question

[gaya]

Hmm. I recently set up another 10g (actually will have two set up adjacent to each other). I put in new gravel but I used plants from other tanks, two filters from two different tanks and various rocks and ornaments from other tanks. All these tanks have been well established for a long time. Why is it that I have a slight ammonia (<.05) reading in my newly set up 10g? There’s not even fish in it. I was gonna throw in some guppies to make sure it was up and running ok cuz I want to make this a puffer tank. I know that people who have Discus sometimes don’t even use gravel. I thought that two filters (established) would be enough for this little tank. Huh.

 

[Fiori]

Sometimes there can be a little ammonia in tap water - maybe this is why you have a slight reading

 

[StarOrbs]

How can you even tell you have <.05 ammonia lol.

 

[gaya]

How can you even tell you have <.05 ammonia lol.

Well the color of my sample doesn’t match the .05 on the card. It’s in between the 0 color and the .05 color therefore <.05 but not 0 (< is the less sign, right? I always get those confused).

 

[gaya]

Sometimes there can be a little ammonia in tap water - maybe this is why you have a slight reading

but i figured the bacteria on the filters and other stuff in the tank would take care of that. my other tanks read zero.