Ammonia In Filtered Water

Firstly I apologize if I am off topic in this forum.

I had a spare Brita water filter and I thought that would be a good idea to keep filled up and use it to top up my tanks due to evaporation. Water would be free from of chlorine and be at room temp, which is close to the temp of my tanks.

I put a new cartridge in and gave the recommended run through. Tested the water and it showed 1 ppm ammonia. Even after several changed it is still 1 ppm ammonia. My tap water is free of Ammonia and Nitrite and only records about 8 ppm Nitrate.

My understanding is these Brita filters are basically a carbon filter. It could leach phophate I don't have a kit for that but ammonia is a big question.

Needless to say, I would not drink it myself let alone give it to my fish and shrimps.

Anyone have any idea where the ammonia could be coming from. Just shows how careful we have to be.

 

What does your tap read?

 

My tap water is free of Ammonia and and only records about 8 ppm

 

What does your tap read?

I did include that I will repeat. My tap water pH7.2 Ammonia Zero, Nitrite Zero, Nitrate 8ppm, KH 6 degrees, GH 11 degrees.

 

Sorry, missed that.
I've heard that filters can add some ammonia to the water, haven't been able to verify it.
1 ppm isn't anything to worry about since the BB will take care of it and if you have plants in it they will eat the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.
Ammonia in your drinking water is ok but 1ppm seems high.

 

My only thought is if you have chloramine in your tap and not straight chlorine. The filer could be breaking it down into chlorine and ammonia and that's why its showing ammonia.

 

Sorry, missed that.
I've heard that filters can add some ammonia to the water, haven't been able to verify it.
1 ppm isn't anything to worry about since the BB will take care of it and if you have plants in it they will eat the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.
Ammonia in your drinking water is ok but 1ppm seems high.

Plants yes, as far as I am concerned they are the primary filter as they are in nature.
I guess my concern is we buy something that is supposed to be super-doopa "Pure" and it is throwing out contaminants.

 

Chloramine production from Wikipedia:
In dilute aqueous solution, chloroamine is prepared by the reaction of ammonia with sodium hypochlorite

I'd have to agree with David you could be detecting something in the chloramine or from it breaking down.

 

My only thought is if you have chloramine in your tap and not straight chlorine. The filer could be breaking it down into chlorine and ammonia and that's why its showing ammonia.

That's interesting I have just had a look at our supplier analysis.
Ammonium mg/L <0.015
Chlorine mg/L, 30.80
It has always been my understanding that my supply is disinfected with Chlorine. I am not a chemist but the above figures look to me as suck but I could easily be wrong. The Ammonium seems extremely low.

 

Chloramine production from Wikipedia:
In dilute aqueous solution, chloroamine is prepared by the reaction of ammonia with sodium hypochlorite

I'd have to agree with David you could be detecting something in the chloramine or from it breaking down.

So what you are suggesting the Brita cartridge is taking out the chlorine leaving the ammonium which is showing up on my test kit. Very interesting stuff.

 

Did they mention ammonia or just ammonium? Might check your city's water report to see what they use.

 

Chloramine might be breaking down, my city uses both chloramine and chlorine.

 

Did they mention ammonia or just ammonium? Might check your city's water report to see what they use.

If you are interested here is the link to my Water Quality. Enter my postcode 'LE10 0JD' it is very comprehensive.

 

They talk about chlorides but not what types. I'm in the U.S. so we have things listed differently, like separating chlorine and chloramine and not listing just as chloride.
Either way, I wouldn't worry about your water, it looks fine to me.

 

I must of done something wrong. Lol. Are the calling them chlorides or combined chlorides?

 

The report seems to just say chlorides, like they just combined some stuff

 

They talk about chlorides but not what types. I'm in the U.S. so we have things listed differently, like separating chlorine and chloramine and not listing just as chloride.
Either way, I wouldn't worry about your water, it looks fine to me.

Thank you very much. I did a bit of googling and Severn Trent Water lists the chloramine just as total chlorine. There has been some disagreement. I was initially puzzled how the Brita cartridge was putting out ammonia which it wasn't it was just getting rid of the chlorine. You don't know how fascinating water is until you look at it. Thanks again.

 

I must of done something wrong. Lol. Are the calling them chlorides or combined chlorides?

Yes, I made a mistake before. It is all listed as chlorides under EU rules. They har helpful is contacted. So fish, shrimp and me are happy.

 

Water is a complex thing. Lol