First tank, doing a simple 20g freshwater with your common fishes. I filled it up and let it run for a few days and then bought a 5" pleco. He's been fine, other than I worry about him having enough to eat because he shows no interest in the food I give him and there isn't much (if any) algae on the glass.
About 10 days later I introduced 5 neon tetras and they did good at first, bit in the last 5 days I've lost 3 of them, and I think a 4th is about to go No more fish until I get it established and don't have to worry as much...
NO3 is 0, N02 is virtually 0, but I'm having trouble keeping ammonia <2ppm even with .3 & .5 WC and vacuuming. No live plants, and I keep the fish waste down as much as possible, even if I have to rake the gravel by hand. Filter is over-sized and moves plenty of water (as well as gather the dead neons).
Tap water reads about 7.2-7.4 pH and no detectable ammonia.
Only thing I can think of is that our water is chlorinated and preventing the necessary bacteria growth, but I doubt that with our country bumpkin water supply...
???
About 10 days later I introduced 5 neon tetras and they did good at first, bit in the last 5 days I've lost 3 of them, and I think a 4th is about to go No more fish until I get it established and don't have to worry as much...
NO3 is 0, N02 is virtually 0, but I'm having trouble keeping ammonia <2ppm even with .3 & .5 WC and vacuuming. No live plants, and I keep the fish waste down as much as possible, even if I have to rake the gravel by hand. Filter is over-sized and moves plenty of water (as well as gather the dead neons).
Tap water reads about 7.2-7.4 pH and no detectable ammonia.
Only thing I can think of is that our water is chlorinated and preventing the necessary bacteria growth, but I doubt that with our country bumpkin water supply...
???