I need some help, premixed saltwater (Ammonia).

[C3fred]

One comment that might assist you. Depending on where you live, the municipal water authority might be using chloramine as a disinfectant rather than just chlorine. Depending on their chemistry, not all hobbyist ammonia test kits will register the ammonia component of the chloramine - in fact, the tap water might read zero for total ammonia when it's actually around 2.0 ppm if the chloramine was broken down into chlorine and ammonia.

While it's not optimal to use saltwater made from tap water, if your tank has a functioning biological filter and you don't change more than 10% at a time, the amount of ammonia that you might be introducing is going to be pretty trivial, and the bacteria in the tank will process it to nitrite and then to nitrate very rapidly.

That doesn't alleviate the concern over essentially fertilizing the tank (ammonia and its breakdown products are good fertilizers for algae), but it's also not likely to kill anything.

However, I would suggest that you not use tap water for evaporation make-up. Using anything other than purified water for the purpose will potentially concentrate the metals in the water, including copper.

I understand that and do not plan on using tap water for the long haul. I just have to remodel my basement before I can step up a rodi.

But as you where saying about chloramine, Marine Conditioner should be taking it out of the water along with copper. The fact that my water worked fine for months rules that out to me anyway. Only way it could have changed is if something changed with the city but I figure I should get some kind of notice before they do that.

 

[cjcolvin]

The city most probably wont give any kind of notice in how they treat the water to make it "safe" for human consumption.

 

[C3fred]

The city most probably wont give any kind of notice in how they treat the water to make it "safe" for human consumption.

I was thinking that to, I am going to look into it. I was thinking even when I set up a RO I would like to know what I have in the water to take it out. I might even just go to a collage and see if they can test a water sample.

 

[dkeller_nc]

Actually, you should be able to get a test report on your municipality's water treatment results - each municipality is required to publish this once a year.

 

[jerpa]

Actually, you should be able to get a test report on your municipality's water treatment results - each municipality is required to publish this once a year.

While they are required to report test results annually this is only a result from that particular day. Unfortunately the water quality will fluctuate quite a bit throughout the year. In response to varying environmental conditions the chemicals used, and their concentrations, will change fairly often as well. Many municipalities also add corrosion inhibitors several times a year. These changes are made without notice, although I've always found them quite forthcoming with information if you call them.

 

[dkeller_nc]

While they are required to report test results annually this is only a result from that particular day. Unfortunately the water quality will fluctuate quite a bit throughout the year. In response to varying environmental conditions the chemicals used, and their concentrations, will change fairly often as well. Many municipalities also add corrosion inhibitors several times a year. These changes are made without notice, although I've always found them quite forthcoming with information if you call them.

Yep, no doubt about that. I'm also a bonsai grower, and the guys out West in California complain bitterly about the switch to Colorado river water by the municipal plants in the summer, b/c the river water is really hard.

But - the local report should tell you whether the municipality uses chlorine or chloramine, which would be germane to the OP's question/observations.

 

[jabel]

+1 on chloramine. You can usually check online and view the report.
Jeff

 

[richiero]

you need rodi you can set one up right to a facuet for temp use until you basement is done it will save you mucho problems to start put using rodi... jmo

 

[brandon429]

Im about ready to see some side by side test reading outcomes on this thread, mainly distilled water tested by different kits compared to the api above