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#1
11-02-2013, 02:42 AM
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Amonia problems
It seems I have amonia in my air that is getting into the water I use for top off and water changes. I'm not sure I've ever tested my water change water for amonia before but a week ago I was planning a large water change and decided to test everything. The amonia was at 2mg/L.
I started doing tests to try and eliminate sources. I started with a clean cup of ro/di water and it tested .25 with an api test kit. Not sure if amonia is getting through the ro/di or I am getting a false positive. I left the cup in the room with the aquarium and 24 hours later it tested at 2. I tried it again with the cup on the second floor of the house and the results where the same. I tried it again with a small rubbermaid container with the lid on and the results showed .25 when I filled the container and .25 both 24 and 48 hours later. I wanted to rule out something in the water that needed exposure to air rather than the air in the house so I left the same container in the garage with no lid for 24 hours. It tested .25. I left it in the room with my aquarium for 1 hour and it tested at 1. So I think it is safe to say that my battle with algea and nitrates are due to the fact that I am dumping amonia into my tank. So now the question is, how do I prevent this? I tried a container in the one bathroom with the door closed hoping the air would be better as it has no vent. I had 1 mg/L in my one gallon top off container after 24 hours. I think that is better than not being in the room but not good enough. Can I mix the salt with a lid on the pail? If not can I mix it in the garage for 24 hours then cover it and heat it indoors? I don't really want to try and heat it in the garage now that winter is almost here.
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72g bowfront, t5. 29g JBJ nano cube, ATI 26HD. Livestock: clown fish, chromis, coral beauty. Corals: Toadstool, maze brain, candy cane, mushrooms (purple & green hairy), button polyps, green zoas, GSP. 
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#3
11-02-2013, 02:50 AM
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yes
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72g bowfront, t5. 29g JBJ nano cube, ATI 26HD. Livestock: clown fish, chromis, coral beauty. Corals: Toadstool, maze brain, candy cane, mushrooms (purple & green hairy), button polyps, green zoas, GSP.
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#4
11-02-2013, 03:43 AM
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the human nose can smell ppb ammonia, can you smell it in your house?
Also ammonia is lighter than air so it would be concentrating in the higher areas.
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Crap happens, that's why they sell toilet paper in 48 roll packs! Last edited by Cal_stir; 11-02-2013 at 03:45 AM.
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#5
11-02-2013, 05:51 AM
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Ammonia can be smelt from the litter box in the basement if it's not kept clean. I assume that is where it is coming from. I don't know a lot about it but I would think the concentration would have to be a lot higher to smell than would be needed to show up in water.
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72g bowfront, t5. 29g JBJ nano cube, ATI 26HD. Livestock: clown fish, chromis, coral beauty. Corals: Toadstool, maze brain, candy cane, mushrooms (purple & green hairy), button polyps, green zoas, GSP.
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