Yet more water weirdness

[Gunther]

I recently posted about an apparent crash of my bio filtration
in two tanks. Today, I tested a 20G tank 24hrs after a 80% PWC,
and was fairly surprised to see an ammonia reading of 1.0 (using
AP 2-reagent test, whatever that's called).
On a lark, I ran the test on some water fresh from the tap, no
treatment of any kind. The reading was 1.0!
Wow, could that test kit be bad? So I ran a test on some
bottled spring water, and got a more sensible reading of 0.0.

What does all this mean? Could there be that much ammonia
in tap water?!?

Gunther, who now thinks maybe stamp collecting would be
a less stressful hobby.

[MattO]

"Gunther" > wrote in message
t...
> I recently posted about an apparent crash of my bio filtration
> in two tanks. Today, I tested a 20G tank 24hrs after a 80% PWC,
> and was fairly surprised to see an ammonia reading of 1.0 (using
> AP 2-reagent test, whatever that's called).
> On a lark, I ran the test on some water fresh from the tap, no
> treatment of any kind. The reading was 1.0!
> Wow, could that test kit be bad? So I ran a test on some
> bottled spring water, and got a more sensible reading of 0.0.
>
> What does all this mean? Could there be that much ammonia
> in tap water?!?
>
> Gunther, who now thinks maybe stamp collecting would be
> a less stressful hobby.
>


My AP Salicylate Ammonia test (2 reagent type) reads positive on water out
of the tap.
I think it reads positive for chloramine....

http://www.midpeninsulawater.org/chloramine.html#Protect%20Fish
"Chloramine is the combination of chlorine and ammonia"
and
"A 2 milligram per liter chloramine level with a chlorine to
ammonia-nitrogen ratio of 5 to 1 is expected. "

~MattO

[Donald K]

Gunther wrote:

> I recently posted about an apparent crash of my bio filtration
> in two tanks. Today, I tested a 20G tank 24hrs after a 80% PWC,
> and was fairly surprised to see an ammonia reading of 1.0 (using
> AP 2-reagent test, whatever that's called).
> On a lark, I ran the test on some water fresh from the tap, no
> treatment of any kind. The reading was 1.0!
> Wow, could that test kit be bad? So I ran a test on some
> bottled spring water, and got a more sensible reading of 0.0.
>
> What does all this mean? Could there be that much ammonia
> in tap water?!?

They moved to chloramines in this (well... you know) area at the
beginning of the year. If you're using a normal dechlorinator, that
removes the chlorine but LEAVES the ammonia.

Might want to move to the Amquel/Novaqua combo and run a couple
experiments to see how much more Amquel you need to hammer the "out of
the tap ammonia" down...

If I get time I'll run a test or two at work tomorrow and let you
know...

-D
--
"A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy
enough people to make it worth the effort." -Herm Albright

[MattO]

"MattO" > wrote in message
news:5Iioc.16447$UQ.942705@attbi_s51...
>
> "Gunther" > wrote in message
> t...
> > I recently posted about an apparent crash of my bio filtration
> > in two tanks. Today, I tested a 20G tank 24hrs after a 80% PWC,
> > and was fairly surprised to see an ammonia reading of 1.0 (using
> > AP 2-reagent test, whatever that's called).
> > On a lark, I ran the test on some water fresh from the tap, no
> > treatment of any kind. The reading was 1.0!
> > Wow, could that test kit be bad? So I ran a test on some
> > bottled spring water, and got a more sensible reading of 0.0.
> >
> > What does all this mean? Could there be that much ammonia
> > in tap water?!?
> >
> > Gunther, who now thinks maybe stamp collecting would be
> > a less stressful hobby.
> >
>
>
> My AP Salicylate Ammonia test (2 reagent type) reads positive on water out
> of the tap.
> I think it reads positive for chloramine....
>
> http://www.midpeninsulawater.org/chloramine.html#Protect%20Fish
> "Chloramine is the combination of chlorine and ammonia"
> and
> "A 2 milligram per liter chloramine level with a chlorine to
> ammonia-nitrogen ratio of 5 to 1 is expected. "
>
> ~MattO
>
>
After earlier post I retested our tapwater tonight
AP Salicylate Ammonia test reads 0.25 or 0.5 ppm (mg/l)
AP Nessler test read 0
(Seems another good reason to be using the Salicylate test kit)

from link in earlier post -
>"A 2 milligram per liter chloramine level with a chlorine to
> ammonia-nitrogen ratio of 5 to 1 is expected. "
2 mg/l (ppm) /6 = 0.3 ppm
If my math is OK I take that to mean 0.3 ppm ammonia "is expected" in
tapwater treated with chloramine.

