Tap Water Ammonia: How Much Is Too Much?

[LolaQuigs]

I know I saw a thread about this a few days ago, but for the life of me I can't find it! So I apologize for the repeat! Anyway, my tap water seems high in ammonia. Untreated tap water measured at about 1 ppm (using the API kit) and water that was conditioned with Seachem's Prime was somewhere between .5 and 1, but closer to .5.

Is this acceptable or am I going to have to buy RO water? The nearest decent LFS is not close by and I really don't want to have to lug around several gallon jugs of water!

[Kittles]

Any ammonia, really, is too high. If Prime isn't working, and your LFS is out of a comfortable range, I'm not quite sure what you can do. :<

[LolaQuigs]

Would it hurt my fish to add a couple extra drops of Prime? That might bring it down a bit more....

[xxabc]

I think the ammonium (Which is what prime converts the original ammonia into) is still detectable, which is why you get those numbers. It doesn't make the ammonia disappear. Although if you don't have a cycle going on, after 24 hours, it'll revert back to ammonia state...or something like that.

Don't burn your wallet. Can you really afford the water without hurting you or your fish?

[xxabc]

That's not how Prime works. If you put more in, it won't remove ammonia. I think overdosing is only for nitrites.

[LolaQuigs]

I think my tank finished cycling today. So those numbers shouldn't be something to worry about then?

[xxabc]

Well actually, I would still worry. I lost my test kit MONTHS ago, so I've been flying blind since then. My tap water doesn't have ammonia either. I would wait until someone who has experienced tap-water ammonia and see what they say. I don't want to say anything wrong to you. But constantly adding that much ammonia doesn't sound like a good idea at all.

[Kittles]

Oh, that's a good point xxabc. I wasn't even considering a cycle. LolaQuigs, if your tank has been successfully cycled and you're able to temporarily mask, or convert, the ammonia in your tap water with Prime, then by all means go for it. As xxabc mentioned, your established bacteria will carry out the rest of the job and rid your water of said ammonia. Shouldn't take long, either, as ~1ppm isn't too much to handle. At least, I don't think so. And because it's cycled, you'd only be adding that amount of ammonia once every week or so, right?

[LolaQuigs]

Ok great, thanks guys! I just wanted to make sure everything with my tank was safe before I moved my new fish in. Now I'm just waiting for the new water to warm up and Ganymede can move into his new home!

[xxabc]

If 1ppm isn't much to handle, then I would just go for it. I feel uneasy about adding it, but as long as it's cycled it should be fine. Make sure the ammonia levels subside to 0ppm within 24hours. Test, test, test.