New Tank. Odd Readings

[The_Desacrator]

I set up a 10 gallon tank yesterday, so today is the first day of testing and I got this
ph - 7.8
ammonia - .5 ppm
nitrite - 0 ppm
nitrate - 30 ppm
temperature - 80 F
I added Nutrafin Cycle today and yesterday, and yesterday I added Topfin Water Conditioner. I thought it was odd as i have never gotten reading like this.

edit:
this is without adding fish or an ammonia source. i do have 2 anubias in the tank and I added salt

 

[BigJim]

What did you use to test the water?

Did you start with a seeded filter?

If you started with a new filter, there's no way I believe those readings.

 

[fishguy1]

Sounds like you have ammonia and nitrates in your source water. The ammonia could be due to the water conditioner converting chloramine.

 

[The_Desacrator]

I used the API master freshwater test kit. Liquid testing. That filter is bran spanking new which I thought was odd too. I am going to seed it with my turtle's filter next week.

 

[The_Desacrator]

Readings for today
temp - 79 F
ph - 7.8
ammonia - 0 ppm
nitrite - 0 ppm
nitrate - 30 ppm

 

[fishguy1]

I'd say the ammonia reading the first time was a fluke.

Did you test your tap water for nitrates?

 

[The_Desacrator]

Readings for today
temp - 79.5 F
ph - 7.8
ammonia - 0 ppm
nitrite - 0 ppm
nitrate - 30 ppm

I'd say the ammonia reading the first time was a fluke.

Did you test your tap water for nitrates?

I tested today from the tap
ph - 7.6~
ammonia - .25 ppm
nitrite - 0 ppm
nitrate - 30 ppm

 

[fishguy1]

I thought so. Did you use water conditioner on the tap water you tested?

 

[mudraker]

Wow, your tap water is not so hot.

Not to be insulting, but did you follow the directions carefully on the nitrate test? Especially shaking the second bottle hard for 30 seconds and the test tube for a full minute?

And on the amonia, did you use a white background in good light when you read the comparisons?

I have a not-so-good bulb in the reading lamp next to one of my aquariums and my ammo test always looks slightly green (ammonia positive) next to it, but if I take it to the bathroom and read it against the better light bulbs and use the white porceline sink as the background, I find it is actually yellow with no green tint.

I'm just saying this because I am hoping your tap water isn't really that bad, but it could be.

 

[The_Desacrator]

I followed the directions correctly and I did not use conditioner on the water I tested.

 

[fishguy1]

I followed the directions correctly and I did not use conditioner on the water I tested.

that's too bad. That's not the best water to start with. I hope your planting the tank.

 

[The_Desacrator]

In my 37gal I have 2 anubias nana and 2 amazon swords and in my 10gal i have 2 anubia nana

 

[mudraker]

Fortunately for you, plants do like amonia. I'd get more to fight your terrible tap water.

 

[The_Desacrator]

Yeah but what do I do about the nitrates? Multiple water changes a week?

ph - 7.6
ammonia - .25 ppm (my hand touched the edge of the test tube so this might be off)
nitrite - 0 ppm
nitrate - 30 ppm
temperature - 80 F

 

[mudraker]

Yes, but doing 40 or 50% weekly won't be too much more of a hassle than 25% a week. But if it stays at a level 30ppm, it will be beneficial to the plants also.

Just don't let it get past 40.

 

[The_Desacrator]

I thought plants breakdown nitrites not nitrates/ammonia.

 

[mudraker]

Actually, plants eat all three.

It's the reason why plants can so down or disrupt cycling.

And yes, I found the concept hard to beleive myself.

 

[The_Desacrator]

Well I havent changed the water since I started this thread, and have had the plants in the whole time. Why aren't the nitrates going down?

Also for the past couple of days the water has been really cloudy.

 

[mudraker]

Anubious and swords are heavy root feeders, meaning they heavily feed on micronutrients, such as iron, copper and magnesium. You should look into stem plants that will eat large amounts of macronutrients, such as nitrate and ammonia.

Moneywort and hornwort are huge nitrate eaters (just off the top of my head) but there are plenty of others.

 

[fishguy1]

Well I havent changed the water since I started this thread, and have had the plants in the whole time. Why aren't the nitrates going down?

Also for the past couple of days the water has been really cloudy.

Plants will consume ammonia first, then nitrites and then nitrates. The bacteria colonies consume a lot of the ammonia and nitrites, leaving plants with nitrates to use.

Cloudy water is probably a bacterial bloom - very common with new aquariums. DO NOT add chemicals to "fix" this. It doesn't need fixing. The bacteria will die off and then the beneficial bacteria will start to colonize the tank. If you must do something about it, do a water change.

You might want to consider spending the money on a nitrate filter.