# Need Advice !! ammonia in well water



## kittyk (Sep 20, 2012)

ok...in the past I know that I test my well water straight from the tap. Anyway two days ago my tank tested with API at .25 ammonia. Did 50 % water change, recheck ammonia 0.
Same day added new mbuna's that arrived via mail. Checked water today Ammon .25-.5 , decided to ck tap (well water) and shows ammonia at .25. Any advice ??


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Are you using raw well water or do you have a chlorinator or similar disinfection system on it?


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## kittyk (Sep 20, 2012)

Good question.....i don't know , it the same well and system when we bought the house twelve years ago. I remember sending in water sample years ago and everything came back ok....not sure what ok means though. Just check the tank in the house (Well-I-Trol) and that's the pressure tank, nothing else that would filter the water (unless it's in that tank, but I don't think so). For the 55 gal aquarium....I put in 1 1/2 caps of Prime. But this has got me really concerned about the water we are drinking !! For sure I'm going to get the water tested, it's just not something I even thought about for years.


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## smitty814 (Sep 27, 2012)

http://www.purewateroccasional.net/wtiammonia.html
Just to add it is the season for farm fertilization


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

It sounds like you just have the pressure tank (Well-I-Trol) brand that is just used to store water and reduce the amount of time the well pump is running. I'm surprised you don't have a sediment filter after the pressure tank but it seems everyone sets their system up differently. I also use a private well for my water supply so I'm familiar with what you have.

First, I would double check that the test tube vial is clean. I like to rinse it out with fresh tap water a few times, even putting the cap on, shaking it and rinsing a few times to remove all traces from the last test. Try letting your tap water run for a minute before taking the sample. Be sure you fill the test tube to the mark and follow the API instructions perfectly for dispensing the reagents, especially regarding shaking the reagent bottle(s).


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## kittyk (Sep 20, 2012)

smitty814 said:


> http://www.purewateroccasional.net/wtiammonia.html
> Just to add it is the season for farm fertilization


Not by any farms. But our snow run off has been heavy last couple of weeks, actually still have snow that been piled up and in the shaded area. There is a drainage canal that runs through the back of the house I would say probably 35 feet from the well. When we bought the house I asked about that and they said with the well being 200 feet deep that wouldn't matter...now i'm wondering !!!

Deeta--I did the recheck and it's still .25 ammonia. I will def research on some type of filter. The first site I went to says .2 ppm is considered the level of ammonia that is safe (for our home???)  Do you know if something like a Brita filter would remove the ammonia until i figure this all out


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## kittyk (Sep 20, 2012)

Smitty -- I read the link to article you provided. FIrst part reads:

NH3, Ammonia Gas, is extremely soluble in water. It is the natural product of decay of organic nitrogen compounds. Although it is widely used and common in our society, ammonia can be both hazardous and caustic.

Source of ammonia in water

Ammonia gets into water supplies most frequently as runoff in agricultural areas where it is applied as fertilizer and it easily finds its way into underground aquifers from animal feedlot runoff. Ammonia itself is not often found in well water because bacteria in the soil convert it to nitrates.

Ammonia can be very corrosive to some copper plumbing systems.

Ammonia is not regulated by current drinking water standards.

Ammonia is toxic to fish and to dialysis patients. Its toxicity varies with the pH of the water.

Although ammonia is an irritant to the respiratory tract, the limited number of studies that have been conducted show no long-term ill effects. There is no evidence, for example, that ammonia can cause cancer. Go here for more details on health effects.

***We do live in very foresty neighborhood *** ...wonder if it could be from decaying leaves and such


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## smitty814 (Sep 27, 2012)

I just threw that out there. I have well water and live in a farming community. I have yet to have any issues with it but.....you never know.
There are several informational links with a quick google of the problem. If I were you I would get another water sample analyzed and go from there. Having to add prime to your water changes is not the worst thing.


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## kittyk (Sep 20, 2012)

True..and I always add Prime anyway. I'm more concerned it could be bad for my family...but then again our water smells and tastes good. No one has any stomach problems. Going to call to get a water sample tested asap


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## smitty814 (Sep 27, 2012)

I may be mistaken but I think I read somewhere that 2 ppm was common in drinking water? At any rate I would think that with sufficient bio media in your filters 2ppm would be gone within 24 hours. I do know that high nitrates in drinking water been linked to SIDS.


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## kittyk (Sep 20, 2012)

I did check tap nitrates...was 5ppm. So the prime binds the ammonia so its basically gone. So the rise back in ammonia within two days must been due to me adding 11 juvies. Does it hurt anything to add Prime daily if the tank ammonia keeps going up. No babies here so that is a good thing. I do have a fiv positive kitty ..hope the water is ok for her. I'm probably overreacting and everything is within normal limits


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

It may be that your filtration hasn't caught up with the addition of the fish yet even though you are getting 0.25ppm from your tap water.

I think you can dose every other day with Prime because it 'works' for up to 48 hours before dissipating.


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## kittyk (Sep 20, 2012)

Ok....the Prime dose is 1 capful per 50 gal. My mbuna tank is 55gal....how much would u dose with the prime?


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

One capful! Any rocks, substrate and fish will displace some of the water so you don't really have 55 gallons.


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## kittyk (Sep 20, 2012)

Deeda said:


> One capful! Any rocks, substrate and fish will displace some of the water so you don't really have 55 gallons.


Very true ....and i've got lots of rocks. thanks Deeda


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