more supporting info re: ammonia reading in tapwater with chloramine
http://www.aquariumpros.com/faqpro/chemistry_3.shtml
"High ammonia levels in an aquarium are always due to one of five possible
causes:
..... 3) Chloramine in the tap water used for water changes...

$0.02
~ MattO

[Kodiak]

That's right, Chloramine=Chlorine+Ammonia....
And aparently dosen't dissipate as well as Chlorine
without adding Sodium Thiosulfate.
....Kodiak

"MattO" > wrote in message
news:Nvjoc.31272$536.5869801@attbi_s03...
>
> "MattO" > wrote in message
> news:5Iioc.16447$UQ.942705@attbi_s51...
> >
> > "Gunther" > wrote in message
> > t...
> > > I recently posted about an apparent crash of my bio filtration
> > > in two tanks. Today, I tested a 20G tank 24hrs after a 80% PWC,
> > > and was fairly surprised to see an ammonia reading of 1.0 (using
> > > AP 2-reagent test, whatever that's called).
> > > On a lark, I ran the test on some water fresh from the tap, no
> > > treatment of any kind. The reading was 1.0!
> > > Wow, could that test kit be bad? So I ran a test on some
> > > bottled spring water, and got a more sensible reading of 0.0.
> > >
> > > What does all this mean? Could there be that much ammonia
> > > in tap water?!?
> > >
> > > Gunther, who now thinks maybe stamp collecting would be
> > > a less stressful hobby.
> > >
> >
> >
> > My AP Salicylate Ammonia test (2 reagent type) reads positive on water
out
> > of the tap.
> > I think it reads positive for chloramine....
> >
> > http://www.midpeninsulawater.org/chloramine.html#Protect%20Fish
> > "Chloramine is the combination of chlorine and ammonia"
> > and
> > "A 2 milligram per liter chloramine level with a chlorine to
> > ammonia-nitrogen ratio of 5 to 1 is expected. "
> >
> > ~MattO
> >
> >
> After earlier post I retested our tapwater tonight
> AP Salicylate Ammonia test reads 0.25 or 0.5 ppm (mg/l)
> AP Nessler test read 0
> (Seems another good reason to be using the Salicylate test kit)
>
> from link in earlier post -
> >"A 2 milligram per liter chloramine level with a chlorine to
> > ammonia-nitrogen ratio of 5 to 1 is expected. "
> 2 mg/l (ppm) /6 = 0.3 ppm
> If my math is OK I take that to mean 0.3 ppm ammonia "is expected" in
> tapwater treated with chloramine.
>
> more supporting info re: ammonia reading in tapwater with chloramine
> http://www.aquariumpros.com/faqpro/chemistry_3.shtml
> "High ammonia levels in an aquarium are always due to one of five possible
> causes:
> .... 3) Chloramine in the tap water used for water changes...
>
> $0.02
> ~ MattO
>
>

[Gunther]

In article >,
says...
> They moved to chloramines in this (well... you know) area at the
> beginning of the year. If you're using a normal dechlorinator, that
> removes the chlorine but LEAVES the ammonia.
>
> Might want to move to the Amquel/Novaqua combo and run a couple
> experiments to see how much more Amquel you need to hammer the "out of
> the tap ammonia" down...

I must have been having a "senior moment" there: I knew the
"chlorine+ammonia=chloramine" and it just blew past me.
But I _have_ been using Amquel since well before
the change was supposed to happen. When the supposed change occurred,
I doubled the amount of amquel I use. In other words, I /thought/ I
was well prepared and doing everything right.

*sigh* I just don't know what to think anymore.
G