Ammonia test kit wrong?!

[rED O]

I am use the aquarium pharmaceuticals test kits. I have had these test kits of 7 years. anyways, in the post before my tank had a reading of 2.0. I did a 75% water change. While doing so I testing my tap water. The tap water was coming out at a level of 1-1.5. then I tested the filtered water from the fridge and it came out with a reading of 0 ammonia. Then i tested my tap water two more times. Each time I washed out the tube and dried it so there would be no false readings. Two more tests, two more reading of around 1.-1.5.

I it possible with age, that it is giving wrong readings or is my tap water full of ammonia??

Thanks

 

[Krawnik]

It's possible your local water company uses chloramine, which would show ammonia readings.

 

[big dovii]

test is waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too old bro.

 

[justonemoretank]

My water has an ammonia reading of 1 - 1.5 also. I called the water company, and they said there's no way that they are sending out water like that, and it must be our pipes. Whatever. My test kits aren't nearly as old as yours, as we test so much, we go through them really fast, but it is possible for the tapwater to have ammonia.

Edit: Water company said it's chloramine also, but I put Prime in the water before I tested, and still showed ammonia. I show no ammonia in my tanks or my pond, so I know it's not a false positive or a bad test kit. There's ammonia in the water. And nitrate, too. Gross. Glad we use a filter for drinking water.

 

[rED O]

This is frustrating. I want 0 ammonia.

 

[justonemoretank]

I know! So do I! I find that the day after a water change, my biological filter has dealt with all of the ammonia that was in the tap water. Ammonia readings are zero. So, my tank water is better than the tap water (if you don't count the fish poo, and my cats certainly don't seem to mind drinking out of my pond). It is frustrating, but what can you do? Rainwater should have no ammonia, but it's very soft, and if you live in a highly populated area, can have contaminants. It's what we're stuck with. Try calling the water company -- maybe yours will be more helpful than ours.

 

[dwilder]

after a couple years test kits are not as good can give false readings

 

[justonemoretank]

If he gets a reading of zero on the filtered water, then it's not his test kits. Obviously, the kits still work, if they can recognize that there's no ammonia in the filtered water and that there is ammonia in his tap water.

 

[swede]

Sounds like you have ammonia in the water from that tap. if it was a faulty test, it would more than likely show ammonia in the filtered water too. Sad as it is, i would trust the test over the water company. they wouldn't want to be liable for impurities like that in the water since lawsuits could ensue. You may want to look into an RO system. However, if you use prime and you have a good base of BB in the tank already, I would think you could get by without an RO. The reason i suggest the RO is because you probably have other impurities coming from the tap if you truly have that much ammonia coming from it.