mstevens

I am setting up a 50 gal and I am conditioning the water with "prime" it is supposed to remove chlorine, chloramine, and ammonia. However, after I treat the water with the recommended dosage I still get a high ammonia reading. I even tried uping the dosage just to experiment and it didnt work. I am using an api test kit. Is the test kit just giving faulty readings, or do I need to let the water sit a while after conditioning it?

thanks in advance.

Shawnie

it doesnt remove the ammonia...just makes it non lethal for 24 hours...

Alessa

... and you still get the readings in the api.

Lucy

Are you cycling with fish or without?

mstevens

I am cycling without fish. I plan on adding live rock soon to start the cycle. i am just worried about when i have to do a water change later on down the road. How do I make my changing water ammonia free so it is safe enough for a water change?

Lucy

What source of ammonia are you using to cycle?

Your tap water shouldn't have ammonia in it. You'd add prime to get rid of the chlorine and other stuff that're harmful to your fish.

Once your cycled, there should be enough beneficial bacteria to process any ammonia your fish produces.

clinton1621

Your source water (tap water) should never have ammonia in it, if it does then DONT DRINK IT

mstevens

I just tested my water straight out of the tap and it reads 1 on my api test kit. I'm starting to wonder if I should get another test kit for a second opinion.

clinton1621

Do you have well water or city water

mstevens

I have city water.

bryant

new test kit.

Pandora

Did you dechlorinate your tap water before testing it? If your water's treated with chloramines instead of chlorine that could be why...
If not... I'm not sure if chloramine itself would be detected by the ammonia test? Anyone have an idea?

Lucy

I don't think you need a new test kit, there's another member whose water tested positive for ammonia. She uses Prime and it makes it safe for the tank.

What source of ammonia are you using for your fish less cycle?

mstevens

I will be using live rock.

clinton1621

Yep, I didnt think about this one... when you have chloramine and you use a dechlor on the water it breaks the chloramine down into chlorine and ammonia... the chlorine gets neutralized by the dechlor but the ammonia stays

defcon11

Get the live rock so the tank can start cycling. After awhile the bacteria should build up enough to process the ammonia into nitrites, etc.