Tap Water Stats..

[cynic]

Hey everybody, this has come from trying to find why i have lost a few cories.

I think i have sorted the reason, ie excess food, some of the plec wafers had moved under some of the slate hiding them.

Anyhow, while trying to sort it out i have done 3 50% + water changes this week and i still had trace ammonia, and i mean tiny, the tint was very slight and only the fact the suns out meant i could see it. And 20-40ppm nitrates.
When i got in from work i repeated the tests and the tank is now 0 ammonia but still obviously has the nitrates.

So! I was going to change it again but instead I tested my tap water, that has a testable but still tiny ammonia (more than the tank though) count and nitrates at 20-40 ppm. So with the filterworking well my tap water is less safe to drink than the tank

Anyway, where do i go from here. I never thought i would have nitrate in my tap water, even less the ammonia element.


I'm stumped, any advice?

 

[manxjason]

Just to clarify, you have both ammonia and nitrAte in your tap water?

If it's just trace amounts then I recommend a water conditioner such as prime. This will convert any ammonia into ammonium, a less toxic form which will still test as positive on your liquid test kit.

20-40ppm is high considering you did 3x50% WC. What is the Nitrate in your tank? Unless you have the likes of clown loach, then you want to keep it under 40ppm at all times. if you have no nitrAte in your tank, then the 120ppm (before 3x50% WC) would be the cause of death.

Let me know what the NitrAte reading is, and I'll get back to you. Also, the PH of your tap water and tank water.

cheers
J

 

[CezzaXV]

Most of us have nitrate in our tap water, it's nothing to be surprised about. Mine has 20-40ppm.

The ammonia shouldn't be anything to worry about either. An established filter should clear that amount in no time.

 

[Tizer]

I wouldn't batter an eye lid at 40ppm of nitrAte, it comes out of my tap at 40ppm anyway. Until it gets into the hundreds, i simply wouldn't worry about it.

As for Ammonia in the tap water, well, that's what dechlorinator is for, if you are doing a 50% water change, whatever the reading you have on your tap water, it will be halved by diluting it into your tank and be non toxic with the dechlorinator working its magic. Within a few hours, your filter will have processed it.

Also, depending where you live, any Ammonia in tap water in England is considered bad practice, so you can all your supplier up and get it sorted. Its normally caused by broken pipe work and/or other fixable issues in your supply.

 

[cynic]

I wouldn't batter an eye lid at 40ppm of nitrAte, it comes out of my tap at 40ppm anyway. Until it gets into the hundreds, i simply wouldn't worry about it.

As for Ammonia in the tap water, well, that's what dechlorinator is for, if you are doing a 50% water change, whatever the reading you have on your tap water, it will be halved by diluting it into your tank and be non toxic with the dechlorinator working its magic. Within a few hours, your filter will have processed it.

Also, depending where you live, any Ammonia in tap water in England is considered bad practice, so you can all your supplier up and get it sorted. Its normally caused by broken pipe work and/or other fixable issues in your supply.

Ok, they have recently replace the main that feeds the village and are working in the area although they have always written and told us when the work is done. There is even a paragraf in the letter reccomending fishkeepers to avoid water changes on particular days which is nice.

The water in the tank is the same as the water as far as nitrate goes, in the tap, i had the samples lined up together on the side. the ammonia could be me being paranoid but the tank is NOW 0 ammonia deffinately. If you test the water from the tap and leave it a while there is a tint you can just make out (may just be paranoia though) although ammonia ammonium? Nitite is 0 on both counts.

I'll relax then, 20-40ppm is as low as my nitrate can go, explains the algae.

 

[Tizer]

Then with my Nitrate level you might expect me to have Algae too right?


I have none How long are your lights on for? and does your tank get natural daylight? i.e. next to a window?

 

[manxjason]

Bah, wasn't aware of you guys having Nitrate in your tap water. 0/0/0 here, 1 degree gh & KH - the complete opposite for the fish I've chosen lol..

 

[cynic]

Then with my Nitrate level you might expect me to have Algae too right?


I have none How long are your lights on for? and does your tank get natural daylight? i.e. next to a window?

Don't have much but its that black stuff on some of the plants and looks naff, more flow than daylight i think. I had read one of the causes was nitate levels. I'm working on the flow in the tank but i think i'm going to have to invest in a fan/powerhead of some sort.

 

[manxjason]

Black spots with hair? Too much light usually - often occurs on the likes of Anubias

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

As a rule you should try and keep your nitrate to no more than 20ppm higher than what comes out of your tap, so you're doing fine

 

[Tizer]

As a rule you should try and keep your nitrate to no more than 20ppm higher than what comes out of your tap, so you're doing fine

Who made that rule? ;p

You still didn't answer my question about light Are you adding CO2?

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

I'm just regurgitating what I've read on the forum dearest

 

[cynic]

No not adding co2 and yes its that stuff.

The tank lights are on 6hrs but as wifey works lates and i do earlies. i'm going to bed at around 8.30, 9pm she gets in at around 10 and obviously has something to eat, bit of telly etc and turns in at around midnight. So its entirely possible for the tank to have light of some form from sun up at 430am till midnight.

I have been offered 2 co2 cylinders that are reasonably full so c02 is on the cards, just don't really know anything about it.

 

[manxjason]

I've always worked on the basis I keeping NitrAtes under 40ppm, and under 10 for c.loach.

Either way, if it was me with high nitrate in tap, I'd consider other options available on the market

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

nitrate is not harmful until you're getting near 300ppm

Edit: unless we're dealing with very sensitive fish.