Testing for ammonia? Boynton Beach Tap and Chloramine??

marcelft

marcelft

New member
Ok..I posted this in the new to the hobby forum. I have been getting really high total ammonia values when I test water in a bin of live rock. But I got curious and tested my freshly made RO saltwater, and it tested as having really high ammonia. (See below)
I thought the test might be messed up, but someone said that maybe it was the city adding chloramine to the tap water, and my RO/DI turning that into ammonia??? Anyone have this problem???? I'll be so ticked off if I cant use RO tap water, and I wasted my money on the RO/DI unit.

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Marcel, i't might be your test kit. Maybe have one of the LFS test your water for you.

Another idea, you could contact the City Water Treatment Facility and ask.
 
I would use a red sea or salifert ammonia test kit to make sure.

I also find those little ammonia alert badges are very accurate and you can just have one in the sump for under $5.

-Matthew
 
Yea Marvin, I figured Id call em tomorrow. Oh, I filled the tank with water for a leak test, my plumbing had a small leak, glad I caught it, will be finishing it up later this week.

Thanks for the suggestions Matt...
 
So, Boynton Beach does ad something called chloramine to the drinking water. When you run it through a RO/DI filetr, it takes out the chlorine, but releases the ammonia. That means that I can't make good water from my tap water. I will have to start buying water from a LFS, not to mention the going back and forth to get water for water changes and top off.

OH, AND there is some sort of parasite, I forgot the name, that I found in my live rock. Looks like little fleas, but supposedly kills fish. They say the only way to get rid of them is to starve them by having then sit for 4-6 months with no fish in the tank. I can't afford to go and buy all new live rock.
I think Im going to throw in the towel, I cant afford this damn hobby anymore.
 
I dont know about the parasite, but let it sit, do what needs to be done, but no need to buy new live rock.

As for chloramine no big deal either, Palm Beach County as a whole adds chloramien alot, you can deal with it with your ro/di, just a different type of filter might be needed, yoru ro/di unit is fine.

Read up some more, I'm no expert, I'm relativly new, but what you have said is no reason to throw in the towel, as the previous poseter said dont believe everythign you hear, all your problems can be dealt with, and withotu huge amounts of money.
 
another thing marcelft careful where you get advise. the beginner forum may not be the best place for tips on chloramine filtering and parasites. i would suggest the chem forum solid advice there. ive never had any issues with ammonia using a chloramine filter. another thing how did you find a parasite?
 
Also something to consider is that they way of naturally getting rid of fish-hurting parasites (in some if not most cases) is with a cleaner shrimp. Perhaps introduce a cleaner shrimp into your tank before adding fish?
 
So no one else has had troble with Cloramine in their tap water?

And the pests....so I have 100lbs of live rock in a tub of RO saltwater, waiting for me to finish the plumbing on my 100g tank. I did a complete water change last night, and first found a mantis shrimp, then I found a bunch of little swiming guys...I thought maybe they were matis babies. But after posting, I find out they are Cirolanid Isopods. Her is a link about them.

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yeah isopods suck but just dunk the rocks one by one in a bucket of straight RO and shake it a bit, the mantis shrimp and isopods should be jumping out of the rock. No reason to quit the hobby though, just a little bump in the road is all
 
Ok..thanks for all the replys, I had a little melt down this morning...it's just a bit overwhleming as I hit a bunch of obstacles with this build, and also went into this knowing it was going to cost me money, but not THIS money..LOL
I will look into that Filterguys prefliter they have on thay page, as Im not sure if there filter cartrages will work with my Purewaterclub filter.
And yea, I think I will do a few more water changes, dunking the rock like you said...plus, Im actually going to put the mantis shrimp back in teh bucket of live rock, he eats them. I had him in a small tupperware container with about 8 of them, now there is one left. Ill fish him out before the rock goes into the tank.
 
Pstergiou78 said:
Hi there. I'm in Boynton Beach too. My tap is testing at high ammonia as well from the tap. Have you resolved this? I don't know what to do now. I will call the water company Tuesday. :mad2:
Click to expand...

I used TheFilterGuys chloramine buster kits, but I just went to look for their site and they are no longer are online...strange.
But I found other chloramine filter sets on BulkReefSupply.
You have a RODI correct?
 
I live in Boynton Beach and I've been using either Buckeye (Buckeye Hydro) or Bulk Reef chloramine filters for years. Never had a problem. Just meke sure you don't run water through the filter when the water company is cleaning the system (adding extra chlorine). They usually do it for 3-4 weeks over the summer.
 
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