eaglescout316

So, as some may have noticed i'm not getting the ammonia levels i'd like (0). I get the .25ppm reading on an API liquid testing kit. I've been given several ideas as to why that is. Cycle being stalled...liquid kit bad...improper testing technique...etc. The test kit is brand-spankin' new, so the reagents are fine. Similarly, my testing technique is word-for-word what the instructions say.

I thought maybe i was just being picky about my green tint, but i just got some more fish and tested the water from the fish store, and it's a pretty yellow. I tested water right out of my tap, and got the greenish tint again. Nitrates go up, nitrites do not, and actually ammonia never rises above this particular tint, regardless of how long i go in between testings (tried up to 4 days).

So here's my idea/question. What can cause a small false positive on the API ammonia test kit? I'm starting to think there's something in my water (glad i use a purifier for my drinking water) that's making false readings. What do you guys think/know about this sort of thing?

Lucy

Your tap water tests .25, wouldn't that explain the consistant .25 reading from your tank?
I'm sure you thought of that.

If you're using prime, it detoxifys the ammonia, but I think I read you would still get the reading.

You added new fish, how many? Sometimes it takes time for the bacteria to catch up with the added bio-load.

Do you vacuum the gravel? Left over food and fish waste can cause a rise in ammonia.

Have you tested your tap water for nitrites and nitrates?

Just some thoughts, for what it's worth.

eaglescout316

Right, and that's more of where my question is targeted. If my tap water tests .25, but the level in my tank NEVER goes below that, then maybe there's a contaminate in the tap water causing the reading. If the contaminate was ammonia, then the cycle should take care of that after a partial water change.

When i first filled my tank on day 1, i tested the water and had the .25 reading and thought maybe there's a small amount of ammonia already in my water. I expected the cycle to establish and bring it to zero if that were the case. My current theory i'm bouncing around is there's a different contaminate that reacts with the API kit, but doesn't harm the fish nor can the bacteria appear to process it.

Also, this explains why partial water changing 50% of the water for 4 days didn't help the reading.

Lucy

This is where it goes over my head, but I'll throw it out there.
Is it possible that your test is picking up ammonium, which is ammonia's non toxic form?

eaglescout316

It's possible, the API kit tests for ammonia and ammonium simultaneously. I think the cycling bacteria break both down though.

sirdarksol

Yes, they should break both of them down, and you're cycle should be taking care of your tap's ammonia after a short time.

You may want to check online to see if you can find a rundown of your local water supply. I checked mine recently (out of curiosity), and it only took a few minutes to find the right website.

As a side note: Ammonia in your tap water isn't really good, in my opinion. It's bad for you, too.

BigJoe

HEY another eagle scout!!!! yeah... anyway i'm thinking that it is either that it is ammonium (possibly no bacteria to break it down into amonia in which case a live plant might help...) or you have chloromines in your tap water... i'm not 100% sure on this but on the back of some bottles of conditioners it sais it will break them down if enough conditioners are used but they can and will release ammonia... maybe if you aren't putting in enough to instantly detoxify the chloromines some smonia is being constantl released and your bacteria cannot keep up... but seeing as how you are getting a reading from the tap (just reread it and didn't feel like erasing the rest) i would asume it is ammonium which from what i understand is non toxic... but i think that if you grow plants they can get use it in their metabolism.... although don't quote that cause i am still fairly new also...

jdhef

I can't remember, did you use Safe Start to cycle your tank?

If so, maybe you only have enough of the bacteria that digests ammonia to convert what the fish and uneaten food in your tank produce, but not enough to digest the additional ammonia in your tap water. Yet you seem to have enough of the bacteria that digests nitrites to handle the ammonia that is converted to nitrites. That would explain the nitrates rising.

And since it takes several weeks to build up bacteria, you may just have to wait a little while for the bacteria to grow sufficiently to digest all of the ammonia.

Anyway, that's the best theory I can come up with.