Ammonia in my water and I can't get rid of it!

[Elice B]

I have a puzzle.  I get 0.25 ppm ammonia readings in my tanks, tap water, and a local natural pond when I use the API test kit. I treat my tanks with Fritz complete during water changes and the ammonia reading persists.  Anyone have an idea of what it might be?

[Fish Folk]

32 minutes ago, Elice B said:

I have a puzzle.  I get 0.25 ppm ammonia readings in my tanks, tap water, and a local natural pond when I use the API test kit. I treat my tanks with Fritz complete during water changes and the ammonia reading persists.  Anyone have an idea of what it might be?

Ammonia can often be in your tap. Fritz Complete probably converts the Ammonia to Ammonium, which will still register on your tests as ammonia. 

[FlyingFishKeeper]

Agreed with @Fish Folk, ammonium is almost entirely safe for fish, and as long as your fish are healthy you should be fine. Plants also love ammonia and ammonium too! 

[Stealth Aquatics]

I agree. You can get low readings like that after a water change if you test soon after conditioning the water. Test the tap water before you put it in your tank just to see if your local tap has some too 

[Trish]

I normally get .25 ammonia readings from my tanks with the API test kit.  It's just the way it is for me and the fish, shrimp,  are thriving and healthy. Higher such as  .50ppm I will do a water change.

[Neptune95]

I have also discovered that phenomena.  My tap water tests clear of ammonia.  But, after dechlorination, I get a reading of .25 ppm ammonia.  If you are getting your tap water from a local municipality, it is likely being disinfected using chloramine, which basically is a relatively unstable compound of chlorine and ammonia. By law, they are permitted to emit up to 4 ppm chloramine.  When we add dechlorinator, the chlorine is bound rendering it harmless, but the ammonia is released.