Adding salt to filter water causes ammonia

[MarSch]

Hi,

Does the addition of salt cause some kind of reaction that results in ammonia forming?

I've been trying to trace the cause of my persistent ammonia issue. I've done the following:

1. I tested the filtered water straight from the water tank. 0 ammonia.
2. Then I tested it after I'd added salt, and it now seems to show ammonia being present.

Is that normal?

Pic attached shows the 2 tests. Both tests were from the same water in the same container, the only difference is that salt had been added after test #1, before test #2.

Note, not sure if this makes a difference, but the water is filtered only by a 2-stage de-ionization system. It is not full RO/DI.
Its this one: https://www.hollywoodfishfarm.co.nz/product/two-stage-deionising-system/

this is the salt I'm using: https://www.hollywoodfishfarm.co.nz/product/red-sea-salt-22kg-r11065/

 

[tsouth]

For this test, how long did the salt mix for and what are you using to mix with? Do you think it's possible ammonia from something else is contaminating it?

 

[MarSch]

I've done the same sequence of tests twice.
First time was in a 20l plastic bucket. Salt mixed for maybe 30min.
Second test was in a small glass jug (because I wanted to eliminate the possibility of something leaching out of the plastic bucket). In the glass jug the salt mixed for maybe 5 to 10 minutes.

Mixing it with a metal serving spoon.

I can't think of what else could be contaminating it as the BEFORE and AFTER test were so close to each other, and no transfer of water to different containers.

 

[blasterman]

Can confirm the API test kit will ping ammonia with fresh salt mix. Had a big debate on this in another forum a few years back as to the cause; a reaction with fresh salt mix causing a false positive or an issue with API, or both.

You aren't seeing things, but the actual cause and it's validity I've never quite found a concensus for.

 

[Beefyreefy]

The api kit and, amd I think all other kits, measure total ammonia. Total ammonia is NH3 plus NH4. NH3 is toxic for fish and livestock. NH4 is non toxic, so I believe its possible that there is NH4 in your salt mix, perhaps someone might know the answer to this? The ammonia kit is useless once your tank is cycled IMO, because you shouldn't have NH3 and the NH4 in your tank will show positive on your test kit.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Salt mixes often have a small amount of ammonia in them. Generally it is no concern unless you are doing very large water changes.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

In this very old article, Craig Bingman showed ammonia in all mixes, up to 0.17 ppm (10 micromole/kg equals about 0.17 ppm total ammonia).

Aquarium Frontiers Feature

web.archive.org

 

[MarSch]

Thanks for the responses! I feel a lot better.