Ammonia in New Salt Water

[jhatfield]

Just starting out in the hobby with a new 40gal arriving next week . I thought I'd mix up 5 gal of salt water (first time ever, WOOT!) and try out the Red Sea test kit.

Parameters for test bucket using Aquaforest Reef Salt

• Salinity - 1.026
• Temp 78
• Alk 7
• PH 8.3
• Phos 0
• Nitrate 2ppm
• Ammonia .2ppm
• RODI tds - 0

Should there be any ammonia present in a fresh bucket of salt water? To double check this I did the same for the RO water and got 0 ammonia and 0 nitrate. Before I re-test for ammonia I thought I'd ask around to see what's going on here.

Any thoughts?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

That's normal for most salt mixes.

 

[Nick92515]

Let it mix with a power head for 24 hours and you should be good.

 

[jhatfield]

Great, good to know.