Issue with Mater Test kit??

Hey all,

I've been lurking around on the forums for a while, but today I cannot seem to find any posts relating to my current issue; I have a 5 gal fish tank with a filter rated for 20 gal and it has been established and cycled (at least I should hope it's cycled in the 4 year span that I've had it!). I recently bought a little betta fish for my son. Before putting the fish into the tank, I made sure all the parameters were good to go, and I had gotten perfectly normal results. After we've had this fish in the tank for only a week, my ammonia reading is so high, it's off the chart. No kidding. The API test kit says deep green is around 8.0, but this turned cerulean blue. I've have been doing my normal 1-2 PWCs per week, keeping up with the tank and not over feeding. Does anyone know why this is happening? I know that small tanks are hard to "balance" than larger tanks (20 gal +), but this is just ridiculous. Thankfully this fish hasn't shown any signs of illness yet.

Thanks in advance.

 

Hello and welcome to FishLore!

Couple questions I have for you. Before you bought the betta, did u have an ammonia source in the tank like other fish or has it just been running with nothing in it? How old is your test kit? They do expire and sometimes you really need to shake the bottle hard, especially nitrate bottle #2, to get the most accurate reading. Could you also post your most recent water parameters?

 

Welcome to fishlore!
What is the pH of the tank? If the pH is low it could be you are reading ammonium and the tank isn't really cycled.

 

Welcome to fishlore!
What is the pH of the tank? If the pH is low it could be you are reading ammonium and the tank isn't really cycled.

pH is 7.0

 

Hello and welcome to FishLore!

Couple questions I have for you. Before you bought the betta, did u have an ammonia source in the tank like other fish or has it just been running with nothing in it? How old is your test kit? They do expire and sometimes you really need to shake the bottle hard, especially nitrate bottle #2, to get the most accurate reading. Could you also post your most recent water parameters?

I have had fish in the tank before this one, I had a black algae bloom also, but it cleared up. I took some readings after the water change.

 

Do you know the KH and GH levels? If not, then I'd get a liquid test kit for them. API

 

How long was the tank empty between your other fish and adding your new betta?

 

How long was the tank empty between your other fish and adding your new betta?

Hmm... 3 months maybe? Maybe a little bit less.

 

Your beneficial bacteria has died off within that timeframe. I believe they can only live for 48 hours without an ammonia source.

 

Do you know the KH and GH levels? If not, then I'd get a liquid test kit for them. API

Not too sure what the readings for these are, but we have "soft water" via city water. I've been using neutral regulator (SeaChem) as a buffer and Prime as a conditioner to break up the chloramine bonds. Maybe I need to go back to bottled water?

 

CindiL can help.

 

Your beneficial bacteria has died off within that timeframe. I believe they can only live for 48 hours without an ammonia source.

Oh, I hope not! I used to put fish food into the empty tank so the BB had something to thrive off of. I haven't had any clouding on the water yet, but I forget how long that takes to occur after they die

 

Cloudy water usually occurs due to bacterial bloom. Most of the time, the bacteria blooming isn't the nitrifying bacteria that you need.

 

Yeah, bacterial bloom is heterotrophic bacteria which is harmless but useless to our tanks, the real type ammonia/nitrite eating bacteria is autotrophic which isn't in bacterial blooms.

 

Hi, welcome to fishlore

I don't have a lot to add to what's already been said. Looks like there wasn't enough of a consistent ammonia source and so your nitrifying bacteria died off. They are contained for the most part in the filter media so if you threw out any of those that would explain it also.

I would test your tap for ammonia also. Prime is great and you can dose it daily while you have ammonia. You could pick up a bottle of Seachem Stability and dose that every day to replace the nitrifying bacteria. Probably the best way to go at this point.

 

Hi, welcome to fishlore

I don't have a lot to add to what's already been said. Looks like there wasn't enough of a consistent ammonia source and so your nitrifying bacteria died off. They are contained for the most part in the filter media so if you threw out any of those that would explain it also.

I would test your tap for ammonia also. Prime is great and you can dose it daily while you have ammonia. You could pick up a bottle of Seachem Stability and dose that every day to replace the nitrifying bacteria. Probably the best way to go at this point.

will try! thanks so much everyone!!!