.5mg/L ammonia w/o adding any in fishless tank!

[sirwired]

I finally got my tank setup and filled today. I got it all cranked up, added Prime (1 capful for a 38g tank), and it has been doing its thing for a few hours now.

I broke out the test kit to get initial readings and got:

pH 7.8
Ammoina .5 mg/L
NO2 0
NO3 0

I was going to do a fishless cycle by adding Ammonia, but unless I am completely screwing up the test, I don't need to add any at all!

I checked my municipality's "Finished Water Quality Report" and sure enough, the 2005 lists ammonia as .6mg/L. The "Consumer Confidence Report" is even more interesting: 3.46mg/L of Cloramines, with a range of .32 - 4.95.

What implications does this have for my fish (that I do not actually have yet)? It looks like to me I should double-up on the Prime and pray my Bio-Filter (once I cycle) can break this crap down before the Prime dissapates once I have actual fish in there. (The SeaChem website says Prime dissapates in 24hrs.)

Once I have fish in there, what do I do if I have to treat with antibiotics? If I do daily major water changes, what is going to take that Prime-i-fied Chloramine) out of the water if my Biofilter is comprimised?

The Prime bottle states that it only handles 3mg/L of Chloramine, so the standard dosage does not appear to be enough for a full tank.

SirWired

 

[rich311k]

You have a little ammonia in your tap. I would dechlorinate a sample of tap and test it. A trace like you are finding won't matter much, once you have your biological filter rolling. I would still add an ammonia source to your tank .5ppm is not enough to get things rolling.

 

[sirwired]

Doh! Of course I need 5ppm, NOT just .5... that will teach me to get my decimal points confused. (Better I learn now than when I have fish in the tank)

Thanks,

SirWired