Water question

[Amaunet]

So if you’ve seen my previous posts you know that I discovered my tap water has an ammonia reading of 1.0ppm. My cycling for my 20 g high planted tank was not pretty and I had fish die. Mainly bc dummy me forgot to not take the LFS word as divine infallible fact. And it had been so long since I had stopped having a tank that I had forgotten more than I probably even knew anyway. So in a desperate attempt to keep my three spot gourami Jade from dying I started using distilled water with prime and stability added to it.

So I’ve gotten to the point last night in my unintended fish in cycle where my API kit is showing 0 ammonia, but the nitrite was a 2 - I think, the colors are not exactly matching the test kit example pics, so I’m guesstimating - and the nitrate was somewhere in between the colors for 20 and 40. I did a 15% WC bc that’s all the distilled water I had at the house. I know I’ll probably need to get some more and do another 15-20%, but that’s where my question comes in.

Now that the BB has established enough to make the ammonia read 0, is it possible to safely stop using distilled water and use tap water, since the BB eats the ammonia. Or am I forever in the situation where my fishy friends will always require distilled? Also how long once the ammonia starts reading 0 does it take for nitrites and nitrates to start going down as well? This diabolical process has left me feeling like I’m a fish killing noob all over again and don’t know anything.

 

[Aiken Drum]

A few things to understand about your ammonia.

The ammonia you are seeing is likely because your tap water is treated with chloramine rather than chlorine. Chloramine starts to breaks down to chlorine and ammonia/ammonium when it leaves the tap.

Your test kit isnt testing for free ammonia. It tests for total ammonia, which is free ammonia + ammonium. Free ammonia is very toxic to fish, ammonium is much, much less toxic.

Free ammonia and ammonium will be in a proportion that is dependant on water temperature and pH. Essentially the higher the temperature and pH the more free ammonia will be present as a proportion of the 2. At typical aquarium temperatures and pH, ammonia will only be a short term problem at very high levels. Unless your pH is high 7s 1ppm ammonia/ammonium shouldn't be too much of a risk in the short term because there will be very little free ammonia. If it is living in that level of waste longer term thats a different issue.

Your cycle doesn't care if it is fed free ammonia or ammonium, it treats them the same. Also a strong cycle will take it down quite quickly.

So, on the face if it (although i dont know your waters pH) your tap water isnt too toxic as long as your cycle can take the ammonia down in a reasonably short space of time.

There are also precautions you can take. For the sake of arguement, lets presume Seachem Prime does what it claims, detoxifies ammmonia. Treating your tap water with Prime should detoxify the ammonia for 24 hours while your cycle removes it.

I would say you arent stuck with distilled water for ever more, as your cycle will establish enough to pull ammonia out pretty quickly. Are you at that stage now? I dont know, do a small water change with your tap water and see how quickly it takes to drop to 0ppm. A 25% water change should only raise your ammonia to 0.25ppm which is a perfectly safe level unless you have high pH.

Many people have water treated with chloramine, and they generally manage fine. I can't 100% say you are treated with chloramine, it could just be ammonia, but the issues you are seeing are same.

 

[Amaunet]

A few things to understand about your ammonia.

The ammonia you are seeing is likely because your tap water is treated with chloramine rather than chlorine. Chloramine starts to breaks down to chlorine and ammonia/ammonium when it leaves the tap.

Your test kit isnt testing for free ammonia. It tests for total ammonia, which is free ammonia + ammonium. Free ammonia is very toxic to fish, ammonium is much, much less toxic.

Free ammonia and ammonium will be in a proportion that is dependant on water temperature and pH. Essentially the higher the temperature and pH the more free ammonia will be present as a proportion of the 2. At typical aquarium temperatures and pH, ammonia will only be a short term problem at very high levels. Unless your pH is high 7s 1ppm ammonia/ammonium shouldn't be too much of a risk in the short term because there will be very little free ammonia. If it is living in that level of waste longer term thats a different issue.

Your cycle doesn't care if it is fed free ammonia or ammonium, it treats them the same. Also a strong cycle will take it down quite quickly.

So, on the face if it (although i dont know your waters pH) your tap water isnt too toxic as long as your cycle can take the ammonia down in a reasonably short space of time.

There are also precautions you can take. For the sake of arguement, lets presume Seachem Prime does what it claims, detoxifies ammmonia. Treating your tap water with Prime should detoxify the ammonia for 24 hours while your cycle removes it.

I would say you arent stuck with distilled water for ever more, as your cycle will establish enough to pull ammonia out pretty quickly. Are you at that stage now? I dont know, do a small water change with your tap water and see how quickly it takes to drop to 0ppm. A 25% water change should only raise your ammonia to 0.25ppm which is a perfectly safe level unless you have high pH.

Many people have water treated with chloramine, and they generally manage fine. I can't 100% say you are treated with chloramine, it could just be ammonia, but the issues you are seeing are same.

Okay that makes sense. I’ll do a small change using my tap water when I get home and then test my water 30 minutes later and again tomorrow morning. I’ll keep you posted on the results. Atm my ph is steady at 6.8.

 

[Aiken Drum]

Link to article that goes into much more detail with much more understanding than i could give it if you are interested.

https://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/showthread.php?t=159994

At that low a pH i wouldnt worry about ammonia too much.

 

[Amaunet]

So I did the water change tonight with my tap water. I didn’t get to it yesterday bc it was a hectic night for my daughter. So far so good I think. Will include pics of my tests for reference. Also the tap water did raise my ph to 7.2 from the previous 6.8.

Will do the 24 hour test at 9:34 tomorrow night and let ya know how it went. Here’s hoping all goes well.

 

[Amaunet]

So I think I might just be okay. Did the last 24 hr water test after putting in the tap water. Here’s the results

Thanks again for all your info! It made me feel less worried. But man am I glad to see my numbers at what they are ??

 

[Aiken Drum]

Good news. Glad i could ease your worries.