Help! Ammonia Suddenly in Tap Water!

[hehe]

Guys I'm in need of urgent advice. I did a large water change yesterday and noticed my fish acting funny. I tested my tank water and found 0 nitrites so didnt think anything of it. A few hours later I saw them acting even more funny. I tested the ammonia and found it was at around 3 ppm! I was stunned and tested my tap water, finding that the water from the tap tests about 1 ppm! I wasnt aware that ammonia was ever added to tap water.

What do you guys think I should do? I was considering running out and just buying 30 gallons of spring or distilled water, since it is only a 29 gallon tank. There has to be another alternative!

[William Palumbo]

Use a product like PRIME or SAFE...I have had great results using TETRA'S water conditioners as well...Bill

[DonMD]

Use a product like PRIME or SAFE...I have had great results using TETRA'S water conditioners as well...Bill

+1. I use Prime. Great stuff.

[hehe]

Hey thanks guys. So these products remove ammonia found in tap water? I'm about to go pick up some Tetra Aquasafe since I'm pretty sure that is all that is available in my area

[Jennie]

for now that is good but order from David here at igropro to get better deal for future use

[William Palumbo]

Yes...Most of us on here use products to kill ammonia/chlorine. Aquasafe is VERY good...Bill

[hehe]

Thanks again
Yes, i've been using products to kill chlorine and chloramine for years. But never have I heard of ammonia coming out in tap water ???

Anyways, Just got back from petsmart- found seachem prime- I'll keep you guys updated

[William Palumbo]

Chlorine+Ammonia=Chloramine...Bill

[Jhhnn]

Guys I'm in need of urgent advice. I did a large water change yesterday and noticed my fish acting funny. I tested my tank water and found 0 nitrites so didnt think anything of it. A few hours later I saw them acting even more funny. I tested the ammonia and found it was at around 3 ppm! I was stunned and tested my tap water, finding that the water from the tap tests about 1 ppm! I wasnt aware that ammonia was ever added to tap water.

What do you guys think I should do? I was considering running out and just buying 30 gallons of spring or distilled water, since it is only a 29 gallon tank. There has to be another alternative!

Prime, Safe, cloram-X and some other water conditioners convert free ammonia to ammonium, rendering it harmless. Many water providers are switching to chloramines instead of chlorine, because it works better in terms of human consumption.

You also want a Seachem ammonia test kit, because it's the only one I know of that can tell the difference between free ammonia and ammonium. Other ammonia test kits can give you heart palpitations when using Prime & etc because they convert ammonium into free ammonia, thus measuring total ammonia.

The Seachem kits are widely available online, not necessarily locally. Amazon sent me to Marine Depot for my new kit, as I'd used up the old one...

Check the sticky threads at the top of the Water Works section of the forum for more info.