Help Asap!!!!

[Beverly]

Pre-2k's test kit is accurate. She is using Edmonton tapwater which is treated with chloramine. Chloramine is a compound of chlorine and ammonia, and there is about 1 ppm ammonia in Edmonton's tapwater. When chloramine is neutralized with, say, Prime, non-toxic ammonium is formed. Many test kits will read the ammonium as ammonia.

However, ammonium will still be processed in the tank by bacteria into nitrite then into nitrate. Really, to solve this problem, RO or distilled water should be used instead of tapwater.

[pre-2k]

going to my LFS today but this has NEVER happen b4 ???????? with tap water .................... i guess ill have to c what happen to day

[Beverly]

Originally Posted by pre-2k

going to my LFS today but this has NEVER happen b4 ???????? with tap water

If you've been using tapwater all this time, you have been adding about 1 ppm ammonia/ammonium in your new salt water. In the spring, with all kinds of extra stuff in the river's water, ammonia levels probably rise above 1 ppm when they increase the chloramine levels. Your lfs may not know this, but I hope they do.

BTW, what test kit are you using? Are you using a dechlorinator along with your salt in the tapwater?

I did a quick test of unsalted tapwater using an Aquarium Pharmaceutical ammonia test kit:

Tapwater without Prime - 1 ppm ammonia

Tapwater Treated with Prime - 0 pmm ammonia

The fact is that ammonia is present in Edmonton's tapwater. After treatment with a dechlorinator, Edmonton's tapwater will have the same amount of ammonium as there was of ammonia before using a dechlorinator.

[pre-2k]

ok i got my water test n the LFS told me that its a bit high but didt tell me how high but he told me my test kit its not the best 1 i can buy (saltwater master liquid test kit) told me to get a new 1 but 4 now i have to treat my 120g tank as a new tank .............. he told me i can take all the Corals
n fish out n let the 120T sit 4 1-2 weeks with out water change n add stability ..... so what do u reefers think ????????? plz help all the Corals n fish looks good

if ne 1 like to take a look at the tank just pm me ok

thnx 4 ne help
chris

[Beverly]

Which store told you this???!!??? Did you tell them you use tapwater?

BTW, do you treat your tapwater with a dechlorinator?

Also, how long have you had your tank running?

Sorry, but I am having some trouble reading your abbreviated words and don't understand some of what you write. Could you please write in standard English

[Myanth]

Edmonton city tap water is BAD. As Bev says, ammonia will be present as well as the chlorine. Letting your tapwater sit will let the chlorine dissipate but the ammonia will be present. Use Prime to make it non-toxic.

Good luck.

[Beverly]

Because chloramine is a chemically bound compound, the chlorine will not dissapate but remain bound to the ammonia if left to sit.

Years ago, when only chlorine was used in Edmonton's tapwater, if tapwater was left to sit, indeed the chlorine would dissapate and there would be no ammonia present.

Using a dechlorinator designed for use with chloramine, such as Prime and Amquel (and probably others), will neutralize the chlorine and convert the toxic ammonia to non-toxic ammonium.