Wth Ammonia In Tap Water?

[Primous]

IN short I've been living at this address for roughly 4 years and recently my stock have started exhibiting signs of ill health. Went through a number of checks and found out that my ammonia levels are no longer 0ppm. I thought That perhaps it was a spike as I removed a few rainbows to a back up tank for a week and then returned them to the main tank (spawn) But I've just conducted 6 test using nutrafin liquid test kit and I have low levels of ammonia present.

What do you suggest my next step should be?

 

[BigbruiserAl]

What exactly is low level then?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

First, having tap water with some ammonia shouldn't really affect anything. If your filter is working properly, it should be able to handle a little ammonia being added by the tap water and return the tank to zero in a very short period of time.

Second, low level? That has no meaning. What level was it exactly? What is the ammonia level of your tap water? (Ammonia in tap water isn't really surprising. Water treatment plants are using chloramines more and more, and when the dechlorinator deals with it, it breaks the bond releasing chlorine and ammonia. For my own situation, my tap water when dechlorinated has about 0.25ppm ammonia. My tank deals with this easily and the ammonia is back to zero in a matter of an hour or two.)


Without specifics advising is almost impossible. But, I wouldn't feed the fish for at least a few days. Next, a water change is always a good solution. Not knowing the ammonia levels of either your tank or your tap water makes this an impossible thing to truly determine though. More information is required.

 

[Primous]

Ammonia is 1ppm. Previously, well in fact up to last week friday my water has always read 0 for ammonia. @eaglesaquarium I notice that you have two filters according to your signature I only have one which is perhaps the reason my ammonia doesn't disapear in an hour or two.

Any advice on my next steps and/or how to counter this is greatly appreciated.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

You didn't mention the ammonia in your tap. What is that level?

1ppm ammonia is not "low level" it is HIGH! Anything above 0.25ppm is an emergency. First, you may be in the midst of a mini-cycle, not sure what the cause is, but let's deal with that later. For right now, you need to do a thorough gravel vaccing and remove as much detritus as possible, while also removing as much water as possible. Leave just enough water for the fish to be able to swim upright. Then refill with dechlorinated temp matched water. Legally, there is no way that the tap water could be near 1ppm level. So, you will at least be improving the water some with this. Removing any built up detritus will help the tank not create any more ammonia than absolutely necessary. Don't feed the fish for a few days. They will be much better off without food for up to 7 days than swimming in high levels of ammonia. If the ammonia levels come back down to 0, feel free to give a LITTLE food. Be sure not to give them much at all though.


As far as what could have caused it... Is there a dead fish in there that you haven't been able to find? Anything different happen with the tank? Power outage for a period? Anything at all that you can think of that might have changed prior to this?

 

[Primous]

My apologies I should have made it clearer the ammonia count in my tap water is 1ppm. Although my post count is low I have been a member here for a while and learned most things through a guy here called "waterdrop" before moving on to the planted aspect and joining the plantedtank.net and have been there since.

My tank/filter have been running without issue since I completed my fishless cycle. Ammonia nitrite remain at 0ppm consistently. My nitrates being betweeen 5-10ppm before I started taking the planted aspect seriously . Snce converting to a dirt based substrate, and planting heavily my nitrates are also at 0ppm. I'm kinda miffed about the tap ammonia.

For me ammonia or nitrite at levels above 0ppm is cause for concern. 0.25ppm in my opinion might as well be 5ppm, but then thats just me.

 

[the_lock_man]

My apologies I should have made it clearer the ammonia count in my tap water is 1ppm. Although my post count is low I have been a member here for a while and learned most things through a guy here called "waterdrop" before moving on to the planted aspect and joining the plantedtank.net and have been there since.

My tank/filter have been running without issue since I completed my fishless cycle. Ammonia nitrite remain at 0ppm consistently. My nitrates being betweeen 5-10ppm before I started taking the planted aspect seriously . Snce converting to a dirt based substrate, and planting heavily my nitrates are also at 0ppm. I'm kinda miffed about the tap ammonia.

For me ammonia or nitrite at levels above 0ppm is cause for concern. 0.25ppm in my opinion might as well be 5ppm, but then thats just me.

I suggest you start looking for the reason behind this - ammonia at that level in tapwater is a grave cause for concern. Do you have a cold water header tank in your attic? It may be that some animal fell in, drowned and is now decomposing.

If your taps are fed straight from the mains, then contact your local water company. The maximum permitted concentration of ammonia in the UK is 0.5ppm, and my local supply has an average concentration of 0.041ppm.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I agree. 1ppm tap water is cause for grave concern. You need to get that figured out ASAP. If you have a water company call their emergency number.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Although my post count is low I have been a member here for a while and learned most things through a guy here called "waterdrop" before moving on to the planted aspect and joining the plantedtank.net and have been there since.

Yeah, waterdrop has trained many folks over the years, myself included.

 

[orandas]

Although my post count is low I have been a member here for a while and learned most things through a guy here called "waterdrop" before moving on to the planted aspect and joining the plantedtank.net and have been there since.

Yeah, waterdrop has trained many folks over the years, myself included.

me too

 

[Primous]

Quick update

I called my local water authority/board and they said that there was a slight "blip" on their end. They didn't go into detail as to what was behind it but it cleared up soon after and is now back to 0ppm.

As for waterdrop, I am a proud student of his. With the most important lesson he ever taught me was that I should identify the science. And in a hobby full of theories that lesson to me has been the most important. Hence the ammonia at 0.25ppm being ok doesn't stack up to me.

 

[CezzaXV]

Ammonia at 0.25ppm isn't ok, but it's the maximum level it should be before you really start to panic.

 

[orandas]

Ammonia at 0.25ppm isn't ok, but it's the maximum level it should be before you really start to panic.

Agreed. We are only mortal beings, with hectic lives & multi-tasking, we need a 'buffer' too against the laws of nature, so 0.25ppm is our 'buffer'.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Quick update

I called my local water authority/board and they said that there was a slight "blip" on their end. They didn't go into detail as to what was behind it but it cleared up soon after and is now back to 0ppm.

As for waterdrop, I am a proud student of his. With the most important lesson he ever taught me was that I should identify the science. And in a hobby full of theories that lesson to me has been the most important. Hence the ammonia at 0.25ppm being ok doesn't stack up to me.

Who said that ammonia at 0.25ppm was ok?

 

[KISSfn]

Waterdrop is a genius!