Think I Figured It Out

**Carapar56** · 02-02-2013, 10:43 PM

Well just finished my weekly water changes on my tanks and once again the fish in both tanks are lying at the bottom of the tank barely moving. I monitored the temperature this time and the new water entering the tank was the exact same temperature as the old water. So I've ruled that possibility out. I believe its due to the 0.25 ppm ammonia content thats in my tap water. The only difference between the water entering the tank and the old water is the new has ammonia.. So i've come to a dilemma. I don't have money to buy bottled water to neutralize the problem of ammonia so does anyone know any faucet filters that I can attach to my kitchen faucet to remove the ammonia?

**daimen123** · 02-02-2013, 10:52 PM

if you are dosing with prime before you add the water to the tank it should neutralise the ammonia. And if your tank is cycled properly the ammonia should be processed by the time the prime runs out. I'm pretty sure that's right just wait for someone with more knowledge to correct me if I'm wrong.

**Carapar56** · 02-02-2013, 11:10 PM

I've heard that but I don't use prime.. I use a simple brand of water dechlorinator.

**daimen123** · 02-02-2013, 11:27 PM

maybe you should switch to prime possibly cheaper then an ammonia removing filter for your faucet

**Cliff** · 02-02-2013, 11:35 PM

Many people here have up to 0.5ppm to 1ppm of ammonia in their tap water. What has worked for them was using prime and adding additional biological filter media to there set-up. You could also consider small but more fequent water changes

When I had ammonia in my tap water to deal with, I added extra biological filter media which seamed to do the trick for me

**Carapar56** · 02-03-2013, 12:09 AM

Well I can't do much for filtration.. Both tanks have 20 gallons worth of Tetra whisper filters.. Currently all 3 filters from both tanks just have those like fabric cartridges in them.. Should I remove the cartridges and just fill it up with biological filter stones?? I have a bunch of them.. Would they work in an open HOB filter? And I could up my water changes. Currently I do a 50% water change every saturday. Maybe a 20% on monday, a 20% on thursday, then a 50% on saturday? Do you think that would work???

**vafa** · 02-03-2013, 12:39 AM

biological filter stones are a must in every filter, so replace your cartridges one by one every 2 weeks or so. keep some cartridges and put some biological media in the ones you throw out.
i highly recommend you buy prime ,
it saves you money because you use so little, and it detoxifies ammonia temporarily.

**Goes to 11!** · 02-03-2013, 12:44 AM

Damien is absolutely correct & Cliffs last sentence nails the solution.

Upping your WC will do no good if you do not have a large enough BB colony to handle the ammonia you would be adding on a more regular schedule.

Yes the biomedia works in an HOB, I have several crap filters that are designed for the cartridges that I instead run matrix and filter floss in.

Your bigger issue is cycling the new media without removing the bb that lives on the cartridge. IMO you should add as much as you can without causing any bypass and let it ride for a few weeks.

Dechlors mostly work effectively the same but Prime is undoubtedly more economical than whatever you are using, I'd consider switching if I were you.

**talldutchie** · 02-03-2013, 04:37 AM

New Jersey... how's the rain water over there?

**Carapar56** · 02-03-2013, 05:16 AM

Horrible, I think? I don't exactly live in the cleanest area.. I'd never trust using rain water for my tanks.. If that's what you're implying.. So I take it I should add a biomedia stones, the small little ones, slowly to my filters. Eventually removing the cartridge altogether? Is there anything else I should add, biomedia wise?? http://aquaterras.com/images/Whisper...%20Filters.jpg
In the link it shows how my filter sorta looks. So I also remove the black strainer sort of thing that goes in front of the cartridges?? I'm just worried I might destroy my BB.