# Nitrite & Ammonia of London Tap Water



## sr20det (30 May 2012)

Seems there are a few members on her from my neck of the woods.

Can anyone tell me when they get out of the tap for Ammonia and Nitrite?

I tested my tap water today and it was at 10ppm for Nitrite.  My ammonia was off the scale, but I think the test kit is dead (its old and I bought it 2 years ago now maybe)

I tested my tank water for ammonia and it was off the scale, and then tested tap water and was off the scale, then tested rain water and that was off the scale, finally tested De-ionised water for car batteries and this was off the scale, so kit is bin worthy.

I know many are against these test kits, but I just wanted a indicator.

ph is 7.5 and TDS is around 400ppm, should it matter.

Does Seachem Prime help eliminate Nitrites and Ammonia from tap water?, as I use Stress Coat + and I think this does Chlorine/Chloramine and Ammonia only I beleive?


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## rolexbene (30 May 2012)

You can get water reports from Thames water like this one
http://www.thameswater.co.uk/water-qual ... eckham.pdf


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## sr20det (30 May 2012)

rolexbene said:
			
		

> You can get water reports from Thames water like this one
> http://www.thameswater.co.uk/water-qual ... eckham.pdf



Thanks just downloaded mine.


Ammonium as NH4 mg/l 0.5 0.07 0.16 0.23 52 0 0
Nitrate as NO3 mg/l  50 18.7 26.9 36.8 52 0 0
Nitrite as NO2 mg/l 0.5 < 0.01 0.017 0.23 52 0 0
Nitrate/

0.23 mg/l  max for both ammonium and Nitrite and not sure what that is in ppm?


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## sr20det (30 May 2012)

ok, did some reading so 1mg/l = 1 ppm

In which case the max in my tap is under 0.23 ppm as a max.


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## dw1305 (30 May 2012)

Hi all,
You are right mg/l is the same as ppm (1000 mg in a gram and a 1000g in a kilogram, 1000 x 1000 = 1,000,000). 


> In which case the max in my tap is under 0.23 ppm as a max.


Still pretty high, the legal limit for NO2 and NH2 is only 0.5mg/l. I'm not sure whether this is a value that is often breached, I know that the 50ppm NO3 limit used to breached quite frequently (not sure about these days).

We don't know how Prime works, but there is a patent for Amquel <http://www.novalek.com/archive/kpd58.htm> or <http://www.ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=51&t=13142&p=137696&hilit=amquel#p137696>, and it would be safe to conclude Prime is similar.

If I was forced to use your tap water, rather than rain water, I would have to keep fish that like hard water, and either use a water conditioner like Prime (or Amquel), or pre-age the water in a container with floating plants and some circulation. The second option would be my preferred one, but I'm not sure it would be my better half's.

cheers Darrel


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## sr20det (30 May 2012)

dw1305 said:
			
		

> Hi all,
> You are right mg/l is the same as ppm (1000 mg in a gram and a 1000g in a kilogram, 1000 x 1000 = 1,000,000).
> 
> 
> ...



Is it really high?  Would have thought anything less then 0.5 would still mean my fish stay alive?

Yeah, I have a tank, which is mostly Guppys and they have done well in this water in all honesty.  3 Ancistrus and 5 Corys.  No ill effects, however I do run a 1400 lph filter which I assume helps.

My new nano's one empty, half filled with old tank water, and am waiting for the bog wood to become waterloggged.

The other, the gravel was soaked in old tank water from main tank for a week and 30% of the water from that tank was used topped up with treated water.  another week past and I thought it would be safe to introduce fish, all has been well for 2 weeks, however yesterday I lost one, and I have noticed the fish have lost their appetite recently.  Not sure if it is the temp, and London has been at 28'-29c well the room the tank situated in is.  its a 25l P@H Cube with 6 Rasbora Hengeli, and 2 Red Ramshorn Snails.  Filter is the supplied one internal with spray bar.

I pulled out my tests kits which are a few years old, and was registering 40ppm Nitrite and 10-20ppm at the tap???  Ammonia was off the scale on eveything I tested.  I now think my test kits are fubar.  Just ordered 2 replacement kits. PH was at 7.5 and TDS was 450ppm.

None the less did a 50% water change (better safe then sorry), and will pick up some Tetra Safe Start on route home from the office.  Wonder if the cycle hasnt bedded in fully.  Not sure to be honest.  Reading, it might not be a bad idea to add some Tetra SafeStart to boost bacteria or detoxify Ammonia/Nitrite.  And long term replace StressCoat+ with Seachem Prime.  May actually try AMQUEL Plus, over Seachem Prime.

I was planning on setting up a rain butt in the garden, we have slate roofs, so collecting rain water isnt an issue.  however many a folk have always advised against London rain water?? But it has to be safer then the tapwater, and I can filter through carbon or similar.  But this idea might need to be speeded up on actually.


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## Morgan Freeman (9 Jul 2012)

According to my API liquid tests everything is 0ppm. According to the water report nitrates can be up to 50ppm. So who knows?

NW London.


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## sr20det (9 Jul 2012)

Morgan Freeman said:
			
		

> According to my API liquid tests everything is 0ppm. According to the water report nitrates can be up to 50ppm. So who knows?
> 
> NW London.



I think it can vary day to day too so unless we test every tap full, I just go by the report. Using Amquel plus, it isnt an issue anymore seeing it detoxifies Ammonia and Nitrites.  Nitrate not to woried as thats helpful for the plants anyways.


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