I'm confused...tank cycle wonky?

[KaylNeko]

Ok. I've had the ten gallon up and running for several months now. I just recently started using this site's test log (which is pretty cool, btw) but for the last few weeks, I've noticed that my ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels have remained stable, if not at 0. The ammonia has been .25 at every test except today (and that's after almost a week since the last water change rather than two to three days and some of the filter media got pulled to jump start the 55 gallon) where it's .5. Nitrites have been 0 constantly for several weeks, and nitrates at about 20. I am confused....this tank does not appear to be following the usual pattern. My tap water tests at .25 as is--does that have something to do with the ammonia levels never being 0? Other than two to three times a week water changes between 25 and 50 percent, anything else I can/need to do?

 

[librarygirl]

Hi! If your tank is fully cycled it should be able to process the tap water's ammonia down to 0 within a day if not less, and if the tank has been running for at least 3 months it should be cycled by now. What test kit are you using (strips or liquid)? Have you tried testing spring water and comparing it to the tank's ammonia test? It can be difficult to tell the difference between 0 and .25 on some test kits so testing spring water which would have 0 ammonia and then comparing the two will let you know for sure. Also there may have been an ammonia spike from removing the media to help cycle the other tank; this is normal and should settle down soon, just keep doing extra water changes to keep ammonia <.25. Your nitrates are pretty good; as long as they don't rise too much over 20 between water changes I wouldn't worry about them.

For now do some extra testing and water changes to keep ammonia down given that removing some of the media probably disrupted things a bit. Once things settle down ammonia should go to 0; again, to be sure you're reading the test correctly, test it against some spring water.

The only other issue that could cause a constant ammonia reading is if the tank is overstocked for its size and/or you're overfeeding the fish and not vacuuming the substrate often enough, and/or there isn't enough filtration on the 10 gal tank. What fish are in the 10 gal? What filter are you using?

 

[KaylNeko]

Thanks for the reply!

Using an Aqueon QuietFlow 10, around 100gph. There's a betta, three peppered corys (getting moved to the 55 gallon once the quarantine period is over for the new corys), and a double handful of shrimp and snails. The Eco-Complete in the open area where they're fed gets stirred up when I do the PWC and what comes out siphoned up--most of the rest is planted. I test several times weekly and this tank has never read 0 on ammonia. QT is reading about the same--slightly lower nitrates, but otherwise identical. Using the API test kit--I'll test it against spring water. It's definitely possible I'm misreading the shade of yellow as a light spring green.

 

[KaylNeko]

Tested the spring water and compared to another test of the tank water. The tank water was a few shades greener than the spring water. The difference was slight enough I had to study it for a few minutes to make sure, but it's there. Grr *lol* Was hoping that would be the reason and I was good. guess I'll just keep up with the water changes and see what happens once the corys get moved in a couple weeks.