Ammonia Levels In Tap Water

[Jack sparrow]

Hi all

Another question. I have been struggling with my ammonia levels, today after reading another post, I checked my tap water, and it appears my problem stems from their, its reading 0.25ppm, the same as what its reads in the tank.

Im using the master test kit, all other reading are spot on its just the ammonia.

My fish seem happy, but it appears that a level of zero would be better if possible, is their anyway to achieve this when the tap water already has ammonia in it?

Kind regards
Jack

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

One solution would be to do your upto 20% water change per week using Reverse Osmosis, bought from your LFS. This can work depending upon the fish you have and your total stocking. RO will lower the hardness of your tank water, but at the same time lower the pH buffering, so potentially you could have a massive pH crash if things are not right in the tank.

I think Seachem Prime can lock up both ammonia and nitrite when used in upto 5 times normal levels (so 5ml per 50l, still tiny amounts compared to Aqua plus and alike).

If your tank has zero ammonia, perhaps you could do a slow water change using the tap water, literally drip-refilling using your water change siphon? This will give your tank bacteria a chance to work on the ammonia contaminated water, but I would not risk more than a 10% change using this method, as I'm not entirely convinced by the idea.

 

[ian]

yeah Jack, aslong as your using a decent water condtioner there shouldn't be problem. It'll be the chloramine in the water, its an ammonia based molecule. Which will be detected on a test kit. This is why you have to be careful about how you test for ammonia. Ammonia bound up in chloramine is not as toxic to fish as it is when in its free form. Yet another problem with test kits IMO. But better to be safe than sorry eh!

 

[Jack sparrow]

Thanks for that.

My PH is about 7.6, I have a general community tank, with a variety of fish.

Kind Regards
Jack

Thanks for that Ianho.

I have never really worried in the past, because it was so low, but after reading on here, I thought I had better just check. Since everyone strives for zero.

Like you say better safe than sorry

Kind Regards
Jack

 

[ian]

Sorry jack, are you doing a fish in cycle at present or is the filter cycled?

 

[mattlee]

you could always use something like zeolite in the last section of the filter to remove the ammonia after its passed through the media. i think this will still keep the filter cycled as the ammonia will pass throught the media and get removed at the last stage giving ammonia free water passing back into the tank. ive never used it but its just a suggestion....

 

[Jack sparrow]

The tank has been up and running a few years now, but I have only just found this forum, so have spent a good few hours reading up on things. and it appears everyone tries to get zero ammonia levels. this would be hard for me since its in my tap water, so when I add tap water on my weekly changes I will be adding an amout of ammonia.

I have just done a big water change, and installed a new extenal filter, I still have this running alongside my old filter, untill its builds up its own friendly bacteria.

Thanks for the ideas so far.

Kind Regards
Jack

 

[frogmarch1987]

i actually find that I never get a 0ppm ammonia reading. I'm not sure if it's my perception of the yellow colour of the API test kit or if the colour chart is slightly off-colour, but I always get 0.25ppm. I've even tested with my tap water and distilled water and get the same colour, so I don't tend to worry too much about it. If I've been keeping up with all my maintenance then a 0.25 reading I consider as 0.

 

[anon02]

Just a couple of thoughts,
If there is ammonia in your tap water, wont the nitrifying bacteria deal with it
And if you have fish in a tank wont there always be a latent amount of ammonia seeing as the filter can`t deal with it the second it is produced

 

[SlyPolak]

Just add a few extra drops of Prime and you should be fine..........

 

[Jack sparrow]

Thanks for the input folks its greatly apreciated I think I will not worry to much about it, I just wanted to be safe thats all, but will just keep an eye on it.

Kind Regards
Jack