Yet more water weirdness

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.

"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/chl...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

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" 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/chl...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 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

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/chl...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 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

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" the 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