Ammonia risks

[topbottomfeeder]

I've been testing my water for the past week and the ammonia level is near zero while the nitrate has being steadily climbing.

but I'm not sure because my eyes aren't what they're used to be. it seems to be near 0 but in the small chance that the ammonia level is at 0.1pmm, would a fish be stressed out and hurt by it?

there is no fish in the tank, skimmer and filter running, ph=8.2 steady, 77F constant, live rocks and sand.

thanks

EDIT: it could be at 0.2 or 0.25, my family i

[Reefmedic79]

Any ammonia would likely be stressful to fish and definitly inverts, how old is you tank?

[cmw]

Be sure not to add fish or inverts until both your ammonia and nitrite levels stay at zero for at least a week or two.

[topbottomfeeder]

well the level have been pretty constant for the past 2 weeks and the tank is about a month and a half old(add the 2 weeks)

I'm using the API ammonia kit, the level for ammonia stays constant even through water changes, the tests always give a yellowish color, which means that there isn't any ammonia, but there might be a greenish tint in there.

could the source be the tapwater? I'm not certain since I do use water conditioners

[Reefmedic79]

I doubt there is ammonia in your tap water.

The colormetric test kits can be kind of tricky in my opinion and can be fairly subjective as to what the reading is.

I'd say it's your call if you want to start adding say a small bit of your clean up crew, take your time though.

[00Warpig00]

Also take a water sample and verify your results against your LFS's results. I have had a personal experience where my API ammonia kit was clearly reading .25 ppm for weeks straight. A LFS test vs my results proved i had a bad API ammonia test. It can happen. Actual reading was 0ppm

Nick

[blt]

Originally Posted by Reefmedic79

I doubt there is ammonia in your tap water.

If the tap water is treated with Chloramine, the API test kits will read positive for ammonia off of it. It would very likely read high enough to not think "Well, that might be zero..." though.

[topbottomfeeder]

Originally Posted by blt

If the tap water is treated with Chloramine, the API test kits will read positive for ammonia off of it. It would very likely read high enough to not think "Well, that might be zero..." though.

yeah I don't use anything that has chloramine as an ingredient, so it must be trace ammonia from the LR die off a while ago.

I think the tank is going to be cycled by next week.