Mystery Ammonia

[reyetwinger]

Hello all. I just set up my 55 gallon tank that had been sitting empty for the last 8 years. I used the old gravel which had long ago dried out. It has been sitting with water and a Diatom running for 3 days. Today I received my new filters and Master test kit. I tested the water and I am getting .50 PPM Ammonia, 0 Nitrite, and 40 PPM Nitrate. I tested my tap water thinking it may have Ammonia in it but it tested at 0. I haven't added anything biological so I don't quite understand where this ammonia is coming from. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Prime Ordeal]

Heterotrophic bacteria ( not the type we want to establish in our filter) will feed off any organics in the tank and produce ammonia. Did your tap water have 40ppm nitrate?

 

[cynic]

Did you actually clean the gravel?

 

[reyetwinger]

Tap water seems to be somewhere between 20 and 40 on the Nitrates, kind of hard to be more specific with the chart I have. Could this Ammonia be coming from the old gravel even though it has long since dried out? From what I had read dried out gravel was of no use when cycling a tank. Any suggestions? Thanks.

Yes I ran cold tap water through the old gravel, however I'm sure it isn't pristine. If I stir it enough it will kick up a little cloud.

 

[DrRob]

It'll be from old organic matter in the gravel.

 

[cynic]

If you havent actually cleaned it it could have dessicated poo in it. You have just put the water back possibly making it proper poo again with the associated ammonia trace.

"If I stir it enough it will kick up a little cloud."

Guess what the cloud is!!

 

[reyetwinger]

If there is some old organic material in that gravel that has somehow reactivated is this a good or bad thing as far as cycling the tank?

 

[Prime Ordeal]

While you're cycling the tank it's actually a benefit because you're getting free ammonia but long term the substrate should be as clean as you can make it, especially in a new tank. I'd take it out and wash it properly, there should be no 'dirt' in it. I'm assuming you're going to fishless cycle of course.

 

[reyetwinger]

I had an under gravel filter in the old tank so the heavy stuff wasn't in the gravel I used. I took small amounts of gravel and placed it in a strainer while shaking it around under tap water. If I really stir it up I can see some slight amount of cloudiness which dissipates almost immediately. The only thing I can see to make it worth taking it all out again would be boiling it, but I think I would rather buy new gravel than go that route. My fault, in all the reading I did I only saw old dry gravel mentioned as it not being beneficial to seeding a new tank. I until now didn't realize it would be a detriment.