Ammonia in tap??

[mere2442]

Hey guys,

I need some help. Our ammonia levels are stuck between 0.5 and 1.0 and have been for over a week. We tried adding some filter substrate from Roy to try to speed up the cycling, and that has been circulating since last weekend. We were about to do a water change to lower the ammonia and on a whim decided to test the ammonia in the tap water. Our tap's ammonia level is between 0.5 and 1.0!! Is there anything that we can do, is this a wait it out issue, and the bacteria will eventually take care of it? Is it possible that the chlorine in the tap water is messing with the test?

Thanks for any help that you can offer!
Mere

[mnemenoi]

I have seen Ammonia in some city water, but thankfully have avoided it in our current source. Are you using Prime or some sort of water conditioner? It should eliminate it and your bacteria should utilize it. About the only thing I have seen that was effective for Ammonia in the tap was a Carbon snake. Try searching the forum here for it and there is a terrific step by step guide for making one for yourself.

[mistahoo]

There is also a Carbon Bottle that you could make to eliminate ammonia, chlorine, and chloramine if you decide to add the catalytic carbon instead of just the carbon

[Andrew_B]

That ammonia reading is chloramines (basically a chlorine/ammonia combo). With an established tank, it just means you'll have slightly higher nitrates. Using prime or amquel during water changes (I prefer to add a small dose every 10% that I'm refilling instead of all at once), will detoxify the harmful part of ammonia even though it will keep a reading of it when you test and still raise your nitrates. But bacteria breaks down ammonia very quick. It just means your bacteria colony isn't fully established. I could probably put straight ammonia in my 55 and it would become nitrates within minutes since it's been running for a few years now. I have cloramines in my tap as well and don't do anything different with water changes, just refill with many small doses of prime during it so it doesn't get washed into my canisters carbon and lose effectiveness.

Were you given a filter pad or just a bucket of nasty (good) water? If just a bucket of water (which I think I read that you got) is good, but it still takes times to have bacteria build up on your filters compared to already having that filter colony built up if you received a pad.

[mistahoo]

I think they got a pad plus some water.

[mere2442]

Hey guys, Sorry, it has been a busy day!

we got a jar of water, so the bacteria probably just need some more time to grow. We were just using a dechlorinator before, so we went out and got prime today.

So, is the idea that, even though there is ammonia in the tap, a good build up of bacteria will get rid of it and give me a lower ammonia reading? We are excited to get fish, but don't want to hurt them!

Thanks,
Mere

[Andrew_B]

Yeah, the cycle is: Bacteria breaks down the ammonia and nitrites

Ammonia (from tap, food waste, nemo pee etc etc) breaks down into nitrites which then breaks down into nitrates. Nitrates go away with water changes and plants mostly.

So when you're ready for fish, you will have 0.0 ammonia, 0.0 nitrites and minimal (probably under 30ppm for a newer tank) of nitrates.

Again, if you got a hold of a nice, dirty nasty filter pad, I wouldn't hesitate to put fish in the next day. I still have a couple pads I can donate.

[mistahoo]

Would also like to add that Ammonia and Nitrites are poisonous to fish. Nitrates aren't as deadly. I also have 4 filter pads that are real nice and dirty and full of bacteria that I change out with every water change. They get a nice load of bacteria due to my overstocked tanks. If you make your way over here, I could give them to you.

[mnemenoi]

I got them a nice few big squeezes off my aquaclear sponges in a mason jar, but it will probably take a bit to get everything established well. The bacteria should break down that ammonia in the tap, but on the positive side you have a constant source of ammonia to feed the cycly, lol. It has a lot of surfaces to cover in that 55 and once its good and colonized, you should be golden with everything. Hit us up if you decide to go with those multis as our colony just keeps getting bigger, haha.

[mere2442]

Roy, I somehow missed this message and just sent you a PM! Sorry for the double up!

I got them a nice few big squeezes off my aquaclear sponges in a mason jar, but it will probably take a bit to get everything established well. The bacteria should break down that ammonia in the tap, but on the positive side you have a constant source of ammonia to feed the cycly, lol. It has a lot of surfaces to cover in that 55 and once its good and colonized, you should be golden with everything. Hit us up if you decide to go with those multis as our colony just keeps getting bigger, haha.