Ammonia in tap water. Suggestions?

[Chizzle007]

I currently have a 20 gallon tall tank that has been up a running for about 3 months now. I went through the nitrogen cycle but noticed afterward that my ammonia is always at .5ppm. I am using API master test kit. I decided to test my tap water because it just didn't make sense. Sure enough found that my tap water has ammonia in it about 1ppm. I live in an apartment so reverse osmosis is not an option. I currently use stress coat plus. O heard that turn any ammonia into a non toxic form but will still be present in an API test. I purchased ammonia test strips online and will try that. Any suggestions? Fish all seem healthy.

 

[newbjank]

Go to your local Kroger or meijer and get reverse osmosis water. They have the filtration system in the store with a water line going in so your always getting fresh clean water. At my meijer its only 29 cents a refill.

 

[HUKIT]

There are chroramines in the water which is nothing to worry about with a cycled tank and the use of a quality water condtioner like Prime which will convert the ammonia to a non-toxic form but still be used in the nitrogen cycle.

There's need to spend any money for reverse osmosis water or filters.

 

[Chizzle007]

There are chroramines in the water which is nothing to worry about with a cycled tank and the use of a quality water condtioner like Prime which will convert the ammonia to a non-toxic form but still be used in the nitrogen cycle.

There's need to spend any money for reverse osmosis water or filters.

There's no need or there is a need?

 

[eco23]

There are chroramines in the water which is nothing to worry about with a cycled tank and the use of a quality water condtioner like Prime which will convert the ammonia to a non-toxic form but still be used in the nitrogen cycle.

There's need to spend any money for reverse osmosis water or filters.

Agreed. There's no need to buy bottled or purified water as long as you are using a quality conditioner that detoxifies the ammonia.

The bio-filter should consume the ammonia fairly quickly...if you're constantly showing .5, not just after water changes...then there might be a different issue.

 

[HUKIT]

There's no need or there is a need?

Sorry there is NO need.

 

[Chizzle007]

It is constantly showing with API test. Whan I bring to petsmart to test the use strips and say it is 0. I have been doing daily water changes for the last 4 days.

 

[eco23]

With strips, you might as well just guess. Trust the API kit.

Have you made any changes recently? New fish? Replaced filters? Heavy cleaning?

So we're on the same page...the tank constantly sits at .5, not just after water changes but in general? Does it climb higher than that over the course of days without doing pwc's?

 

[Chizzle007]

With strips, you might as well just guess. Trust the API kit.

Have you made any changes recently? New fish? Replaced filters? Heavy cleaning?

So we're on the same page...the tank constantly sits at .5, not just after water changes but in general? Does it climb higher than that over the course of days without doing pwc's?

I usually do 20% water changes weekly. For the last 4 days I have been doing daily 10% to try and get the ammonia down. I got two new fish two weeks ago. In my tank I have
1 blue ram
1 dwarf gourami
5 neon tetras
2 guppys
5 ghost shrimp
live plants
No filter replacements since starting just rinsing of sponge. I have an aquaclear 50 filter. Water is clear not cloudy. I use Chemi Pure for my carbon. Water is just sitting at .5ppm. Does not climb higher.

 

[eco23]

Now that's a bit odd. For example, my tap water has around .5ppm. If I do a 50% pwc I can see trace amounts in the tank from the new water...but within hours it is back to zero because the bio-filter has converted it.

Try this...for the next few days, simply dose Prime every 24 hours instead of changing the water. Personally I'd take a pitcher, scoop water out of the tank, add Prime based off the total volume of the aquarium (so if it was a 50 gallon tank add a capful to the pitcher), and add the same water back in. That way we are not continually adding more ammonia and we can see what's happening. If it slowly drops that's good...if it stays the same or climbs over the days...there's a problem with the bio-filter we'll have to investigate more IMO.

 

[Chizzle007]

Now that's a bit odd. For example, my tap water has around .5ppm. If I do a 50% pwc I can see trace amounts in the tank from the new water...but within hours it is back to zero because the bio-filter has converted it.

Try this...for the next few days, simply dose Prime every 24 hours instead of changing the water. Personally I'd take a pitcher, scoop water out of the tank, add Prime based off the total volume of the aquarium (so if it was a 50 gallon tank add a capful to the pitcher), and add the same water back in. That way we are not continually adding more ammonia and we can see what's happening. If it slowly drops that's good...if it stays the same or climbs over the days...there's a problem with the bio-filter we'll have to investigate more IMO.

I'll try this. Thank you. I'll let u know what happens.

 

[eco23]

I just saw you're using Stress Coat instead of Prime. As long as the Stress Coat neutralizes chloramines (which I think it does) you can do the same process. Just the dosage will be different than what I recommended.

Let us know what happens

 

[Chizzle007]

I just saw you're using Stress Coat instead of Prime. As long as the Stress Coat neutralizes chloramines (which I think it does) you can do the same process. Just the dosage will be different than what I recommended.

Let us know what happens

I have stresszyme to. Should I dose both?

 

[Chizzle007]

Are there any other indicators of having a bad bio filter?

 

[eco23]

I have stresszyme to. Should I dose both?

Stress Coat for your tank....Stress Zyme for your trash can.

 

[eco23]

Are there any other indicators of having a bad bio filter?

Toxins climbing or not dropping are the indicators of a problem. Unfortunately most people learn there's a problem once their fish start having issues, but you've done a good job staying on top of it .

We'll just have to see over the next few days. Have you been using Stress Zyme for a long time? That could actually be part of the problem.

 

[Chizzle007]

Toxins climbing or not dropping are the indicators of a problem. Unfortunately most people learn there's a problem once their fish start having issues, but you've done a good job staying on top of it .

We'll just have to see over the next few days. Have you been using Stress Zyme for a long time? That could actually be part of the problem.

Yes. But I will stop immediately. What problem doesn't cause?

 

[eco23]

Yes. But I will stop immediately. What problem doesn't cause?

To put it really simply (it's a lot more complicated than this)...it doesn't contain true nitrifying bacteria that is found in an established aquarium. It's believed these "alternate" bacterias can outcompete the true beneficial bacteria that is supposed to be in your tank, so you never truly have a healthy, established biological filter. The bacteria in those products, while sometimes efficient, are very short lived...so when their life cycle is up...you can have huge crashes of your bio-filter because there is not enough of the true bacteria there to handle it since it was outcompeted by the other stuff and never fully colonized.

 

[Batt4Christ]

RO by itself removes Ammonia?

 

[Chizzle007]

To put it really simply (it's a lot more complicated than this)...it doesn't contain true nitrifying bacteria that is found in an established aquarium. It's believed these "alternate" bacterias can outcompete the true beneficial bacteria that is supposed to be in your tank, so you never truly have a healthy, established biological filter. The bacteria in those products, while sometimes efficient, are very short lived...so when their life cycle is up...you can have huge crashes of your bio-filter because there is not enough of the true bacteria there to handle it since it was outcompeted by the other stuff and never fully colonized.

What do you suggest I do? Stick with stress coat plus for next couple of days plan?