Sorry to say the tank isn't cycled. Add media from old tank. The algae wafer will not cycle a tank. add any deco and whatever you can from the old tank but if it's been a while and things dried out it won't work. If you have a fish store or a friend, nearby ask if you can have some media from them. You will need to feed 1 wafer each at opposite ends. feed only every 2 days. Keep check on ammonia and nitrites as both fish are major waste producers. Get some Prime and just use tap water unless the PH is real high. I've kept plenty of plecos and never used RO water.
Bristlenose Pleco lying on side
I’ve never had an aquarium prior to this month, however, a friend's Grandparent had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and was going to flush her two fish Common and Bristle-nose Plecos). I begged her not to, bought a 55 gallon tank (they were in a 20gal) , stand, fluval canister filter, seachem flourite gravel (thoroughly washed and soaked prior), plants, spider wood, driftwood (boiled and soaked for a week) and two pleco caves. Now, I have since learned that the Common Pleco may grow and need a larger tank and am saving towards getting a larger one. I used a 4 step RO buddy to add water to the aquarium (this took forever), added a heater (set to 76) and added a small amount of algae wafer because I read I must do this to let the tank cycle. After a few days, the water tested perfectly (0 chlorine, low nitrate, PH within range for Plecos). I added the fish (slowly in bags of their previous tank water) and left the aquarium lights off so they could settle. Last night (10 days later) I tested the water and the nitrate seemed high so I vacuumed the tank, removed 30% water and added RPO buddy filtered water back in at a matching temp to the tank. When I tested again today the nitrates showed as being in the “stress” levels and the Bristle-nose Pleco was lying on it’s side. I rushed out and bought a master aquarium test kit so I could fully test the water. The nitrates were low but ammonia was at 1.0. I added some API water conditioner to the tank (15ml, to start - recommended dose is 25ml) whilst preparing more water to change. I’m concerned i’m feeding too much/not enough), could anyone advise on this please? I feed my Plecos before I go to bed because if I add food during the day, it does not get touched. Also, is there a chance the bristle-nose Pleco had fallen from his cave and just landed on his side? When I picked his cave up, he immediately swam back into the top of it with little effort. Both fish hide and seem scared, not sure what to do but want them to be happy and feel safe and healthy. I would appreciate any advise and or criticism. My goal is to ensure the fish are healthy and happy, so i’m open to feedback.
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Update: another water change last night, nitrites and ammonia were lower and nitrates were higher before the change. I did another 30% water change and dosed the new water with a capful of Prime before I added it to the tank. I also cleaned the sponge filter, replaced the carbon filter and bio filters in my filter. I once again vacuumed all of the waste from the substrate. One thing I did notice this morning that I had not seen before was a tiny snail in my tank. I think it may be a pond snail that hitchhiked on one of my plants;
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