update

Question
I'm not sure if you remember me, I asked you several questions about a tank with some major issues: high ph, high ammonia, high nitrates, and fungal growth killing my fish.

I have one fish left, a small tiger barb, in a ten gallon tank. The fungus is gone and my water chemistry is all normal except for an extraordinary low ph. Odd considering my previous problem has been a high ph. I have soft water with a ph of 6.2 or possibly lower (6.2 is the lowest my kit will register)

Should this be worrisome? The fish does not seem to be bothered by the conditions. It eats as much as we will give it, attacking the food. I added water today to replenish evaporated water and the water change with gravel vacuum was a week ago. I keep the temp about 78 F.

I also have another question regarding tank cycling. I can't figure out if my tank is broken in and if it is safe to add more fish. The nitrates read at 20 ppm, my test kit says twice that is still safe. Nitrites read at zero, and there is zero algae in the tank that I can see. I have never seen the nitrates spike: maybe I am mistaken in taking that as a sign the tank is cycling? What should I look for?

Answer
Hi Christina:  plant fertilizer, household cleaners, etc can spike nitrates.  Nitrates are not as harmful to your fish as nitrites are.  you may have had an ammonia issue last week that has since become a high reading of nitrate... ammonia becomes nitrites and then nitrate.  I would do a small water change and clean the gravel really well... then check the readings again in about four hours or so.... I dont think the tank is cycling I think it is just a chemical issue that is correcting itself.... hope this helps... dave

pH:  I think with the water change the tank should corrects its pH... if it doesnt let me know.... dave