Trace amounts of ammonia

[Bryan47]

I have done a 5G water change every day for the past 5 days and my api test is still showing a very light green which corresponds to .25ppm and it should be .00 of course. I know I can add prime to detoxify the ammonia but how do I get rid of it and what would cause this? The tank has been established for 9months now. Shouldn't the bacteria be taking care of this? Should I add some live bacteria?

Thanks!

 

[Mike_Diako]

API test kits are notorious for false Ammonia readings. I would mix up a quick batch of new salt water if you don't have some already and test that to see if you're obtaining the same results. If it comes back positive at .25ppm on the new water then you know you have a faulty titration solution. When titration kits get old, they tend to evaporate some leaving you with a stronger concentration of the reagent that will skew your results. To answer the second part of your question, if the bacterial colonies generally need a little bit of time to to multipy enough to deal with the demand of an increased nutrient load hence why you are seeing it hover at .25ppm for a few days. I don't generally like to add band aid fixes like prime.

What are your No2 & No3 paramaters? By know, you would see some nitrite/nitrates as the breakdown occurs if there was indeed ammonia in your system. Have you tested for those yet? In my experience, .25ppm is not enough to freak out about but enough to investigate the cause.

 

[Mike_Diako]

I just saw your other thread titled "Mandarin Missing"....

I'm pretty sure you can put 2+2 together here. In a tank established for 9mo it would be hard to sustain a pod concentration high enough to support a Mandarin unless A. you have a substantially sized tank or B. your Mandarin readily eats prepared foods. I'm not trying to call you out but just point out the obvious. There's a great chance he's trapped under a rock or somewhere unseen and rotting away.

 

[Bryan47]

Nitrites have been steady at 0 and nitrates down to about 20. I had an ammonia monitor (seachem) in there but it kept coming un-sanctioned so I removed it. Good idea to test new batch of water. I did add prime. However I agree it's better to find the root of the problem. If it does turn out to be trace amounts of ammonia what should I do? Monitor and wait for bacteria to do its job?

Thanks for the help!

 

[Mike_Diako]

Nitrites have been steady at 0 and nitrates down to about 20. I had an ammonia monitor (seachem) in there but it kept coming un-sanctioned so I removed it. Good idea to test new batch of water. I did add prime. However I agree it's better to find the root of the problem. If it does turn out to be trace amounts of ammonia what should I do? Monitor and wait for bacteria to do its job?

Thanks for the help!

I would do substantial water changes until you can no longer read an ammonia level. 20% or so every other day maybe.

 

[Bryan47]

No I completely understand. I was adding pods and monitoring them by looking to see them under one of my magnet cleaners (they love to hide their) and usually I see about 20 under there. I did take half the rock out last night to look for him and clean any settled detritus and I saw no sign of him I thought after 3 months the balance of his diet and pod reproduction was somewhat in balance. I hope he didn't starve I would feel awful.

 

[Bryan47]

Ok good idea on the large water change. I know one 15G change is more effective than three 5G changes right?

 

[Bryan47]

You were right my new water sample showed ammonia as well. same exact color. Only weird thing is my LFS did a test (same API kit) and got the same result. BRS RODI brand new about 4 months ago and reef crystals. Is there another test that is better? Maybe I should buy a new ammonia monitor card the one seachem makes and see what it gives me...?

 

[NanaReefer]

Actually smaller more frequent water changes are best. RedSea test kits are great! Salifert as well.

 

[Bryan47]

Do they make one for ammonia? I see seachem makes one. Its $20 versus $6 for the api.

If you're trying to lower levels isn't a big water change more effective? Or are 3 five gallon changes going to give you the same effect of 1 fifteen gallon change?

 

[Bryan47]

Ok guys, so after test after test after test I finally found the source of my .025 ammonia. It's in the salt. I tested:

Tap water: 0 ppm
RODI fresh from filter: 0ppm
RODI after adding salt: .025ppm
Tank level: .025ppm

I am and have been using since the start Instant Ocean Reef Crystals for my salt. Has anyone else had this problem? I just opened a brand new bag and got the same result .025ppm

I even tried mixing it with a power head overnight and same result .025ppm

Below is a picture of RODI preSalt on the left and after adding Salt (1.026 or 35)

Hopefully this is a simple fix and we don't need Randy Holmes-Farley lol

Thanks guys!

 

[Suicideissleep]

I didn't notice but I just tested mine and got the same result from instant ocean. This could explain a lot

 

[Bryan47]

Yeah I had a LFS test my water and when they said there was ammonia I was shocked. I haven't tested for ammonia since the original cycle. We need some clarification on this because if the reef crystals is adding ammonia to the tank that's unacceptable.

 

[Vaiodude]

I think it is just the way the salt changes the color, not that there is trace amounts of ammonia. If your tank has ammonia I would
Imagine you would start having some serious livestock issues. API test kits are inexpensive but are not highly precise.

 

[Suicideissleep]

It would explain all the unexplainable deaths between fih and coral I have been experiencing

 

[Mike in CT]

I think it is just the way the salt changes the color, not that there is trace amounts of ammonia. If your tank has ammonia I would
Imagine you would start having some serious livestock issues. API test kits are inexpensive but are not highly precise.

I agree....salt changes the color, or at least the opaqueness off it.

 

[Mike in CT]

Also note, that if you use prime, that type of ammonia test can show a false positive. Which means the ammonia has been rendered harmless by the Prime, but will still show up on tests as having ammonia. There are other test kits that's use a different methodology and won't show this.

 

[Suicideissleep]

But I'm showing the same in my tank and mixed salt my old batch shows nothing my older box but I just opened shows ammonia and I just used a whole box to fill my tank a while back so I'm not sure if it was in that thurs box but it's def in my second box and not in my first I even opened each bag and tested

 

[Mike in CT]

Here's my RODI on the left, tank water ( reef crystals bought online month or 2 ago) on the right.
Looks the same except for the opaqueness.
If your getting 2 different colors from 2 batches of salt, then that's kinda hard to explain except that there is ammonia in the salt mix some how.
Cray-cray!

 

[Bryan47]

I see the change in opaqueness for sure but I'm getting a .25 in my tank too. And that was before using prime. I'm gonna order the seachem multitest ammonia