Is my testing kit faulty?

Hi

Last Wednesday I did a water test and I read it as showing ammonia. Been doing nearly 50% changes daily. I have a 1400 litre external filter, which is also hooked up to a 1 litre external booster.

It is still showing ammonia, so I decided to test my tap water. This I have tested before and it showed yellow.

My tap water is showing the same colour as my aquarium test.

The aquarium test has been the same colour since Wednesday. Previous to Wednesday, my ammonia was showing yellow and I tested my tap water when I first got the kit and that was yellow also.

The tank has been set up since early May and was fully cycled at the end of May. I put the external on at the end of June and used the filter sponge from my old internal filter in the external booster. I have a 180-litre tank, with around 8 java fern, java moss and a small wisteria, along with 11 neon tetra, 3 female guppies, 2 male endlers along with guppy fry and juveniles.

My Nitrites are zero (supposedly) and my nitrates are either 10 or 20 as I cannot differentiate between the two colours (again supposedly). Three weeks ago, I did lose a female guppy, I put that down to dying in birth and as there was no body, I assumed she got cannibalised. I tested my water and ammonia was 0, nitrites 0 and nitrates either 10 or 20.

First picture is my tap water.

 

The test kit reads both NH4 (ammonium, ion) and NH3 (ammonia, molecular, unionized). NH4 is only toxic to fish in high concentrations, whereas NH3 is toxic to fish at the slightest concentration. Ammonium is associated with a lower pH.

 

You need to test Spring water to determine if testkits are really faulty or not. Spring water contains 0ppm Ammonia

 

I must admit I have not been testing my pH level as regularly as I have with the basic three.

My last test was around 4 weeks ago, when my pH was 7.8. I have just tested it now and it is at the top band of the high range test, so 8.8.

How do I get this down, or what do I have it that as made it shoot up. My decor is stone and aquaroch rock, along with gravel.

 

I must admit I have not been testing my pH level as regularly as I have with the basic three.

My last test was around 4 weeks ago, when my pH was 7.8. I have just tested it now and it is at the top band of the high range test, so 8.8.

How do I get this down, or what do I have it that as made it shoot up. My decor is stone and aquaroch rock, along with gravel.

You can lower your pH naturally with natural botanicals like Indian almond leaves, peat moss , driftwood or straight tannin extract. Its never recommended to use bottled chemicals because its not best to rely on them to alter your water chemistry.

 

Now I have just tested my tap water (which I have never tested before) and it is also showing the top band of the range test 8.8

You can lower your pH naturally with natural botanicals like Indian almond leaves, peat moss , driftwood or straight tannin extract. Its never recommended to use bottled chemicals because its not best to rely on them to alter your water chemistry.

Is this going to affect my fish, whilst I manage to get it down? 8.8 is way out of the range of both guppies and neons.

 

Do you know the source of your tap water? In my case mine comes from a lake fed by a river that runs through forested land and granite type rock so is very low in minerals. No industry along the way so the water is fairly pure.

Is it possible that the source of your water is lower than normal if there has been less rainfall recently. If so that might explain the pH being much higher than it was before. I am thinking the lower the water level the more concentrated the minerals will be.

Is it possible your water company now uses chloramine in place of chlorine if the water level is lower than before and that is the reason for the ammonia reading you are now seeing. If it were me I would call the water company to try to find out if they have made changes recently that would explain what you are experiencing.

 

I will contact United Utilities tomorrow, thanks.

Can I also one other question? If my test kit is right, and I do have ammonia, when would I expect the nitrite spike?

 

I will contact United Utilities tomorrow, thanks.

Can I also one other question? If my test kit is right, and I do have ammonia, when would I expect the nitrite spike?

You really shouldn't see one. It is of course possible but don't be concerned if you don't. I have to think your cycle should be able to handle the low spike in ammonia. By doing daily water changes you are just adding more ammonia daily. Your bacteria is trying to catch up with the extra load. Hold off on the water changes and give the bacteria a chance to catch up.

 

OK. United Utilities are adamant that they use chlorine in the water. When I test the tap water it reads 0.25 NH3 and NH4. I bought some bottled water from the supermarket, that too tested 0.25 for NH3 and NH4. When I tested tap water mixed with Tap Water Safe, the NH3 and NH4 reading was zero. From this, I gauge that there is NH3 and NH4 in my tap water. Could this be chloramine? I believe that chloramine is a bond of chlorine and ammonium (NH4).

Previously, I have not use any chlorine remover in my tap water, as United Utilities assured me they were just using chlorine. I used to leave two buckets with an air stone in bubbling away for the week, this removing the chlorine. Looks like I will have to change this now.

Re my pH levels. It seems I was not cleaning my test tubes thoroughly, as my readings have now changed from 8.8 to 7.4.

Now I have tested my nitrite level today and it is 0.25, so the spike has now started. Did a 50% change (mixed with tap safe) after I tested. Do you suggest a 50% daily change until the spike drops?

 

If it doesn't go any higher I would wait on the water change and give the tank a chance to stabilize. It takes something drastic to kill a cycle so I have to think yours is just experiencing a slight glitch.

In my humble opinion a water conditioner is a total necessity when using water from a municipal water company. We can't know when they might change something in the way they treat the water. By always using our water conditioner our fish will be protected from those unannounced changes. To me it is a very inexpensive insurance policy.

that is very good news about the pH level.

 

Thanks for your response and for all the help you have given me.

Very much appreciated.