Advice on water change - wait a week and see if my tap water clears up?

I have an established 40G that is fully stocked. It is moderately planted. I usually do a 40% water change every week but after noticing a heavy chemical smell in my tap water I tested it. It currently has 0.50 ammonia straight from the tap. It is usually 0 (MAYBE 0.25 as the API test kit is hard to read).

Current tank parameters (and it is my usual water change day) are: 0-ammonia and nitrite and 20-nitrate. PH- 8.2.

Should I wait a week and see if my tap water clears up? Or double dose with prime?

Thanks for any help

 

If this is an odd occurrence I would call the water company or public works department and ask if they had been working on your line. They have to add chemicals whenever a line breaks and it's repaired, and probably a few other situations. If they have been, it should clear up, if they haven't been you should ask if they have changed your water treatment processes locally and tell them what you are observing.

Where you go from there I would think would vary based on their answers.

 

I would set a cup or bucket aside and test after a week, just out of curiosity if nothing else. But yeah, double dosing with prime or maybe picking up some jugs of water at the store may have to be done in the meantime.

 

I would set a cup or bucket aside and test after a week, just out of curiosity if nothing else. But yeah, double dosing with prime or maybe picking up some jugs of water at the store may have to be done in the meantime.

I thought of that but bottled water is usually much softer in ph than mine. I was worried about changing my parameters too much.

If this is an odd occurrence I would call the water company or public works department and ask if they had been working on your line. They have to add chemicals whenever a line breaks and it's repaired, and probably a few other situations. If they have been, it should clear up, if they haven't been you should ask if they have changed your water treatment processes locally and tell them what you are observing.

Where you go from there I would think would vary based on their answers.

My city usually adds extra chemicals in the spring due to runoff. It usually lasts a week of 2.

I’ve left a cup of water out and am going to test it in 48hrs to see if that changes the readings at all

 

I thought of that but bottled water is usually much softer in ph than mine. I was worried about changing my parameters too much.



My city usually adds extra chemicals in the spring due to runoff. It usually lasts a week of 2.

I’ve left a cup of water out and am going to test it in 48hrs to see if that changes the readings at all

I would also probably at least check daily for ammonia from your supply. At least your aware that they do add stuff for the runoff, and if its melting there like it has been here, there is plenty of runoff!