New fishkeeper, need guidance on how to control tank parameters

Hiya,

So for reference, my current fish is my second betta fish. My first one I did everything by the pet store book and somehow he was fine and lived happily for a few years. With my previous fish I never owned a water test kit, just some of those dunk and read strips that really probably didn't work. I bought a 3 gallon tank because the microtank they tried to sell me seemed cruel, though I now know that even my 3 gallon is too small Last time I literally just bought my betta, filled my tank, added dechlorinator and then let him free, and he was fine.

However he passed away over a year ago and now I was wanting another fish because I enjoyed my last one a lot. I used the same tank, got a new plant, an API water test kit and my fish. I expected to do the same as last time but after doing all the water tests I found my pH was pretty high (8.4) and my ammonia was somehow 1-2ppm. After much reading I found out about the nitrogen cycle and starting trying things to help the ammonia go down. It has now been over a week and my reading is just as high, things I have tried include adding API quick start, adding a sponge filter into the tank, adding some of my fish's cup water into the tank (it has an ammonia level of 0 in there so there much be some magic happening in there) and doing a water change. The pH is better now, at 7.4 however my ammonia won't budge and I would really like to be able to get my fishy friend out of his travel cup soon. The ammonia level is still around 1-2ppm, I check it everyday, nitrates/nitrites are 0.

Some more tank specs for anyone interested
3 gallon tank, with a heater (water is 23-25 degrees C) and a filter ( kink in the air hose to make the bubbles gentle)
Ammonia 1-2ppm, not sure why it started so high
pH 7.4
Nitrate/nitrite 0
Using API quickstart and dechlorinator. Have also added some of the stress coat by them.
1 live plant in the tank, not sure what sort though.

Really just looking to see if I am doing something wrong or if there is anything else I should be doing to fix my ammonia.

Thanks
Monshinix

Note: I am a beginner and I recognise I should have known these things BEFORE I bought the fish, however having had success before I didn't think of it and frankly was just ignorant, but now I just want to learn what I can do to help my new fish friend, so please be kind

 

Your pH will go up and down as your tank cycles. How large of water change are you doing? Until your cycle progress you will have to remove ammonia and nitrites with water changes. I would recommend 50% water changes whenever ammonia gets to 1ppm or ammonia and nitrites reach 1ppm combined. Once you finish the nitrogen cycle you will get stable pH and no ammonia or nitrites.

 

I don't think you said anything about water changes in the 3 gallon tank. If you'll change out 50% of the water it should cut the ammonia down by 50% also. However, I'm puzzled by why you have ammonia showing at all. Have you added an ammonia source to start the cycle?

 

The way I read it there's a betta in the tank.

 

I don't think you said anything about water changes in the 3 gallon tank. If you'll change out 50% of the water it should cut the ammonia down by 50% also. However, I'm puzzled by why you have ammonia showing at all. Have you added an ammonia source to start the cycle?

New tank, new filter, new media. Media has not colonized enough aerobic bacteria yet to remove ammonia.

 

The way I read it there's a betta in the tank.

You may be right, but the part where it says "... adding some of my fish's cup water into the tank (it has an ammonia level of 0 in there so there much be some magic happening in there)" made me think maybe not.

 

HI everyone,

To clarify my betta is not in the tank currently, and the ammonia is coming from my tap water so doing water changes isn't removing it. I did do a 25% water change using bottled RO water to help this but there was no change in the ammonia levels. So there is ammonia to start the cycle off, but my concern is that I have seen no change over the past week and a bit and am concerned because I want to be able to move my fish into the tank as I am sure staying in the cup isn't best for him.

Thanks,
Monshinix