Help, Ammonia too high

[chrisrench]

Any ideas why my ammonia is too high? It fluctuates from low to fairly high. I haven't been able to pinpoint the problem or notice a cycle of high to low. It is a 115 gallon DAS with protien skimmer, 140 lbs of lv and wet/dry. I only have a yellow tang, purple tang, regal blue, and a spotted hawkfish in there, so I know its not overpopulated. The tank has been up and running for years, so obviously its cycled. I thought about taking the filter out of the wet/dry and seeing if maybe its something in the filter. But I haven't done it yet. <img src="graemlins//confused.gif" border="0" alt="[confused]" />

 

[nacl-h2o]

Where do you get your water for top offs and or mixing? Is there a chance chlorine is preasent? I have run accross people before with a simular problem and traced it to the presents of chlorine, ammonium chlorinde or ammonia in their water. Either adding ammonia to their water or killing part of their bio-filter. You may want to check for ammonia and chlorine in your water sources.

 

[chrisrench]

I buy the R/O water from Walmart. I tested it before I put it in and the ammonia was high. I treated it before putting it in the tank though.

 

[nm reef]

Source of top-off water may be the problem. It tested for ammonia?!!? What did you "treat" it with? Myself I don't think I'd add water that tested for ammonia....and I'm not confident that I'd treat ammonia tainted water then use it in my system. Is it possible to secure another source of ro/di water?
Also...are you confident in the accuracy of your tests? You may want to check your results against those of a LFS if its possible. I do know that some tests can expire....possible that you have a bad test kit?Reason I ask is ammonia/nitrites can be toxic and you seem to have healthy fish....may be worth looking into.

 

[dad]

Just thought I would juin in here, lol
I have a DAS tank also.
You may want to get another test kit. It may be bad?
I would take some water to my LFS and have them test it. Something doesn't sound right though.
Being a DAS tank though, I wouldn't change the filter. Let us know,

 

[chrisrench]

I'm going to try and get some different R/O water than that walmart. I don't think it is the test kit because It has been swinging high ammonia to low ammonia every few days. If it was the kit and it was expired then I would think it would be fairly consistent in its readings. It would probably be best to bring some water to the LFS and check it out. I use the same water topped off with kalkwasser for the top off water. I tell you, I'm stumped.

 

[nacl-h2o]

One of those R/O dispencers was the cause of a simular problem a friend of mine had, they tested positive for chlorine (a bio-filter killer) and some ammonia. I've also heard some people comlpain of purchased water in jugs haveing chlorine and or ammonia in them. You should always check source water like that before using it in your aquarium. Those dispensers don't treat the water as well as a R/O filter you buy for aquarium use. Whether you can use that water it or not depends on the quality of your local water its filtering to begin with. Those thing are there to make your drinking water better not perfect.