No ammonia but I have nitrite?

I have a 10 gallon tank with 1 platy and 1 molly. To start off, I've been doing 30% water changes every day for the past 4 days because my ammonia level was at 1ppm. After the water change I did yesterday, I also added filter media. I have a TopFin PF10 filter and I was just using cartridges, but then I added a fresh cartridge while keeping the old one in. Yesterday I took the material off the old cartridge frame (I already threw out the carbon) and stuffed it in the bottom, added a bag of biomax, and put a sponge pre filter on my intake. I've been struggling with ammonia levels since I added fish (I didn't cycle my tank, lesson learned), so I decided to add more places for BB to grow.

I tested the water about 4-5 ish hours after doing a water change today. Ammonia read I believe 0ppm, it wasn't bright yellow, but it wasn't really on the greener side either. More like a pale yellow? Anyways, I tested the nitrites, and I have 0.5ppm. Any ideas on how this could occur? I don't test nitrites every time like I should, but the last few times I tested it there were no nitrites (but there was ammonia). I plan on continuing the water changes.

Another strange thing that happens is every time I change water, my pH drops to 6.0. My tap water tests at 7.6 and my tank used to stay at 7.6 also, so I have no idea why it changes. I found API pH up to be useless, so I add baking soda and it brings it back up.

 

The reason you have nitrite but not much ammonia is because in a cycled tank the ammonia is converted to nitrite, and that nitrite is converted to nitrate. It means that your tank is starting to cycle, yay! The nitrite is still toxic to fish however, so you'll want to be carefully monitoring them and maybe add some aqaurium salt or prime. The next thing that should happen in the cycle is that you get a nitrate reading but no nitrite or nitrate. There are some good articles on here and just the internet in general that can explain the way the nitrogen cycle works much better than I can, so I would check those out. I'm not sure about the ph issue though, maybe someone else has some ideas.

 

what's the kH of your tapwater? there is a pH drop after 15 minutes out of the tap, which we discussed earlier this week on a different thread. in the pipes and from the treatment plant theres just less carbon dioxide, so when the water come out of the tap and sits a bit, carbon dioxide hits the water an acid is formed and then the acid leaves the water and drops the pH a bit.

if your KH is low (carbonates) the pH will settle low even if it comes out of the tap at a decent pH, as it is that process takes place where it balances out to the atmosphere and then the pH can drop or rise. depending on the KH. KH keeps it stable or relatively stable and maybe .1 to .2 drop as it balances with the atmosphere.
your pH is low for either fish you are trying to keep. instead of fighting it, why not embrace it and keep species that like a 6 or at least don't hate it so much?
Apistos, Rams, Cardinal Tetras, hatchetfish, Rasboras, really Tetras, Tetras tetras lots of them have no problem with low pH, and people struggle trying to keep them with their mollies. if you get tired of fighting the pH, plot for fish that like it low instead.

Baking soda is Sodium Bicarbonate, the key to your pH working with it is the bicarbonate, not so much the sodium. so I'm going to guess that you KH is low.

Ammonia is the worst, Nitrites are 2nd worst, but nowhere near as bad as ammonia.
it's a good sign that you ammonia isn't visible and nitrites are, the cycle is progressing. you have bacteria converting ammonia to nitrites, then bacteria builds to convert nitrites to nitrates. nitrates will then appear on tests and nitrites will eventually disappear like the ammonia. Just stay the course a little longer. you'll have 0 or near zero for ammonia and Nitrites soon enough and just building nitrates and the cycle will be finished.

 

The reason you have nitrite but not much ammonia is because in a cycled tank the ammonia is converted to nitrite, and that nitrite is converted to nitrate. It means that your tank is starting to cycle, yay! The nitrite is still toxic to fish however, so you'll want to be carefully monitoring them and maybe add some aqaurium salt or prime. The next thing that should happen in the cycle is that you get a nitrate reading but no nitrite or nitrate. There are some good articles on here and just the internet in general that can explain the way the nitrogen cycle works much better than I can, so I would check those out. I'm not sure about the ph issue though, maybe someone else has some ideas.

Thay brings me so much joy to hear!! I will definitely be monitoring them, so far they still seem healthy. Thank you!!

what's the kH of your tapwater? there is a pH drop after 15 minutes out of the tap, which we discussed earlier this week on a different thread. in the pipes and from the treatment plant theres just less carbon dioxide, so when the water come out of the tap and sits a bit, carbon dioxide hits the water an acid is formed and then the acid leaves the water and drops the pH a bit.

if your KH is low (carbonates) the pH will settle low even if it comes out of the tap at a decent pH, as it is that process takes place where it balances out to the atmosphere and then the pH can drop or rise. depending on the KH. KH keeps it stable or relatively stable and maybe .1 to .2 drop as it balances with the atmosphere.
your pH is low for either fish you are trying to keep. instead of fighting it, why not embrace it and keep species that like a 6 or at least don't hate it so much?
Apistos, Rams, Cardinal Tetras, hatchetfish, Rasboras, really Tetras, Tetras tetras lots of them have no problem with low pH, and people struggle trying to keep them with their mollies. if you get tired of fighting the pH, plot for fish that like it low instead.

Baking soda is Sodium Bicarbonate, the key to your pH working with it is the bicarbonate, not so much the sodium. so I'm going to guess that you KH is low.

