New Betta Tank - Found Ammonia

[gaznicki]

I have set up a new 17l cube tank for a Betta. I live cycled the tank for about 4-5 weeks with 3 Zebra Danios. The tank has a 140lph filter, HLED lighting with Moonlighting, two plants and stone substrate.

Test at 5pm Saturday gave:
Temp - 24c
Ammonia - 0ppm
Nitrite - 0ppm
Nitrate - 20ppm

Removed the danios back into our large community tank this morning and bought a red Betta from the LFS. Tested this evening and found the following:

Ammonia - 0.25ppm
Nitrite - 0ppm
Nitrate - 10ppm

I want testing the cycle daily (don't flame me) but was sure it was cycled properly last night. Could the ammonia have come from the LFS or have I screwed up the cycle? Please advise on what I should do to resolve.

 

[RCA]

I believe small and regular water changes, even twice a day a couple of jugfuls.
What filtration do you have?  Did you use established media from your other tank?

 

[nikkifro8994]

Have you tested the water you use for water changes? I have a lot of ammonia in my tap water.

 

[AshP1986]

did you pour the store water in to your tank? Or scoop the betta out and place him in the tank?

Nikki- do you drink your tap water? have you contacted your water dept. I just had the same thing happen at my place and I am freaking out about ammonia being in my tap water!

 

[nikkifro8994]

Nikki- do you drink your tap water? have you contacted your water dept. I just had the same thing happen at my place and I am freaking out about ammonia being in my tap water!

Our tap has 2pp ammonia and 5 pppm nitrate. We have a filter on our refrigerator that's connected to the tap. I got curious and tested the water from the filter. It had the same levels as the tap. I discovered that Florida treats the water with chlorine AND ammonia. They also add fluoride to the water. My mom and sister still drink the filtered water. I decided that I would buy gallons of water from the store. It has no ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate.
 
In all honesty, the state wouldn't treat the water with ammonia if it wasn't safe to drink. There is nothing wrong with drinking the tap, I just don't like the thought of drinking something that can kill the fish.
 
I do still use the tap water for water changes in 3 of my tanks, but the filters process it quickly. In my puffer tank I use gallons of spring water from the grocery store because he is very sensitive to any ammonia.