Cycle Readings - Help!

[toby_buk]

Hi, newbie here...trying to cycle Fluval Edge 12gallon cold water tank. I set up and followed instructions it came with, then left the tank running a week (i was away for work). Arriving back I have taken readings and got the following:

Ammonia: 4
Nitrite: 5
Nitrate: 150ppm

I had quite a bit of water discoloration due to the wood I had in there leaching a bit, so now done a 50% water change.

Bit lost as to where I should go from here cycle wise as nothing I read seems to marry with my readings? Will aim to do another set of tests tomorrow now I have done the water change.

Any help much appreciated!

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Very interesting... A few questions to start:

What is in the tank besides the water?
What is the water parameters (ammonia, nitrite, etc.) straight from your tap?


The good news is that you have ammonia in there to start building your bacteria colony. The better news is that you also have nitrite, which will also start to build that colony.

Now, the bad news... I have no idea where all that ammonia and nitrAte is coming from! So, we will have to work through everything that you've added to the tank since you started and what your tap water is to try to figure it out. In the meantime, don't worry too much. The ammonia and nitrite being present will only help you for now. And a water change at any time will correct any issue that we might uncover.

 

[toby_buk]

Thanks for all your help here! OK so..

What is in the tank:
2 x driftwood
2 x small live plants
1 x bag substrate
2 x bag grey gravel

Tap Water Tests from today:
PH: 7.6
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5ppm

Tank Water Tests from today (2 days after 50% water change):

PH: 7.8
Ammonia: 0.50ppm
Nitrite: 5ppm
Nitrate: 80ppm (on upper end of this spectrum...)

The only other thing I realised today is that I have been using too much of the make tap water safe solution (fluval blue bottle) - putting 2-3x times what is actually needed in. Could that be something to do with it?

Thoughts/advise?!

Thanks!

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Taking it a piece at a time..

Thanks for all your help here! OK so..

What is in the tank:
2 x driftwood almost certainly not the culprit
2 x small live plants possible ammonia source, but not that high, if rotting
1 x bag substrate possible culprit, what kind of substrate?
2 x bag grey gravel also a potential culprit. What brand?

Tap Water Tests from today:
PH: 7.6
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5ppm

Tank Water Tests from today (2 days after 50% water change):

PH: 7.8
Ammonia: 0.50ppm
Nitrite: 5ppm
Nitrate: 80ppm (on upper end of this spectrum...)

The only other thing I realised today is that I have been using too much of the make tap water safe solution (fluval blue bottle) - putting 2-3x times what is actually needed in. Could that be something to do with it? Nope, though you certainly don't want to do that any more. There's no ammonia, nitrite or nitrate in this solution.

Thoughts/advise?!

Thanks!

Looks like the most likely source is the substrate/gravel. Some plant substrates add ammonia or nitrates to give plant food to the roots of plants. It's possible this is the source. And if you kicked it up while planting, it could account for what you've seen in the tests.

If you don't kick it up again you shouldn't see a spike. But if you wanted to test the hypothesis, you could stir it up a little and see what happens.