Ammonia In My Tap Water!

[Squeegeatc]

So THIS is my issue!   I never tested for ammonia in my water.  Finally did...there is 0.25 in my water supply!!   I can NOT afford to use distilled or bottled water for Water Changes.  There is a chemical by SeaChem.  It is mainly a dechlorinator but has something that helps with ammonia.   Is this a better option?
 
Or do I possibly have an "off" test kit???

 

[KirkyArcher]

I wouldn't be surprised that you feel you have 0.25ppm ammonia especially if you're using API test kit not a distinct difference between 0 and 0.25ppm I tested some deionized water to get a true zero (control) result and it still looks closer to the 0.25 to the zero on the chart in my eyes!

 

[Squeegeatc]

Yes it's an API test.  There was a spike a few days ago, and 12 gallon WC was enough to bring it back to the .25ppm.   I'm watching for Nitrites and Nitrates.  I'm getting a low reading on Nitrates, but no nitrites. I did test the tap water for that---none present.  And half the time, not even any chlorine!   We have really crappy water here.
 
IF the ammonia test is off, I could truly have a cycled tank already.   I used old media as well as the seachem tank starter. 

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I assume the product you are referring to is "Prime".  That's a very good dechlorinator.  
 
Keep an eye on the ammonia and nitrite.  It's possible that you are cycled, as the media you brought over would have the proper bacteria.  At the same time, you want to be careful to CONFIRM that.  If a full week goes by with zero ammonia and zero nitrite, then I would say that you are cycled.  I'd still take it slowly on the stocking, as adding more bioload will require the bacteria to multiply to handle the increase. 
 
(And whenever adding more fish, you always want to be careful to watch ammonia/nitrite for a week or so afterwards.)  Since you have the 10 Gallon tank, you could keep that set-up as a QT to quarantine new fish additions to watch for 2-4 weeks to confirm they are disease free.  (This would placate your husband to be able to get a few more fish now, but also allow you to monitor the larger tank for proper cycle.  Although, I doubt the 10 is cycled now with the removal of the media... although it will contain a bit of the proper bacteria on other surfaces in the tank.)

 

[Squeegeatc]

There are still fish in the 10 gallon.   But you comment about removal brings me to another question........So far, these filters are not the optimum.  In both cases, they have the pull out and throw away filter packs.  So, EVERY time I change the old filter on the 10 gallon, I'm restarting the cycle?   This seems odd.  The 55 gallon filter is the same way, but has 2 packs.  I was planning on only swapping 1 at a time, but will that even be enough? 
 
And WHY is fish keeping so much more difficult than when my dad had a dinky, overstocked, heavily planted 10 gallon???  He did everything "wrong" by today's standards and had amazing success.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

A lot of things 'worked' in the old days, but that doesn't mean that what they did was 'right'.  For example, in days gone by folks would 'preserve' many low acid foods like green beans in ways that we would consider dangerous today.  Many people did it and were just fine, however, there were also many people who did it who got sick and/or died from it.  Yet, some folks point to their grandparents who did it like that and never had a problem as 'proof' that the old way worked/works.  However, for every one that didn't have a problem, there so many that did.
 
Going back a bit further, doctors would use 'bleeding' as means to 'cure' patients who suffered from fevers.  And some of the patients who were treated this way survived, but many others succumbed to the illness, as well.  It took a great many years to change the practice, because the treatment 'was successful' for some patients, even though there was no scientific explanation for how the treatment in any way benefited the patient and was actually detrimental to their recovery.
 
 
Fish, back when your dad was keeping them, were viewed (and to some extent still viewed) as 'expendable' pets.  I've had many conversations with folks who think that keeping a fish alive for 3-6 months is a great accomplishment.  Or that if they were successful in getting livebearers to have fry successfully grow to maturity that they have somehow achieved something.  The truth of the matter is that most fish in the hobby should live a good number of YEARS if kept properly.  Some, live 2 years, some 7 years, others up to 20+ years. 
 
Ultimately, the point is, scientific understanding of the aquatic biosphere has advanced and techniques for fishkeeping have changed to align closer to the understanding. 

 

[Squeegeatc]

Dad rarely lost a fish.  And had multiple generations in his tank at a time.  At that point he was able to give them to his LFS and they happily took them.  He didn't even use dechlorinator.   He had "aged" water in milk jugs under the tank.  When he used one to refill (RARELY did true water changes) he'd fill it from the tap and put it behind all the others.  He did have fish in there for years and years.  When he was finally bored with it, he drove mom crazy.  She was just praying the last few fish would die. I swear they lived for ever.  lol 
 
I think the chemicals in our water play a huge part of this. 
 
