Ammonia in my water change bucket

U

underdasea

Guest
Here's my dilemma.
After bleaching my water/salt mixing container, with the powerhead still in it, and rinsing it extremely well and running the powerhead through the rinse as well, I've somehow managed to find .50 ppm ammonia in my water change water.
The source water has been tested and is free of ammonia, and the only thing in the container aside from the salt and water is the powerhead and a floating thermometer - both of which were bleached and thoroughly rinsed. The last time I tested the parameters in the water change container (about 2 weeks ago), everything was fine (i.e. 0 ppm ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and 8.3 pH).
Figuring that I didn't need to test my water change water for ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate, I drained 5 gallons from my 55 during my water change earlier. For some reason, I decided to test the water change waterand found the .50 ppm ammonia. Unfortunately I was stuck with having to add 3 gallons of the water with ammonia and 2 gallons of fresh RO/DI water to the tank because I didn't have any other saltwater mixed up. My suspicion is that my tank will accommodate the 3 gallons of .50 ppm water just based on the bacteria available. Am I correct in assuming that?
Also, does anyone have any idea how ammonia would be present in a thoroughly bleached and rinsed tub?
This is incredibly frustrating as I don't want to add bad water to the tank, but today I didn't have a choice. Any advice would be appreciated.
And no I don't have any Tangs in there! LOL
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Why did you have to add the water anyway? I have a 55 and three gallons is about an inch of water, if that. Make up some new water pronto. Hope that the rocks and sand in the tank take care of the ammonia. Check the SG in the display. You added ro without it needing to be topped off. We are talking about a mixing bucket and a powerhead? If you cleaned them and rinsed them, they did not do this. Something else did. Mix a small amount of water and test it.
 
U

underdasea

Guest
I know something else did - I'm trying to figure out what the culprit may be. I use the same syringe to fill my test tubes regardless of whether I'm taking it from the display or from the water container. I wouldn't think that a quick dip of the syringe in the container would start a cycle but perhaps I'm wrong. The syringe (that has been in the display) is only in the container long enough to suck 10cc's of water into it. Any ideas on what else could be the ammonia source?
SG is 1.020 by the way.
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
I don't know what did this. Dump the old water and make a small batch. If it has ammonia in it and the source water does not then buy a new mixing container.
 
U

underdasea

Guest
No I haven't used this container for anything other than mixing salt and I used it to "cook" live rock. I made sure to thoroughly clean and bleach it after the live rock though.
Some have suggested that the salt itself is the source of the ammonia. I use Oceanic salt and never thought that that could be an issue.
That's why I'm puzzled and hoping someone else has run in to this sort of thing.
 
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