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I'm in a bit of a dilemma and hope for friendly advice. I've been creating tanks since last spring. I've done quite a few, and currently am trying to downsize from six. My five gallon Bettta tank has been very stable for months, then a few weeks ago the Nitrates shot up to 80ppm. All other parameterts, including GH and KH are in normal range. The pH is low, though, 6.7. TDS 103. I don't know what went haywire. I've been in the process of building a new tank for him. That's been cycling since this Saturday. I am running a well seasoned sponge filter from another tank, and doing a fish in with embers and bacteria. Here are the two tanks' stats.
My question is, which tank is better for the betta? the nerites will have to go elsewhere until the ten gallon is more mature.
Tank 1: Current Betta tank.
I think he should come out of here since I can't get the Nitrate level down. He seems fine, but it's certainly not good for him
What is the water volume of the tank?: 5 gallon
What type of water are you using in your tank? (tap, well, RO/DI, other): distilled
When did you start cycling the tank?: October 2025
What type of filtration are you running on this tank? (sponge, HOB, canister, other): AIO
If canister or HOB list all the media you are running in it. (manufactured cartridges, sponge, etc.): sponge and bio rings
Do you have good water agitation/surface movement?: yes
What is the water temperature?: 82.4F
If fish in cycling
What is the entire stocking of this tank? (Please list all fish and inverts): one halfmoon plakat male, 2 nerites
How often do you feed them and how much?: Twice a day, 5 pellets Bug Bites, 6 days/week
Are they showing signs of distress? (fish hiding, staying at the top, looking pale, torn fins, etc): None
Do you have live plants in the tank?: yes
If so are they healthy and actively growing?: Yes
Using
What was your knowledge of the nitrogen cycle before beginning to cycle your tank? (none, beginner, intermediate (please explain), advanced): Intermediate
What do you use to test the water? (API liquid, test strips, other): API Masterkit, GH KH TDS
Did you test your tap water for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and pH, if so post the results below?: Not recently
Have you done any water changes and if so, when?: Yes, every couple of days, the last being today
How much water did you change?: 30-50%
Did you vacuum the substrate?: yes
Did you clean your filter, filter media, decorations and/or glass?: filter media and filter box, sponge
If using disposable cartridges have you replaced one recently?: NA
*Parameters - Very Important
What are your parameters? We need to know the exact numbers, not just “fine” or “safe”.
Tank water:
Ammonia: 00
Nitrite:00
Nitrate: 80
pH: 6.7
Explain your cycling problem in detail. (Please give a clear explanation of what is going on, include details from the beginning of the problem leading up to now).
It's been fine until 10 days ago, when nitrate shot up to 80. I've. been doing water changes and bacteria every othger day but they are not helping. Did it crash? All critters acting fine
Tank 2: The new tank for the betta.
Would he be better off in here. I've done many fish in cycles
What is the water volume of the tank?: 10 gallon
What type of water are you using in your tank? (tap, well, RO/DI, other): Distilled
When did you start cycling the tank?: 3/29/26 3 days
What type of filtration are you rning on this tank? (sponge, HOB, canister, other): sponge filter from another stable tank with established bacteria colony
If canister or HOB list all the media you are running in it. (manufactured cartridges, sponge, etc.):
Do you have good water agitation/surface movement?: yes
What is the water temperature?: 80.4F
If fish in cycling
What is the entire stocking of this tank? (Please list all fish and inverts): 5 ember tetras
How often do you feed them and how much?: once a day, a pinch of AC Magic Small Fish Food
Are they showing signs of distress? (fish hiding, staying at the top, looking pale, torn fins, etc): none.
Do you have live plants in the tank?: yes, and driftwood and rocks, see photo
If so are they healthy and actively growing?: the plants, yes
Products used while cycling:
What was your knowledge of the nitrogen cycle before beginning to cycle your tank? (none, beginner, intermediate (please explain), advanced): intermediate. I've been fishkeepibg and cycline tanks since June, 2025
What do you use to test the water? (API liquid, test strips, other): API Master Kit, GH and KH, and TDS meter
Did you test your tap water for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and pH, if so post the results below?: NA
Have you done any water changes and if so, when?: Yes Saturday and today
How much water did you change?: 20%
Did you vacuum the substrate?: No, it's a new tank
Did you clean your filter, filter media, decorations and/or glass?: No, it's a new tank
If using disposable cartridges have you replaced one recently?: NA
*Parameters - Very Important
What are your parameters? We need to know the exact numbers, not just “fine” or “safe”.
