Tap water at 0.50 ppm Ammonia?!?!

[jcmcn5]

I couldn't figure out why, even after frequent 50% water changes, I couldn't seem to get the ammonia below .50 ppm, so I figure let me just measure the tap water for the hell of it. It comes out of the tap at 0.50 ppm!!! Has anyone ever had an experience like that? Could it be I have a bad test kit? We're on municipal water in a rather large community -- I can't imagine we have bad water.

Ay advice or experience with this would be greatly appreciated?

 

[spiketooth]

I know this a about your tap water but, how long has your tank been set up?

 

[jcmcn5]

4 weeks

 

[spiketooth]

You can use seachem prime, that will help remove ammo, but it also sounds like your not cycled. Even if there ammo in the water, the good bb should take care of that. How are you cycling your tank, what are your nitrite and nitrate reading, what the size of your tank and do you have fish in there

 

[jcmcn5]

ph -- 7.8 (comes out of the tap high)
Nitrite 0
Nitrate approx. 5ppm

20 gallon tank. Had been using the Quick Start to cycle tank for the past three 4 weeks. Just put 4 small black skirted tetras in the tank. I do not plan on adding any more fish for at least another two weeks or until I see more evidence that the bacteria colony is in place and the tank is fully cycled. That said, I'd hate to kill the fish with the tap water- I just found another thread about this and it seem the consensus is to use Prime Seachem as you suggested. Supposedly it neutralizes the killer elements of ammonia for a day or two, or until the filter bacteria get to it. My worry is I don't have enough bacteria yet to odo an effective mop up of the ammonia, so it looks like I'm looking at a 50% water change every couple of days or so.

 

[spiketooth]

That api quick start works but is not perminate. Its like a temp solution. You are not cycled yet. If anything, that stuff slows down the cycle process.