Nitrate, nitrite, and ammonia

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katie133

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Hi! I have a 20g aquarium that is cycled and all of the sudden my tap water has ammonia and nitrite in it. It all started when I did a normal water change and then tested my water and I had both nitrite and ammonia. :( I found another sink in my house that did not have nitrite or ammonia in it, I did a water change immediately and the ammonia and nitrite went down (Not all the way down, about half). then I added prime water conditioner to keep my fish safe for 24hrs. added beneficial bacteria to help my tank cycle just in case I did something wrong and added a ammonia filter pad. after all this I did another 50% water change and waited until the morning, I did not feed my fish today and ammonia is at like 0.15 very very light green maybe 0 and nitrite is at 0. What should my next steps be?
 
First question, did you test the tap water coming from the first tap for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? This is the tap you used initially. If it did have these, is there some device connected to just this tap, like a water softener or filter maybe?

Second question, does your water authority (assuming you are on municipal water and not a private well) add chloramine (as well as chlorine, or without)? This can result in very low ammonia readings, and if this is the case nothing to worry about in an established tank or one with live plants.
 
Hi! I have a 20g aquarium that is cycled and all of the sudden my tap water has ammonia and nitrite in it. It all started when I did a normal water change and then tested my water and I had both nitrite and ammonia. :( I found another sink in my house that did not have nitrite or ammonia in it, I did a water change immediately and the ammonia and nitrite went down (Not all the way down, about half). then I added prime water conditioner to keep my fish safe for 24hrs. added beneficial bacteria to help my tank cycle just in case I did something wrong and added a ammonia filter pad. after all this I did another 50% water change and waited until the morning, I did not feed my fish today and ammonia is at like 0.15 very very light green maybe 0 and nitrite is at 0. What should my next steps be?
did u use dechlor before u put water in the tank??
water change it out with prime and low amm tap water
 
First question, did you test the tap water coming from the first tap for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? This is the tap you used initially. If it did have these, is there some device connected to just this tap, like a water softener or filter maybe?

Second question, does your water authority (assuming you are on municipal water and not a private well) add chloramine (as well as chlorine, or without)? This can result in very low ammonia readings, and if this is the case nothing to worry about in an established tank or one with live plants.
yes, I It had ammonia and nitrite. I don't think so. I don't have plants, should I get some today this was my plan.
 
yes, I It had ammonia and nitrite. I don't think so. I don't have plants, should I get some today this was my plan.

Well. I do not see how tap 1 water has nitrite [I think the ammonia is likely the chloramine] but not the water from tap 2 which from what you say is the same source as tap 1.
 

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