Cloudiness

Question
QUESTION: Hi, It made me start a new thread so I'll paste your last answer here.

With those water parameter readings, the high ammonia and no nitrates, it looks like your tank is cycling again.  Didn't you have problems with ammonia before?  With the ph being low, the ammonia is converted to a non toxic form called ammonium, so it's not affecting the fish fortunately.  But the nitrites will when they start showing up.

Ok, I can't remember if I asked you this before, but get a glass of water and test the ph right from your tap, let it sit out for about 12 hours and retest it.  What are those readings?  
The cloudy water now is most likely due to the ammonia-the bacteria is recolonizing.  That's common in tanks that are new, or going through the cycle process.  If your ph is normally that low, then that's fine.  If it's not, then that may mean there's too much organic matter in the water, which can lower ph, which can also be the problem with the white foamy/moldy stuff in your filter-excess protein in the water.  You don't have live plants right?

Christy

Reply: Yes I did have a problem with ammonia before. I don't understand why this is just not happening in my tank. So your saying the nitrites will kill the fish when the tank starts cycling?

Ok I just did the tap water thing but I still have to wait 12 hours. The current readings are:
nitrates-0
nitrites-0
ph- 7.0
kh-0
gh-30

I do not have any live plants. I do have 4 decorations in a 20 gallon tank. Not sure if that takes up too much space or whether that could be a problem? I know last time you had me take out some of the gravel bed.
I don't think I ever had a problem with lower ph before either. It's always been ok. Should I be getting ph up chemical?

ANSWER: Hi Heather
The nitrites can kill the fish, they're not as toxic to fish as ammonia is, but they're still toxic to them.  Nitrites inhibit the fish's ability to absorb oxygen into their bloodstream.  So they basically end up suffocating.  I wouldn't use a ph up product now, especially with the ammonia present in the water.  Like I said, the lower ph helps to neutralize the ammonia.  I would monitor it though to make sure it's not fluctuating around, and also monitor for when nitrites start showing up.  

I know the cloudy water has been ongoing and this is frustrating, but for now, let's get the tank cycled.  Cloudy water is common when the bacteria is blooming.  If you're ph is fluctuating real bad-and those are pretty drastic changes the 7.0-6.0 ranges, that could be causing the bacteria to die off and maybe that's what's causing the cloudy water....just a thought.  For now, monitor those levels-and lets see what happens when the ammonia and nitrites are at 0-when the tank is cycled, and see where the ph is going.  When you had the convicts, did the ammonia levels ever go to 0 ppm?  

Christy

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Christy,

As long as I have been monitoring they have never been at 0ppm (ammonia levels).
After testing the tap water, this is what I got after 12 hours: NITRATES, NITRITES 0, PH AROUND 6.0 OR UNDER (VERY YELLOW), KH 0 AND GH AROUND 30.

So how would I get the tank to stop fluctuating the ph if that is what is happening? Should I be putting ph powder in when I do water changes? I do not currently ever add ph 7.0 except for the first few times when the tank was first setting up.  

Answer
Hi Heather
Let me do some checking, I don't like how your tap water is dropping that low....it doesn't appear to have any buffering capacity to it-which is what's causing the drop.  Usually water companies will add stuff to the water to buffer it.  Is the tank ph staying stable?  I believe you said it was at the 6.5 mark right?  

Christy