Nitrite In Tank Water But Not Water Coming From Filter...

Every time I think my tank has cycled something else weird happens! My ammonia was sitting at .25ppm forever. Only when I tested distilled bottled water it was also .25ppm by my apI test kit, so I’m assuming that my ammonia is actually zero. I also have an ammonia alarm that is showing no ammonia (and I tested it on water I added ammonia to, so it does seem to work). So then I was happy everything seems to be sitting where it was supposed to “0” ammonia, 0 nitrites, 10-20 nitrates, pH 7.4. I cut down to testing every few days, and regularly checking the ammonia alarm. I had never had any nitrites, even when originally trying to get the tank to cycle without fish and was told that the bottled bacteria I added were probably more efficient at converting nitrite to nitrate than ammonia to nitrite, and once ammonia was 0 it would be cycled. But then a few days ago I tested and nitrites were a little above 0. I did a water change and got it back to zero. Tested the next day and it was still 0. Slipped the next day and tested today and it was .25-.5 ppm! I panicked and did a 50% water change, added a bunch of prime, and some more of the bottled bacteria (wondering if I shouldn’t have done that...). Tested again a few hours later- the water coming out of the filter is 0, but the water in the actual tank is still slightly above 0 (if I had nothing to compare it to, id say the colour looks like 0, but it’s more purple than the cleaned filtered water, so I know there is a trace of nitrites.

Does this mean my filter has the bacteria, but it’s not strong enough for the 10 gallon tank? It is there just not enough bacteria yet? It’s just the filter that came with the top fin 10 gallon kit. I have 5 guppies, 1 rabbit snail, a big java fern, some small anubias, and some Christmas Moss.

 

Could have organic matter rotting somewhere in the tank or you're feeding it a bit too much. Small tanks are very fickle when it comes to maintaining stable water parameters. If your water isn't cloudy you're probably mostly safe and just cut back on the food a little bit.

 

Could have organic matter rotting somewhere in the tank or you're feeding it a bit too much. Small tanks are very fickle when it comes to maintaining stable water parameters. If your water isn't cloudy you're probably mostly safe and just cut back on the food a little bit.

I do think I feed them too much! They are always acting so hungry!

The java fern is sort of dying. Not dying, but many of its’ leaves are growing baby java ferns so kind of decaying. Could that be the problem?

Maybe I’ll just get a great big tank. It’s on my Christmas list!

 

I doubt it. Odds are its food. Fish are always hungry. The plant is doing what we call melting. Its basically getting rid of old leaves and growing new ones to better suit the lighting and water parameters of it's new home. After you get enough new growth you can cut off the old leaves. Don't cut them too soon because the plant is pulling the nutrients out of those old leaves to help grow the new ones.

 

I do think I feed them too much! They are always acting so hungry!

The java fern is sort of dying. Not dying, but many of its’ leaves are growing baby java ferns so kind of decaying. Could that be the problem?

Maybe I’ll just get a great big tank. It’s on my Christmas list!

So your filter is undersized since it's a kit. You are over feeding which I totally get it. Also, 10 gallon tanks are amazingly tough to maintain water chemistry due to the small volume. Cut back on the feedings, do a water change and you need to hotrod that filter.

 

Here’s the java fern...

So your filter is undersized since it's a kit. You are over feeding which I totally get it. Also, 10 gallon tanks are amazingly tough to maintain water chemistry due to the small volume. Cut back on the feedings, do a water change and you need to hotrod that filter.

Ok do you have any advice or links on how to help/replace the filter? I read a lot about cycling the tank before I got started but I’m not very mechanically inclined!

Also, I put a sponge over the filter intake a few days ago because I was worried about the snail. Could that be a problem?

 

Just buy another slightly bigger hob filter or another small one to run in tandem.

 

Ok do you have any advice or links on how to help/replace the filter? I read a lot about cycling the tank before I got started but I’m not very mechanically inclined!

Also, I put a sponge over the filter intake a few days ago because I was worried about the snail. Could that be a problem?

So don't blow money on another HOB. You want to replace the cartridge with lava rock. So since you are cycling...get some lava rock and pop it in your tank for say 3 weeks. Then pull that useless cartrige out of your HOB and put the lava rock in its place. Then put polyfil (pillow stuffing) on top. Never buy a cartrige again and you have immeasurably increased the filtration capacity of your filter.

 

So don't blow money on another HOB. You want to replace the cartridge with lava rock. So since you are cycling...get some lava rock and pop it in your tank for say 3 weeks. Then pull that useless cartrige out of your HOB and put the lava rock in its place. Then put polyfil (pillow stuffing) on top. Never buy a cartrige again and you have immeasurably increased the filtration capacity of your filter.

Irrelevant to the question but your two guppies look exactly like the two I started my hobby of about 6 years ago

 

Irrelevant to the question but your two guppies look exactly like the two I started my hobby of about 6 years ago

I really like the look of the orange guy, but he is a HUGE jerk!!