Hey guys i had recently tested my taps ammonia level because i was bored and curious. Anyways it ended up at 1 ppm! Is this normal and if it isnt what should i do for water changes?
Tap water ammonia???
- Thread starter led_zeppelin
- Start date
Thats not normal, and its not healthy for you. I'd get your water tested by a professional service just to make sure, the test you have may be giving you false info, but its better to be safe than sorry.
Its coming from a well so who no's. But no one in my family drinks the water cause it tastes HORRIBLE. we buy it from the local water to go.
Has it always tasted horrible? I wonder if anything could be decomposing in the well water...if at all possible.
Normal & Safe
With tap water this would be normal. Ammonia is a gas which when bound to chlorine gas makes chloramine. A water conditioner like Amquel or Stresscoat will take care of that during water changes. Water conditioners convert toxic ammonia (NH3) to non-toxic ammonium (NH4). So a couple of parts per million of ammonia in tap water is from water treatment.
In well water, ammonia is probably from something in the local ground water. But not really something to worry about when it comes to fish. Water conditioner will also take care of it.
With tap water this would be normal. Ammonia is a gas which when bound to chlorine gas makes chloramine. A water conditioner like Amquel or Stresscoat will take care of that during water changes. Water conditioners convert toxic ammonia (NH3) to non-toxic ammonium (NH4). So a couple of parts per million of ammonia in tap water is from water treatment.
In well water, ammonia is probably from something in the local ground water. But not really something to worry about when it comes to fish. Water conditioner will also take care of it.
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Not all true
Many water supplies (fortunately) are not yet using chloramines, so the info only stands with those that do.
Stress coat will not help with ammonia, Like most dechlorinators, stresscoat claims to remove chloramines, and does so by removing the chlorine and leaving the ammonia behind. The majority of water conditioners available do nothing for the ammonia, only the chlorine part of the chloramine compound.
amquel and prime will deal with the ammonia as said by binding it into ammonium, stresscoat will not.
I am surmising that chloramine is not the issue since it's a well and not a public water supply. Amquel or prime would take care of the ammonia, but also an aging barrel with a live bio-filter would do the job without adding anything. I personally wouldn't drink the water either. It is probably not as harmful as most folks think, but it cannot be all that good either. I would definately find a water test report if you can and get a feel for what you have in your pipes.
Dave
That is not normal for tap water. There should never be any ammonia present in your tap, well water or not. Nitrates can show, and often do, but ammonia is a different story. Treating your water with substances that convert ammonia should not be done, you will never get an accurate reading in your tank about the ammonia levels if you do so. You really should have your water checked by a professional service just to be sure, it could just be that your test kit is bad, or it may actually be there.
ok guys thanks for your advice im goin to talk to my dad about getting a pro service out here and i will get some amquel for now. thanks again
NatakuTseng said:
Sorry, but this is incorrect.
Tap water that has been treated with chloramines, as noted above, do test positive for ammonia. (Our is usually about 1 ppm.) Not all utilities use chloramines, but its use will become more prevalent. So finding ammonia in municipal water supplies is not abnormal, not a sign at all of a problem.
Ammonia in well water could be a sign of decaying organics in the well or water system, or it could be caused by runoff from fertilization in agricultural areas. I'd be more concerned about ammonia in well water than in municipally-treated water; it sounds like there is the potential for some sort of contamination of the water supply. Or maybe a bad test?
Jim
RustyRay said:
*Buzzz* Wrong. Sorry I had to do that
:troll:
I would try dosing some Prime and re test. It may help in lowering the level, making it safer for fish.