Eeek! Tapwater!

[Liz]

Okay, so previously my tapwater tested at like 0 ammonia, and now it is testing at 1.0. We've been ahving tons of rain but that's the only difference I see. Why is this? Basically, I have a new tank set up (25 gallons) and it's at ammonia 1.0 because of the tap water. It isn't cycled and I added some bio spira that got delayed yesterday, so I'm not sure if the bio spira is any good. I want to do a big water change with bottled water to get the ammonia level down but I don't know if that would remove all of the bio spira or what.

What on earth could cause the ammonia in the water to go so high? What should I do? It's a puffer fish in there so I know he can't handle high ammonia levels. I don't want to add amquel because of the bio spira.

 

[mishi8]

Check with your water company to see if they've changed the way they're treating the water. If the water is being treated with chloramine (it's becoming more common now), you'll get an ammonia reading on your tap water, and will need to treat that water for chloramine before adding it to your tank.

 

[Liz]

An ammonia reading? Is there actually ammonia in the water?

 

[blueturq]

An ammonia reading? Is there actually ammonia in the water?

I think that's what mishi was trying to say.

There may be a chance of ammonia being in your tapwater (if it contains chloramine) because chlormaine is a chlorine + ammonia bond.

 

[led_zeppelin]

i had a very similar problem with my tap water. Basically what i did is got my tank cycled with bio spira ( it took me 2 days for all the ammonia to go to 0 ) and once it was cycled the water was fine, and just make sure when you do water changes you dont do one huge 50% water change you do like 10% water change just more often. My thread got lots of replies so if i were you i would read it. Got to search, type- tap water ammonia, go down the list of results ( should be 4 down ) and all your info is there

 

[Liz]

Lucky. I put bio spira in 24 hours ago and so far no different readings. I think I got a bad batch.

 

[mishi8]

I think that's what mishi was trying to say.

There may be a chance of ammonia being in your tapwater (if it contains chloramine) because chlormaine is a chlorine + ammonia bond.

Yes, that is what I was saying. There is chloramine in my tap water, and my tap water typically tests at 0.25 - 0.5 ppm of ammonia. I treat with Prime to break the chloramine bond, and to neutralize the ammonia that remains (ammonia is converted to ammonium).