New API test, new guy, and now unsure

[ShadoeFox]

Hi, I just got into the hobby, and yesterday got an API Master Freshwater Test Kit because everyone here seemed to be certain I needed one.

I normally do water changes for my Bettas mini-tanks and my bigger Tanks on wednesday's, so i waited till today and tested everything BEFORE doing a water change (Except the bettas. I did them like usual.)

My test results actually confuse me and have me a bit worried.

My straight out of the tap water is
PH: 7.6
Ammonia: 1.0
Nitrite: .5
Nitrate: 40

My declorinated water (I wasn't sure if it would matter. I haven't added any biological supplement yet.)
PH: 7.6
Amonia: 1.0
Nitrite: .25
Nitrate: 50

My 10 Gallon tank, which I've made every mistake in the book on (I set it up and put fish in maybe a week later with only Petsmart telling me "it looks okay" water test wise. I have been running it a month and a half and have 7 one inch guppies. one Black Khuli Loach, and three ghost shrimp which I foolishly let my fiancee talk me into purchasing yesterday) in the tank. It's running a Aqueon quietflow 10 HOB
PH: 7.6
A: 0
Nitrite: 2.0
Nitrate: 10

As a note, it's also planted with some plant's I'm not sure of and some Mondo Grass that I was planning on pulling out of the tank during water change since I found out it WASN'T aquatic after all (The other plants I'm pretty sure are, but I forget what they are.) There's also a small Japanese Moss Ball in the tank. I was also planning on adding a bit of Java Moss I got yesterday to it as well.

My 37, which has been sitting fishless for the last week-week and a half (Though it contains one live Moss ball) and to which I'm planning to add a Java Moss too is:
PH 7.6
A .25
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 10


Frankly at this point I'm not even sure how I'm supposed to tell if the 37 is doing anything cycle related (I haven't added food, mostly due to it always testing positive for amonia at the LFS) and I'm worried about even DOING the PWC on my ten gallon with the Ghost Shrimp in it.

Please help the panicking new guy!

 

[ShadoeFox]

PS. Sorry that was so long. I was just so happy, heck even proud, to get my test kit and now it's got me panicked. The Guppies in my ten gallon look happy (Heck, their colors are brighter than when I got them from the pet stores over the last several weeks. I did at least only add two or three at a time. I understand good color is healthy fish.)

I mean, I've taken care of my bettas for a while now (The oldest over two months) and everyone is blowing bubble nests so I assume their happy and healthy, so maybe I'm worried about nothing.

 

[TraceyB4602]

Hi, I just got into the hobby, and yesterday got an API Master Freshwater Test Kit because everyone here seemed to be certain I needed one.

I normally do water changes for my Bettas mini-tanks and my bigger Tanks on wednesday's, so i waited till today and tested everything BEFORE doing a water change (Except the bettas. I did them like usual.)

My test results actually confuse me and have me a bit worried.

My straight out of the tap water is
PH: 7.6
Ammonia: 1.0
Nitrite: .5
Nitrate: 40

My declorinated water (I wasn't sure if it would matter. I haven't added any biological supplement yet.)
PH: 7.6
Amonia: 1.0
Nitrite: .25
Nitrate: 50

My 10 Gallon tank, which I've made every mistake in the book on (I set it up and put fish in maybe a week later with only Petsmart telling me "it looks okay" water test wise. I have been running it a month and a half and have 7 one inch guppies. one Black Khuli Loach, and three ghost shrimp which I foolishly let my fiancee talk me into purchasing yesterday) in the tank. It's running a Aqueon quietflow 10 HOB
PH: 7.6
A: 0
Nitrite: 2.0
Nitrate: 10

As a note, it's also planted with some plant's I'm not sure of and some Mondo Grass that I was planning on pulling out of the tank during water change since I found out it WASN'T aquatic after all (The other plants I'm pretty sure are, but I forget what they are.) There's also a small Japanese Moss Ball in the tank. I was also planning on adding a bit of Java Moss I got yesterday to it as well.

My 37, which has been sitting fishless for the last week-week and a half (Though it contains one live Moss ball) and to which I'm planning to add a Java Moss too is:
PH 7.6
A .25
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 10

Frankly at this point I'm not even sure how I'm supposed to tell if the 37 is doing anything cycle related (I haven't added food, mostly due to it always testing positive for amonia at the LFS) and I'm worried about even DOING the PWC on my ten gallon with the Ghost Shrimp in it.

Please help the panicking new guy!

It sounds like your 37 isn't cycled and. That the nitrates that are present are from your tap. As for your 10g it seems it's in the middle of cycling seeing you have zero NH3. You do need to do 2 50% water changes in it to get your nitrites below .25. Your ammonia and nitrates should never get above these levels because it will stress your fish.

Your 37g needs an ammonia source so that it can cycle. Your tap has ammonia so unless you have bacteria to break that down in your tank it will always read an ammonia level.

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[ShadoeFox]

How much should I worry about the amonia in my tap water though? that's what I'm not sure of.

 

[TraceyB4602]

How much should I worry about the amonia in my tap water though? that's what I'm not sure of.

Do you have a water conditioner? If not I would get some and that will take care of your issue. I like Prime it detoxifies ammonia nitrite and nitrate.

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[dkpate]

If you had fish in your 37 gallon, that might be why you are getting readings. If I were you, I would put a little pinch of food in there every day to keep the cycle going, even though there are no fish. If the results are not coming out of your tap, then that means the tank is already on it's way cycling-wise.

Like Tracey said, keep up the water changes, so your ammonia stays at .25 or below, this is only in the tanks with the fish though, don't do water changes on the 37 gallon.

Also remember, if you do use Prime, you will get false positive readings, so the test will still show ammonia, but it's neutralized to a certain point. I think it tells you how much on the back of the bottle.

 

[ShadoeFox]

I am using a conditioner (Not prime, but something). I haven't got anything in the 37, so I wasn't worried about it as much. I was worried about the 10 since it's got life in it. I'll look into finding prime, since everyone around here mentions it.

I did put a pinch of food in the 37 to get the ball rolling. I didn't really know for sure what to do because the thing on fishless cycling talked about ammonia and I do NOT like the idea of keeping pure ammonia around here. Heck, I don't like keeping BLEACH on hand.

Thanks for the answers, and I'm sorry for the dumb questions. (I'll probably have more too.)

 

[TraceyB4602]

If you don't like ammonia just keep adding fish food or you can add a piece of raw shrimp in there and as it decomposes it will release ammonia.

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[ShadoeFox]

Put in the fish food. Acted like I was feeding some fish. I figure I can content myself with adding plants and decorations while it's cycling anyhow. Right now it's kind of spare. I'd feel bad for a fish in the tank even ignoring the water. I've seen betta bowls with more style in them.

Okay, to be fair, MY betta's little tanks have more style.