I'm taking a water sample to the fish store tomorrow and see what their test says about ammonia.  AND a sample of tap water.  Yes, that chemical was called Prime.   I guess it will help with the ammonia if it truly is present in my water supply.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Many water companies will add 'chloramine' to the tap water, rather than strict 'chlorine' as it remains more stable in the water to kill bacteria.  When it is broken down by the dechlorinator, the chloramine is broken down into chlorine and ammonium (hence the name 'chloramine').  Some dechlorinators have a secondary chemical in them to 'detoxify' the ammonia until the bacteria can deal with it.  It shouldn't be a problem. 
 
 
Incidentally, when using Prime, it can give a 'false reading' of 0.25ppm on API test kits.  (This has been acknowledged by API.) 
 
 
Your dad's tank sounds a lot like my own dad's tank.  That tank probably was suffering from 'Old Tank Syndrome' where nitrates build up and the pH dives way down.  (This occurs from a lack of water changes.)  This worked well for him, as the fish slowly became accustomed to the water.  Also, the jugs sitting out were useful as they allowed the chlorine to gas off (it usually only needs about 24 hours to do so).  But, chloramines today don't 'gas off' which is why they are used in many municipalities.

 

[Squeegeatc]

I havn't used Prime yet, but I just finished the bottle of Stability.  Wonder if it does the same thing.   We are getting the prime tomorrow. 
 
I treated my 10 gallon the same way Dad did, except using a tap water conditioner.  When I bought the test strips after adding the first set of BlackSkirts, I was floored to see the nitrates off the charts.  I truly don't know how they survived.   Small water changes daily for a week finally dropped those levels.  Dad always stuck to the super hardy livebearers.   I guess that's why any new addition fared well?  Truly though, once he had his stocked, I don't think he added very many. 

 

[Rak9378]

I havn't used Prime yet, but I just finished the bottle of Stability.  Wonder if it does the same thing.   We are getting the prime tomorrow. 

Stability and Prime are two different things. Stability is basically bacteria in a bottle. It will help generate the bacteria needed to get a tank cycled. It's not instant cycle stuff as the LFS will tell you but it's products like Stability that are used to jump start a cycle. Prime is a dechlorinator so you use it every time you add new water to your tank. It will neutralize chemicals in your water, such as the chloramine you saw on your test kit, and make it safe for fish. Prime also has the ability to detoxify ammonia, nitrite and nitrate but only lasts for 24-48 hours....so not a long term solution for dealing with ammonia etc. hope this helps

 

[Ninjouzata]

There are still fish in the 10 gallon.   But you comment about removal brings me to another question........So far, these filters are not the optimum.  In both cases, they have the pull out and throw away filter packs.  So, EVERY time I change the old filter on the 10 gallon, I'm restarting the cycle?   This seems odd.  The 55 gallon filter is the same way, but has 2 packs.  I was planning on only swapping 1 at a time, but will that even be enough? 
 
And WHY is fish keeping so much more difficult than when my dad had a dinky, overstocked, heavily planted 10 gallon???  He did everything "wrong" by today's standards and had amazing success.

You don't want to throw away filter media until it is literally falling apart, and even then only a small amount at a time. That is what contains majority of your bacteria.
So yes, if you throw it away, you are starting the cycle over again. Which as you know wouldn't be good.

 

[fishwarrior]

Ammonia in tap could also mean you have chloramines in your water.  Prime is a good one, but keep in mind when using it, some people look at it as a cure all.  It's primarily a water dechlorinater, it does however, temporarily make ammonia, nitrites and nitrates non-deadly to fish, but does not remove it.  So, after the time is up and you haven't established a cycled tank, you'll end up with more ammonia in more lethal doses and possibly false readings to boot.  Prime is good for two things, take care of chlorine/chloramines and as an emergency tool.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Stability can not start the cycle from a bacterial point of view as it contains no live bacteria, only spores. The nitrifying bacteria in tanks do not form spores.

 

[cowgirluntamed]

I tested my tap water(it's from a well, so no chlorine has been added) and it tested at .25 for ammonia. I'm not sure if my first problem(a cloudy tank) was due to the ammonia or due to food waste disintegrating because the fish didn't like the food I had been feeding(switched off of it). I did get a filter media by Marineland that was activated carbon plus an ammonia neutralizer. It seems to have worked and my water tests have all been mostly constant .25(occassionl .50) for ammonia. However, from reading up on the ammonia neutralizers is that it turns ammonia to harmless ammonium, but the test kits will not differentiate between the two. My water did clear up after cleaning up all the waste and adding this media to my filter. Hope this helps!
   Kris

 

[dazzadub]

I do things properly by today's standards and I lost fish.