New(ish)3 gal tank

[bigkingpin]

Hey everybody!

I wouldn't exactly say I am new to the aquarist world, that's actually my job now, but I have been out of the hobby for a few years.  I recently got back into it and want to do it right this time, I recall all my previous times I feel like I rushed things.  It lead to a half managed, oddly thrown together tank with a decent mortality rate.  This time I'm taking it slow, now going through a fishless cycle, about to enter my third week.  Anyways I know my nitrogen levels will vary widely currently, but I wanted to share my nutrient readings, I just did earlier today.  I am looking for advice on possible suggestions on plants and fish to consider, plants maybe another week or two, but fish probably not for another minimum 3 weeks.  I do have some money, but I will be honest I will not be buying RO or an RO filter, or whatever, just to make my tank perfect.  Ideally I would like to keep it relatively simple using city tap water.  Possibly salt water is a better option for my tank given the water conditions, I'm just not sure, so I am looking for advice from some veterans to help point me in the right direction to run this tank right, I am in no hurry this time around.  I will try to keep regular updates with the new chemistry levels, I test weekly right now. Anyways here is the current water conditions:
4/6/18
pH - 8.2
Nitrite - 5 ppm
Ammonia ~ 3 ppm
Nitrate - 10 ppm
KH - 7 deg./ 140 ppm
GH - 21 deg./ 380 ppm

Thoughts, advice, etc. are greatly appreciated, and I look forward to discuss this with others soon!

[russ]

What do you have inside your aquarium? The readings you posted for a 3rd week into a fishless break-in don't seem right. Also, you may need to be testing more than once per week.

[bigkingpin]

Currently there is nothing in the tank at all.  Okay, I had considered that, but had expected the nitrifying process wasn't complete.

[bigkingpin]

Update:

Water chems 4/10:
Nitrate 0 ppt
Nitrite 5 ppt
Ammonia ~ 2ppt

I added about 25% water, and on closer inspection of the tank I noticed small mollusks in the tanks, some kind of snail I'm guessing.  Not really sure how they would be alive this tank has been dry for probably be almost 2 years.  Any thoughts?  I fished all of them out, but there may be some left hiding.  I will update in a few days with new chem levels.  Let me know with any thoughts for the tank.

[russ]

Are doing a fishless cycling for your tank?

[bigkingpin]

Yes, I am running a fishless cycle

[bigkingpin]

Well here it is almost a month, and I am lossing most of my hope and motivation on my tank for a few reasons.
1) I feel like I have gained no advice or assistance.  That is harsh, but true.  The only question repeatably asked is am I running a fishless cycle and the answer, once again, is YES. Past that nobody has even bothered to give me any thoughts on anything.
2) I am almost one month in and my chems seem to be getting only worse with no signs of improvement.  I am not entirely sure what I am doing wrong, but now my nitrate is at extremely high levels and Ammonia has barely fallen. 
Anyways, I will post my most recent chems, not like it really matters:
4/19
pH - 8.8
Ammonia - 4.0
Nitrite - 5.0
Nitrate 20

4/26
pH - 8.4
Ammonia - 1.0
Nitrite - 5.0
Nitrate - 80
 

[russ]

I apologize for asking that multiple times. I think I was having a dumb attack at the time. I can't answer for other non-responses to your tank issues. I was out-of-state for the past week. Perhaps your test readings presented some confusion. You provided some very good information. I've been thinking about your initial testing results you posted (at the 3rd week of set-up) and then your last ones to try and come up with some options/considerations. That said, a 3 gallon aquarium is more dificult to set up and keep stablized than a tank 5 times the water capacity. Good things and bad things will generally occur much faster with that little water to work with.

You are having ammonia readings and nitrate readings which sholud not natually occur within your aquarium under nitrification at the levels you reported. The presence of that much ammonia would stiffle aand/or stall the conversion process of nitrite to nitrate. That said, I would suspect that your tap water or something else added to your water would be causing this. But..........your subsequent test reading were showing that nitrate was increasing and ammonia reading were going down, but with 7 days of the same nitrite results? Hmmmm. I try to  come up with options without having to ask more and more questions and tend to talk through thoughts out loud.So using the Mr. Spock principle of elimination, all I came up with is that your test results or testing process may be in error or not performed correctly.  If you are sure that they were, then I would recommedn a major water change that would bring the nitrate levels down. If your nitrite level are correct and don't seem to be moving, then I would raise the temperature a few degrees. that should get them a bit of a re-kick start.

Another consideration would be not to consider a marine environment  for that tank. Not saying it's impossible, but should be reserved (not knowing your marine experience) for very experienced marine fish keepers.

Looking ahead to favorable water cocnditions in your tank, You can try a few of the micro- rasboras or a few white clouds.

What type of filtering and lighting are you employing for your aquarium?