Tap Water Parameters

[TheIrishJedi]

I decided to test my tap water so as to get a control set of parameters:

pH: 8
Ammonia 1.0
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 0-5 (dark yellow)

I used the API Master Test kit.

I'm concerned about the amount of ammonia in my tap water. What do you think?

 

[richiestang_78]

Im pretty sure that there isnt suppose to be any ammonia or nitrates in the water. Ive tested mine and its all 0's.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Are you sure the reading was 1? It could be chlormaines in the tap. Fill a cup of water and treat with dechlor that removes chloramines. Stir, wait a while then re-test. See if the ammonia level is reduced

 

[TheIrishJedi]

Are you sure the reading was 1? It could be chlormaines in the tap. Fill a cup of water and treat with dechlor that removes chloramines. Stir, wait a while then re-test. See if the ammonia level is reduced

Frak.

And yea, it was a bright green. At least a 1.

 

[jsoong]

If you are using the API FW kit, you will read both bound & free ammonia, so the dechlor should make no difference.

Water treated with chloramines will register ammonia. <Chloramines are used as disinfectant, and is basically one ammonia bound to one chlorine.> It is also possible that you have agricultural runoff in the water & actually have ammonia in the water. <Ammonia nitrate is often used in land fertilizers, and overused, end up in the water supply.>

1 of ammonia is not too bad for a cycled tank. Most dechlor will break the chloramine bond & bind the ammonia produced, rendering it non-toxic. In a cycled tank that bound ammonia should be removed by the bio-filter in a few hours.

You might want to limit your pwc to less than 50% to limit the ammonia load, use a good dechlor like Prime, and monitor your tank (for the first while) to make sure the ammonia is being handled by the bio-filter after a pwc.

 

[TheIrishJedi]

If you are using the API FW kit, you will read both bound & free ammonia, so the dechlor should make no difference.

Water treated with chloramines will register ammonia. <Chloramines are used as disinfectant, and is basically one ammonia bound to one chlorine.> It is also possible that you have agricultural runoff in the water & actually have ammonia in the water. <Ammonia nitrate is often used in land fertilizers, and overused, end up in the water supply.>

1 of ammonia is not too bad for a cycled tank. Most dechlor will break the chloramine bond & bind the ammonia produced, rendering it non-toxic. In a cycled tank that bound ammonia should be removed by the bio-filter in a few hours.

You might want to limit your pwc to less than 50% to limit the ammonia load, use a good dechlor like Prime, and monitor your tank (for the first while) to make sure the ammonia is being handled by the bio-filter after a pwc.

I'm currently using Tetra Aquasafe. That a good brand?

 

[timwag2001]

i have well water and live next to a farm and my water has 40-80 ppm.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Your tap has 40-80 ppm of Ammonia?

 

[gzeiger]

I bet he means nitrate... I would think you'd start tasting ammonia at that concentration.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

That's what I was hoping gzeiger.

 

[timwag2001]

yeah, i meant nitrates. sorry. had a few too many beers.