Chloramine and testing for Ammonia?

[TacomaToker]

Hello, since Chloramine breaks down into non-toxic Ammonia, is it ever possible to obtain a reading of 0ppm Ammonia when your tap water contains Chloramine?

 

[Essjay]

If you mean in new water before it's added to the tank, that will always show a low ammonia reading even if you use a dechlorinator which also detoxifies ammonia. Our test kits measure total ammonia so they measure the detoxified form.

In our tanks, the filter bacteria or plants will quickly remove the ammonia that comes from chloramine so after a couple of hours tank ammonia should be zero. It should certainly be zero by the following day.



However, ammonia test kits sometimes show the lowest green colour even when there is no ammonia. Fluorescent lights can make the liquid look greener than it really is, and some people just don't see the yellow of zero. No-one knows why, it is speculated that different eyes see different colous.

 

[TacomaToker]

If you mean in new water before it's added to the tank, that will always show a low ammonia reading even if you use a dechlorinator which also detoxifies ammonia. Our test kits measure total ammonia so they measure the detoxified form.

In our tanks, the filter bacteria or plants will quickly remove the ammonia that comes from chloramine so after a couple of hours tank ammonia should be zero. It should certainly be zero by the following day.



However, ammonia test kits sometimes show the lowest green colour even when there is no ammonia. Fluorescent lights can make the liquid look greener than it really is, and some people just don't see the yellow of zero. No-one knows why, it is speculated that different eyes see different colous.

thanks for the answer! My tank is in the middle of being cycled, so .1-.2 ammonia after 36 hours is currently to be expected. In my established tank, I can see the pure yellow so I believe there is just still a bit of ammonia in there. Crazy how long a fish in cycle takes, I have been doing Water changes every 24-36 hours for weeks now.

 

[Essjay]

If the tank is cycling, it will add a bit to the overall ammonia reading. Try testing a bucket of dechlorinated water so you'll know how much extra ammonia you are adding when you do a water change.

 

[Colin_T]

Yes you can have 0 ammonia in tap water that contains chloramine. It is uncommon but occurs when the water company has got the right ratio of chlorine to ammonia.

The ammonia in chloramine is actually poisonous and needs to be made safe before it goes into an aquarium.

If you dechlorinate the tap water and then test the water for ammonia, you should get an ammonia reading once the chlorine has been neutralised.