Winter Ammonia Levels after water Change

[boats4906]

Hello 

I checked my ammonia levels before the water change and it was 2.0 ppm ,, I changed 90 % of  my water and after the change i checked the ammonia the next day and it was between 0.5 and 1.0 ppm is that a good number to have for ammonia levels

using the API Test kit i found:

before water change ammonia levels was 2.0

after water change is between 0.5. and 1.0

the fish i have in my system are tilapia and the water tempreature has been maintaining upper 60's the breed of tilapia i have is Mozambique tilapia

Thank you

[Glenn]

have heard of this problem before. It turned out that San Antonio is among many cities that use elevated amounts of Chloramine  during winter months.  And then, some if not most water test kits will indicate the chloramine as ammonia

degassing and chloramine removal should be as thorough as possible during water changes and topping off. And you might check with your water company to verify if their use of chloramine gas or granule has increased.

Hope this helps.

Definitions and Information

• Chloramine is a combination of chlorine and ammonia.
• Chloramine is used to disinfect water supplies (like the Hetch Hetchy system.) Water utilities often refer to chloramine as monochloramine.
• In reality, chloramine exists as three different forms or species: monochloramine (NH2Cl), dichloramine (NHCl2) and trichloramine (NCl3). They are chemically related and are easily converted into each other; thus, they are more appropriately called chloramines.
• The three species of chloramine constantly and rapidly shift from one form to another. The species that predominates is dependent on pH, temperature, turbulence, and the chlorine to ammonia ratio.
• Even time plays a factor because after a day or so, with no changes in conditions, monochloramine in a water system will slowly degrade to form dichloramine and some trichloramine.
• Chloramines are all respiratory irritants with trichloramine being the most toxic (order of toxicity: monochloramine < dichloramine < trichloramine-most severe.)
• In contrast to what water utilities claim, it is impossible to have only monochloramine. It is not unusual in water systems for harmful di and trichloramines to occur.
• Disinfection byproducts are chemicals formed when a disinfectant combines with organic matter or other chemicals present in water.
• Trihalomethanes (THMs) are disinfection byproducts that are formed when organic matter in the water combines with chlorine.
• THMs are also formed with chloramine disinfection but at a lower concentration-- (approximately 1/3 less) than chlorine.
• THMs are possible but not proven cancer causing byproducts.
• To reduce THMs, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offers other disinfection methods such as ultraviolet UV light treatment and chlorine dioxide (see the Alternative Disinfectants and Oxidants Guidance Manual, EPA 815-R-9...; the Table of Contents lists disinfection methods, one per chapter.)
• Alternative disinfectants to chlorine, including chloramine, have not been studied for their health effects.
• Chlorine is the only disinfectant that has been extensively studied.
• The safest way to reduce THMs, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), is to remove the organic matter from the water first through prefiltration before disinfection with chlorine (see the WHO's Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality, PDF 145 KB).

 http://www.chloramine.org/chloraminefacts.htm

[Alex Veidel]

Not really related to the point of the discussion, but if you changed out 90% all at once, I would recommend not doing so much at one time. You should try to change around 1/3 of your water at a time. More than that can stress out the fish.

[Steve R]

Why are you keeping your temps so low? Also to back up what alex said outside of an emergency you should never change more than 40 or 50% of the water. The change in GH and PH not to mention chlorine is just WAY to hard on them and while it doesn't often kill your fish out right it could and il explain why. It severely compromises there immune system and if your township changed there water source like what happened in colorado over the coarse of the year you might have a RADICALLY different PH from your tap water from one day to the next and not realize it. I know my tap water can go from 7.2 or 7.4 to well into the 8s when they switch reservoirs. keep that in mind. The other issue i have seen in all my years was some one did an emergency water change right when tehy were doing some kind of line work on the water system and what ever was in his water killed everything. Its rare but something to keep in mind when considering a LARGE water change. also ammonia at a 2 is perfectly fine as long as your ph is also low then its nothing to slam down that fast i don't understand why you would do that.