My tap water I use is killing my fish.

[mgx42]

I recently set up a 20 gallon tank. I decided to cycle it with fish (I know fishless is better but it is what it is). I bought 4 zebra danios to cycle it with. One died shortly after being put in my tank (looked like swim bladder wasn't working, it was swimming upside down and what not before it died) so we exchanged him for a new one (that was yesterday). Today about an hour ago, another one died the same way. So I checked the tank's ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate with an API master kit. Ammonia was at .25ppm, Nitrite was at .5ppm, and Nitrate at 5.0ppm. I was really confused by those test results because it was only day 1 of the cycle, so obviously I did a 50% water change. Tested tank again, ammonia got a little better but the nitrites/nitrates were worse. So i did a 90% water change. Same results. At that point I decided to test my tap water's nitrites/nitrates right out of my faucet, the results for my "TAP" WATER were; Nitrite 2.0ppm, and Nitrate 20ppm. At first I thought i tested wrong, so i double checked, then triple checked using the instruction manual every test. Same results. I would really appreciate some advice from some of the more experienced aquarists on here, I'm really sad that I've killed 2 fish already. The only thing I can think to do about the water is to buy some prime and put it in there every 24 hours throughout the cycle. Can someone please help me find a solution to all of this?

 

[bkiggy]

Unfortunately you are going to have to use Reverse Osmosis water or Distilled and add salt for electrolytes

 

[mgx42]

Unfortunately you are going to have to use Reverse Osmosis water or Distilled and add salt for electrolytes

Thanks for your response. I've decided to just by some 2 gallon jug(s) of spring water at the grocery store and mix it with the tap, on top of that i'll add prime so i can get those test results down. Using just my tap is poisoning my fish so mixing it with spring water is the only thing I can think of. I guess thats why my apartment complex doesn't charge me for water utilities...

 

[Bearchumjs]

Thanks for your response. I've decided to just by some 2 gallon jug(s) of spring water at the grocery store and mix it with the tap, on top of that i'll add prime so i can get those test results down. Using just my tap is poisoning my fish so mixing it with spring water is the only thing I can think of. I guess thats why my apartment complex doesn't charge me for water utilities...

Hopefully you drink filtered water.

Make sure your pH is ok with mixing the water. Good luck!

 

[Marinemammalover]

This is so weird cuz I am also currently doing a fish in cycle with my twenty gallon with six (instead of four) zebra danios. I also have about 1ppm of nitrite in my tap water and 0.25ppm of ammonia in my tap. I have gotten through my ammonia spike and am currently having a nitrite spike. I haven't had any fish die yet but I have been doing daily 25-50% water changes to make sure that that doesn't happen. So just keep testing daily use prime/ am quel plus and you'll get through this! Believe I know just how stressful and frustrating this is!

 

[mgx42]

This is so weird cuz I am also currently doing a fish in cycle with my twenty gallon with six (instead of four) zebra danios. I also have about 1ppm of nitrite in my tap water and 0.25ppm of ammonia in my tap. I have gotten through my ammonia spike and am currently having a nitrite spike. I haven't had any fish die yet but I have been doing daily 25-50% water changes to make sure that that doesn't happen. So just keep testing daily use prime/ am quel plus and you'll get through this! Believe I know just how stressful and frustrating this is!

Thanks, good to know I'm not the only one. I got my nitrites and ammonia down with spring water but my nitrates are still getting around 10ppm. I guess time and water changes will tell if the last of the danios will survive. What is a "safe" nitrate reading?

 

[Alyxx]

Thanks, good to know I'm not the only one. I got my nitrites and ammonia down with spring water but my nitrates are still getting around 10ppm. I guess time and water changes will tell if the last of the danios will survive. What is a "safe" nitrate reading?

You want to keep them under 20.

 

[mgx42]

You want to keep them under 20.

Ok so I'm good then, thanks!

 

[mgx42]

I'll keep you all updated

 

[mgx42]

Hey guys, this morning I found another danio dead, but he seemed really sick the whole day yesterday, so I think there was no saving him. On a brighter note, I did another 2.5 gallon water change today with spring water conditioned with prime. Tested the water later today and my results were much better; Ammonia: 0, Nitrite: 0, Nitrate: under 5.0, and PH: 6.8-7.0. On top of that my 1 zebra danio actually ate the food I gave him today and is showing much healthier behavior! I plan on doing another 2.5 gallon change tomorrow to get the rest of that tap water out of there.
My new questions are:
1. Should I put a few more danios in there to school with this one through the cycling process? I'm determined that I can get them through it alive this time with the new water, plus my 1 danio only comes out when the light is off or when hungry, otherwise he hides in the rock cave I put in there. I'm assuming he's uncomfortable by himself.
2. Do I need to consistently add prime to the water? Or only when I'm doing a water change? (I've heard some people say every 24 hours when cycling)

P.S. Thank you all for your support and advice, I really appreciate it.