Tank water:
Ammonia: 0.5
Nitrite: 0.25
Nitrate: 5.0
pH: 6.4
Explain your cycling problem in detail. (Please give a clear explanation of what is going on, include details from the beginning of the problem leading up to now)
My question is, which tank is better for the betta? the nerites will have to go elsewhere until the ten gallon is more mature.
Tank 1: Current Betta tank.
I think he should come out of here since I can't get the Nitrate level down. He seems fine, but it's certainly not good for him
What is the water volume of the tank?: 5 gallon
What type of water are you using in your tank? (tap, well, RO/DI, other): distilled
When did you start cycling the tank?: October 2025
What type of filtration are you running on this tank? (sponge, HOB, canister, other): AIO
If canister or HOB list all the media you are running in it. (manufactured cartridges, sponge, etc.): sponge and bio rings
Do you have good water agitation/surface movement?: yes
What is the water temperature?: 82.4F
If fish in cycling
What is the entire stocking of this tank? (Please list all fish and inverts): one halfmoon plakat male, 2 nerites
How often do you feed them and how much?: Twice a day, 5 pellets Bug Bites, 6 days/week
Are they showing signs of distress? (fish hiding, staying at the top, looking pale, torn fins, etc): None
Do you have live plants in the tank?: yes
If so are they healthy and actively growing?: Yes
Using
Microbe-Lift Nite-Out II Nitrifying Aquarium Bacteria after water changes
Testing and cycling processWhat was your knowledge of the nitrogen cycle before beginning to cycle your tank? (none, beginner, intermediate (please explain), advanced): Intermediate
What do you use to test the water? (API liquid, test strips, other): API Masterkit, GH KH TDS
Did you test your tap water for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and pH, if so post the results below?: Not recently
Have you done any water changes and if so, when?: Yes, every couple of days, the last being today
How much water did you change?: 30-50%
Did you vacuum the substrate?: yes
Did you clean your filter, filter media, decorations and/or glass?: filter media and filter box, sponge
If using disposable cartridges have you replaced one recently?: NA
*Parameters - Very Important
What are your parameters? We need to know the exact numbers, not just “fine” or “safe”.
Tank water:
Ammonia: 00
Nitrite:00
Nitrate: 80
pH: 6.7
Explain your cycling problem in detail. (Please give a clear explanation of what is going on, include details from the beginning of the problem leading up to now).
It's been fine until 10 days ago, when nitrate shot up to 80. I've. been doing water changes and bacteria every othger day but they are not helping. Did it crash? All critters acting fine
Tank 2: The new tank for the betta.
Would he be better off in here. I've done many fish in cycles
What is the water volume of the tank?: 10 gallon
What type of water are you using in your tank? (tap, well, RO/DI, other): Distilled
When did you start cycling the tank?: 3/29/26 3 days
What type of filtration are you rning on this tank? (sponge, HOB, canister, other): sponge filter from another stable tank with established bacteria colony
If canister or HOB list all the media you are running in it. (manufactured cartridges, sponge, etc.):
Do you have good water agitation/surface movement?: yes
What is the water temperature?: 80.4F
If fish in cycling
What is the entire stocking of this tank? (Please list all fish and inverts): 5 ember tetras
How often do you feed them and how much?: once a day, a pinch of AC Magic Small Fish Food
Are they showing signs of distress? (fish hiding, staying at the top, looking pale, torn fins, etc): none.
Do you have live plants in the tank?: yes, and driftwood and rocks, see photo
If so are they healthy and actively growing?: the plants, yes
Products used while cycling:
Microbe-Lift Nite-Out II Nitrifying Aquarium Bacteria
Testing and cycling processWhat was your knowledge of the nitrogen cycle before beginning to cycle your tank? (none, beginner, intermediate (please explain), advanced): intermediate. I've been fishkeepibg and cycline tanks since June, 2025
What do you use to test the water? (API liquid, test strips, other): API Master Kit, GH and KH, and TDS meter
Did you test your tap water for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and pH, if so post the results below?: NA
Have you done any water changes and if so, when?: Yes Saturday and today
How much water did you change?: 20%
Did you vacuum the substrate?: No, it's a new tank
Did you clean your filter, filter media, decorations and/or glass?: No, it's a new tank
If using disposable cartridges have you replaced one recently?: NA
*Parameters - Very Important
What are your parameters? We need to know the exact numbers, not just “fine” or “safe”.
Tank water:
Ammonia: 0.5
Nitrite: 0.25
Nitrate: 5.0
pH: 6.4
Explain your cycling problem in detail. (Please give a clear explanation of what is going on, include details from the beginning of the problem leading up to now)
