My Tap Water Has Ammonia Readings...

[BrynneAleks]

HI all, me again!
I just tested my aquarium levels just to know what the before and after will be as I'm about to do a water change. My ammonia and nitrite readings are 0 ppm, nitrates high, hence change.


Anyway, I went to test my water source, aka my tap water, for ammonia just so I can compare it to my tank's to make sure mine was still reading 0 next to it (I wanted to see if there would be a difference in the yellow shade, idk). I had previously tested my tap last month and it read 0 ppm so I figured it would again be zero. To my SHOCK, my tap is NOT reading zero, but reading between 0.50-1.0 ppms?! I ran two more ammonia tests just in case it was some sort of contamination on my end, and all are reading the same! I tested the tap for nitrites as well as nitrates, and both are reading zero. So it's only ammonia...


Now I'm unsure to do a water change because of these findings... I mean, I still NEED to, but omg!

 

[david1978]

Its no big deal unless your doing a big water change. If its .5 a 50% water change would bring the ammonia in the tank to .25 which your cycle would quickly eat up.

 

[DuaneV]

Your test could be flawed or your source water could have ammonia in it. Dont worry if it does, if your tank is cycled properly it should be able to handle 1ppm or less no problem. Even when doing a large water change, like 50 -80%, if the tank is reading 0ppm ammonia due to the cycle and you change 80% and make it .8ppm, it will be converted to 0 shortly thanks to your cycle. And if your source water has always had ammonia in it, your cycle is equipped to handle it already.

And what are your nitrate readings? You said theyre high, but where are they exactly?

 

[BrynneAleks]

Your test could be flawed or your source water could have ammonia in it. Dont worry if it does, if your tank is cycled properly it should be able to handle 1ppm or less no problem. Even when doing a large water change, like 50 -80%, if the tank is reading 0ppm ammonia due to the cycle and you change 80% and make it .8ppm, it will be converted to 0 shortly thanks to your cycle. And if your source water has always had ammonia in it, your cycle is equipped to handle it already.

And what are your nitrate readings? You said theyre high, but where are they exactly?

Oof, they look between 40-80ppm, closer to 80 >.<"

Its no big deal unless your doing a big water change. If its .5 a 50% water change would bring the ammonia in the tank to .25 which your cycle would quickly eat up.

That does make sense, thank you for putting some logic into my panic hahaha

 

[DanInJakarta]

Yep, tap water does.

 

[BrynneAleks]

Yep, tap water does.

I never knew! You could say it... Blew me out of the water! Lol. I swear when I tested the tap last month it didn't read any ammonia, but alas, maybe that time was a wrong reading.

 

[DanInJakarta]

I never knew! You could say it... Blew me out of the water! Lol. I swear when I tested the tap last month it didn't read any ammonia, but alas, maybe that time was a wrong reading.

We don't think about the inside of the pipes that deliver the water. Nor do we bother to ask how our water is made clean. Inorganic chemistry works all by itself. That's why reefers strip everything that they can from the source water with RO/DI then re-mineralize it. Better consistency for them.

Freshwater is a bit more forgiving-freshwater fish are tough.

What product do you use to treat your source water? Chances are that it will bind the ammonia as well as remove the chlorine unless you are using sodium thiosulfate crystals that just remove chlorine.

 

[BrynneAleks]

We don't think about the inside of the pipes that deliver the water. Nor do we bother to ask how our water is made clean. Inorganic chemistry works all by itself. That's why reefers strip everything that they can from the source water with RO/DI then re-mineralize it. Better consistency for them.

Freshwater is a bit more forgiving-freshwater fish are tough.

What product do you use to treat your source water? Chances are that it will bind the ammonia as well as remove the chlorine unless you are using sodium thiosulfate crystals that just remove chlorine.

Now that makes a lot of sense. I have been using prime to treat the water when I'm adding new in

 

[DanInJakarta]

There you go. Bob’s you uncle.

 

[H2O Concierge]

By filtering out the chloramines I release ammonia...aging and aeration helps with PH and other things but doesn't bring down levels past 1.0ppm. I took 2 of the Magnum 350's and filled them with Zeolite to see if that will help. Yes I use prime and Stability and a 3 stage water filter. Anyone know about an inline filter (like one you put on an ice maker) that filters Ammonia. I can't find one. I just wish it would quit raining so much...so often. Here I am bothered by the chemicals that are used to keep our drinking water safe for us to drink that could potentially harm my fish. I feel bad that this concerns me so much considering the fact that people are loosing their lives, pets, homes, and businesses due to flooding. "Just another day in Paradise".

 

[david1978]

Something like this?
https://www.thepondoutlet.com/garden-hose-chlorine-filter