Ammonia is the worst, Nitrites are 2nd worst, but nowhere near as bad as ammonia.
it's a good sign that you ammonia isn't visible and nitrites are, the cycle is progressing. you have bacteria converting ammonia to nitrites, then bacteria builds to convert nitrites to nitrates. nitrates will then appear on tests and nitrites will eventually disappear like the ammonia. Just stay the course a little longer. you'll have 0 or near zero for ammonia and Nitrites soon enough and just building nitrates and the cycle will be finished.

I have no idea what the KH is of wither my tap or my tank. I've looked into buying the GH/KH test kit so many times and I know its only $10 but I've already spent so much on my fish so I haven't gotten it yet. I am interested to let tap water sit out for 15 minutes like that and test before and after so I think I'll do that.

As for going for the fish that are fine with a pH that low, I love the idea of having apistos and rams, in fact I really want some kind of cichlid, but I've read they have to be in a 20+ gallon. I also am trying to stay away from schooling fish, as pretty as tetras are. I have a 10 gallon so I feel like I wouldn't be able to add any other fish if I had 5 or 6 of one fish. I also just can't bear the thought of giving away my current two away, I'm attached!!

I'm so excited to finish the cycle!! I haven't been consistent in trying to get my ammonia down until now, so seeing progress is really motivating

Thank you so much for replying!!

 

You aren't quite finished cycling yet but you are close. The nitrites will disappear also and all will be left consistently will be nitrates, then the tank is cycled.

And then about 3-4 months later bacteria is set up even in the substrate and its pretty much bulletproof unless you went about deep cleaning everything at one time. The thing is like 80% of your biological filter will be in you filter, and about 20% in the hard surfaces of the tank, so even if you took off the filter your cycle would still be there but running at 1/5th its capacity, so lightly stocked and heavily planted tanks can function without a filer on it and the tanks biological filter is doing the work.

Anyways. These are things to experiment with and figure out as you get settled in.

I think you could benefit from a video explaining pH, GH, and KH what they do and their relationship to each other, considering your pH drop you experience. You have to have a basic understanding of them to be able to sort out how to correct it long term. I enjoyed the video, a little basic maybe but simple to understand also.

 

You aren't quite finished cycling yet but you are close. The nitrites will disappear also and all will be left consistently will be nitrates, then the tank is cycled.

And then about 3-4 months later bacteria is set up even in the substrate and its pretty much bulletproof unless you went about deep cleaning everything at one time. The thing is like 80% of your biological filter will be in you filter, and about 20% in the hard surfaces of the tank, so even if you took off the filter your cycle would still be there but running at 1/5th its capacity, so lightly stocked and heavily planted tanks can function without a filer on it and the tanks biological filter is doing the work.

Anyways. These are things to experiment with and figure out as you get settled in.

I think you could benefit from a video explaining pH, GH, and KH what they do and their relationship to each other, considering your pH drop you experience. You have to have a basic understanding of them to be able to sort out how to correct it long term. I enjoyed the video, a little basic maybe but simple to understand also.

Thank you, the video was pretty informative! I tested my water today before a water change and it measured: pH: 7.2, ammonia: 0.25ppm, nitrite: 0.5ppm, nitrate: 2.5-5ppm (in between colors)

Almost 10 hours after water change: pH: 6.4, ammonia: 0.25ppm, nitrite: 0.5ppm and I didn't test nitrate.

So I'm not for sure how much longer for it to show 0 ammonia and nitrite but I'm hopeful it will be soon.

 

Just stay the course. Now isn't the time to get impatient and stick a bunch of fish into the mix which is where everyone runs into problems. You've got ammonia, you've got nitrites, you've got nitrates, your colony just has to get up to size to get only nitrate readings, it's going through the cycle the colony just hasn't grown enough yet to handle the load. At this point it's probably safe to put fish in, but if you get crazy on it what's going to happen is all the ammonia the new fish are creating will build a bacterial bloom and then a die off of the bacteria and cloudy water and then likely sick or dead fish as it crashes.
Just let it go and test a bit longer, a week maybe a bit more looking for only nitrates and low nitrites and all ammonia possible becoming nitrites. Once there add fish slowly, one or two fish at a time, so the bacterial colony can keep pace with the stocking of ammonia producers, if you don't it will likely lead to problems if the colony can't keep up.

 

Just stay the course. Now isn't the time to get impatient and stick a bunch of fish into the mix which is where everyone runs into problems. You've got ammonia, you've got nitrites, you've got nitrates, your colony just has to get up to size to get only nitrate readings, it's going through the cycle the colony just hasn't grown enough yet to handle the load. At this point it's probably safe to put fish in, but if you get crazy on it what's going to happen is all the ammonia the new fish are creating will build a bacterial bloom and then a die off of the bacteria and cloudy water and then likely sick or dead fish as it crashes.
Just let it go and test a bit longer, a week maybe a bit more looking for only nitrates and low nitrites and all ammonia possible becoming nitrites. Once there add fish slowly, one or two fish at a time, so the bacterial colony can keep pace with the stocking of ammonia producers, if you don't it will likely lead to problems if the colony can't keep up.

By letting it go do you mean no water changes? I should add, I already have a molly and platy in there. They seem to be handling it fine and actually seem to thrive. I started the tank in December but never let it cycle, so that's probably why I'm still dealing with ammonia.