HELP! Water is a mess.

[Ridgerunner]

This are my tested tank numbers:
PH - 6.0
Hi Range PH - Bright Yellow Color not on chart
Ammonia 1.0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
This is the TAP WATER on Water Plant site
Hardness 4.3 to 6.2 Ave 5.1
Alkalinity 4.4 - 10 Ave 8
Ammonia 5.3

This is going on three months. I did a 45% water change this evening. I can't get rid of ammonia! I need advice.
Ridgerunner

Thanks to all giving me guidance. I've answered the questions below. My tank is a 30 gallon

 

[Slaphppy7]

You haven't answered the most important question, the first one in post #5 above

 

[Ridgerunner]

You haven't answered the most important question, the first one in post #5 above

Not sure what you mean. Please be specific.

 

[NannaLou]

You haven't answered the most important question, the first one in post #5 above

This was answered in post #14

 

[Essjay]

Ammonia in tap water is usually in the form of chloramine. This is a chlorine and an ammonia joined together and the ammonia half shows up in the test. Many water providers use chloramine rather than chlorine to disinfect drinking water.

The pH reading is important in this case. Ammonia exists in two forms in water - ammonia and ammonium - and our test kits measure them both combined. The amount in each form depends on temperature and pH. Most of us keep our tanks at roughly 25 deg C/77 deg F so that remains constant. What does vary from tank to tank is the pH. At low pH virtually all the ammonia is in the less toxic ammonia form, while at high pH a lot is in the toxic ammonia form. The toxic form is usually referred to as "free ammonia".
The pH here is 6.0, or possibly below that as 6.0 is the lowest most testers can read. At pH 6.0 and 77 deg F, a tester reading of 1.0 ppm ammonia contains 0.0006 ppm of free ammonia (the toxic form).

Fish are OK in 0.05 ppm free ammonia for a couple of days and up to 0.02 ppm for a few days. The free ammonia level here is 0.0006 ppm. This is so low that it can be ignored.


@Ridgerunner You can use this calculator to keep an eye on your free ammonia level

Free Ammonia Calculator

Aquarium calculator; Estimate the free (un-ionized) ammonia (NH3) concentration, given the total ammonia concentration.

www.hamzasreef.com

Set salinity to zero and enter the other data in the left hand box from your test readings and thermometer. The number you need is in the NH3 concentration box in the right hand box.
Provided the free ammonia level remains as low as it is now, you don't need to do anything.

 

[Slaphppy7]

This was answered in post #14

Ooops, missed it somehow, my mistake....

 

[NannaLou]

Ooops, missed it somehow, my mistake....

No worries…. I’m surprised I remembered

 

[Ridgerunner]

Ammonia in tap water is usually in the form of chloramine. This is a chlorine and an ammonia joined together and the ammonia half shows up in the test. Many water providers use chloramine rather than chlorine to disinfect drinking water.

The pH reading is important in this case. Ammonia exists in two forms in water - ammonia and ammonium - and our test kits measure them both combined. The amount in each form depends on temperature and pH. Most of us keep our tanks at roughly 25 deg C/77 deg F so that remains constant. What does vary from tank to tank is the pH. At low pH virtually all the ammonia is in the less toxic ammonia form, while at high pH a lot is in the toxic ammonia form. The toxic form is usually referred to as "free ammonia".
The pH here is 6.0, or possibly below that as 6.0 is the lowest most testers can read. At pH 6.0 and 77 deg F, a tester reading of 1.0 ppm ammonia contains 0.0006 ppm of free ammonia (the toxic form).

Fish are OK in 0.05 ppm free ammonia for a couple of days and up to 0.02 ppm for a few days. The free ammonia level here is 0.0006 ppm. This is so low that it can be ignored.


@Ridgerunner You can use this calculator to keep an eye on your free ammonia level

Free Ammonia Calculator

Aquarium calculator; Estimate the free (un-ionized) ammonia (NH3) concentration, given the total ammonia concentration.

www.hamzasreef.com

Set salinity to zero and enter the other data in the left hand box from your test readings and thermometer. The number you need is in the NH3 concentration box in the right hand box.
Provided the free ammonia level remains as low as it is now, you don't need to do anything.

Thank you so much. I took biology, not chemistry. It's all Greek to me.

 

[Essjay]

Keep an eye on the pH as well as ammonia and nitrite. If the pH goes up, ammonia becomes more toxic. As long as your pH remains low, a small ammonia reading is not a problem.