Constant 0.25ppm ammonia

[har-2109]

Hi, I have a constant ammonia reading of 0.25ppm ammonia the tank was fully fishless cycled 3 months ago.

Im using API test kits and Tetra conditioner, which removes chlorine and chloramine.
I doubt the tank is overstocked as nitrate never gets over 10ppm with just a 10% water change once a week.

Ive tested the tap water and that reads 0.25ppm aswell.

Im going to try another test kit, to check if it is that, and also use prime conditioner to see if that will remove the ammonia.

The filter is a bluwave 07 (700 lph) in a 240L tank. Ive recently just added another 700lph filter off an older tank, although it is considerably smaller.

Does anyone have any ideas??

 

[Bud]

Are you using test strips or a liquid test kit?

 

[Scottishnewbie]

Sounds identical to the problems that I'm having so hopefully someone out there can help us!!

 

[har-2109]

im using the liquid tests. the lot number ends in 08/06. So they were probably manufactured in 2006. Could they have gone off?

Scottishnewbie: Keep watching this thread, ill let you know if I sort it out.

 

[HUKIT]

im using the liquid tests. the lot number ends in 08/06. So they were probably manufactured in 2006. Could they have gone off?

Scottishnewbie: Keep watching this thread, ill let you know if I sort it out.

The ammonia test kits are good for three years, I've tested really old kits compared to new ones with the same test results. Have you checked you tap water for ammonia?

 

[carey]

If your tap water is coming out at .25 then thats your source. Prime used when you water change can neutralize the ammonia but it won't remove it from what I'm told.

Can you have a LFS check your tank water just to be sure? The kit might also be outdated with a 2006 manufacture date.

 

[har-2109]

If the tap water has .25ppm, wont this still be broken down by the filter media within a few days of a water change, to get it down to 0??

 

[carey]

If the tap water has .25ppm, wont this still be broken down by the filter media within a few days of a water change, to get it down to 0??

Very Good point. When is the OP testing? after a water change? before?

 

[har-2109]

I tested again today, the water change was done on friday.

 

[carey]

Got me stumped. Sorry. :-(

Following along to see what the experts have to say.

 

[eco23]

Try to test bottled, distilled, or RO water and see if you get the same reading. I'm leaning towards the kit being bad.

 

[har-2109]

Ive just tested a glass of lemonade. The kit measures from yellow to green. Its come out pink...

Ill buy some bottled water and test that, as lemonade clearly wasnt a good choice

 

[eco23]

Ive just tested a glass of lemonade. The kit measures from yellow to green. Its come out pink...

Ill buy some bottled water and test that, as lemonade clearly wasnt a good choice

Haha! Well maybe we've learned something random about the ammo level of lemonade, lol.

As long as you have adequate filtration (which it seems like you do), your tank isn't heavily overstocked, and you haven't made any changes recently like adding fish, switching media or removing items from the tank...I can't think of a fathomable reason for a constant ammo reading.. Plus, if you're using an API master kit, it can be a little difficult to even tell the difference between 0 and .25.

 

[ejaramillo01]

IME there is a really fine line of color difference between 0 and 0.25 ppm of Ammonia.
Sometimes if you read against an API single card you will read 0.0 ppm, but if you read the same tube against the API master kit card then you can read 0.25ppm

So my opinion is that you have been at 0 ppm already...

On the other hand, I agreed with the recomendation of getting a new test kit, produced in 2006 is 5 years already...

 

[Rosenweiss]

Fear not! I think Ejaramillo is right on this one! XD I had the EXACT same problem. Try holding up the tube to natural light, not against the card. The API 0 yellow is wrong. It will never be that shade of yellow. Just hold it up to the light, and make sure there's no green in it. It should look light, pale yellow (unlike the dark yellow on the card, which corresponds more to the nitrate 0 than the ammonia).

 

[slitherbomb]

I think I'm color blind because I honestly cannot tell what color the ammo is! The same test tube fluctuates between yellow and very light green depending on the light even though I KNOW the tank is cycled. Really weird lol

 

[fddlss]

If you can take it outside during the day as sometimes artificial light will fade the colors a little bit. I been in the same situation about two months ago and I think it's because of the light source and the test kit, sometimes it looks like 0.25, sometimes like 0, depending under what light I'm looking at it.

 

[slitherbomb]

Yeah that's what I always end up doing and it's always yellow, but just not as yellow as the card, so I got scared when I first started because I thought it wasn't at 0 lol

 

[har-2109]

Sorted it!

The tap water and tank water both had ammonia in them. Adding that second filter to circulate the water better has caused the ammonia level of the tank to drop to 0, and now a clear colour difference can be seen when comparing the tap and tank water tests.

So it was poor circulation that caused the ammonia to not go completely.

 

[Deckape]

Sorted it!

The tap water and tank water both had ammonia in them. Adding that second filter to circulate the water better has caused the ammonia level of the tank to drop to 0, and now a clear colour difference can be seen when comparing the tap and tank water tests.

So it was poor circulation that caused the ammonia to not go completely.

Thanks for the update. Glad you sorted the issue.