to do a water change because I was afraid 3 days in a row of large water changes could stress fish too much. Is it normal that nitrates would be so high and still have ammonia with no nitrites? I am hoping the tank is still cycled. Has any one encountered this situation before?
FYI, tap water has 0 ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. PH is around 8.