need words of wisdom

[stargazer]

hello everyone: well i'm still having problems with my tank. the water i use for my tank is contaminated with ammonia, comes that way from the well. I have an idea tho, if i used spring water, like the type used in water coolers would that work? i can get it for 40 cents a gallon delivered. the ammonia count coming out of the tap is over 8ppm has killed off all bacteria, and naturally all my fish. i haven't replaced any fish for over 3 months and am at wits end. if anyone has any suggestions i would appreciat it, my other option is to wait till we get city water out here, and that could be years from now

[Stella]

Wow... weird!

The 'spring' water (is it really? check what it actually is) would probably be fine.

There is a product called ammo-lock which binds onto ammonia and effectively negates it.

Not sure how expensive it would be using it on all water that goes into your tank....

Other options:

Set up a couple of 40 gallon drums and some pvc piping to collect and store the rainwater off your roof.

Try using the ammolock while cycling the tank, when the tank is cycled start doing small regular partial water changes to see if the bacteria will be able to eat it (maybe once it is cycled it can cope better, though I am surprised when you say the ammonia killed the bacteria... the bacteria are supposed to eat it...)

Set up an initial water holding and treatment facility (40 gallon drum with some kind of huge but basic biological filtration) and use that water for your water changes, refilling the drum with your tap water to feed the bacteria.

[Simian]

I agree with Stella, the only issue you will have with setting up a pre biological filter drum is that the nitrates will still build up. you can get special resin filters to take that out, it starts getting expensive tho, I'd go with rain water collection from your roof, just check the PH as it can be slightly acidic, depending on where you live.

Good luck

[Stella]

Good point Simian.

Could still be worth experimenting, it would be interesting to see the results of putting that tap water into a cycled system and see what happens over a period of time.

Do some experiments with whichever ideas may work for your situation, then see what you wind up with.

Rainwater is usually soft and may be slightly acidic. If that is what you wind up with go for fish that like that, instead of trying to then change the water again for fish that like totally opposite conditions (unless you heart is set on that.

Soft acidic water.... sounds like NZ native fish to me! (you will note I am ever so slightly biased)

[alanmin4304]

How is the ammonia getting in to your water supply? Where does the supply come from?

[stargazer]

the idea of using rain water could work, i have 2 downspouts so i could collect a fair amount doing that. as to how the water is contaminated, the only thing i can think of is that this is a older neighborhood we still have wells and septic tanks out here, and someones tank is leaking into the groundwater. i could put in a deeper well but that could cost $5000 to do that. city water and sewage is only about 200 to 300 meters away. anyhow i want to thank you all for the tip.

[whetu]

Eeew that sounds nasty with contaminated groundwater. I wonder what other nasties are in there? (I'm thinking fecal coloforms and other bad bad stuff). Have you had the water professionally analysed?

I know of several people in the USA who use bottled water exclusively for their tanks. It can get expensive, but not as expensive as some of your other options, and a much more predictable/reliable source of water.

By experimenting with some of the other suggestions, you might find that your mature filtration system can handle a reasonable amount of ammonia, but not the full dose. So you might end up being able to pre-mix some tap water with some bottled water without causing too much of an ammonia spike.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

[Dixon1990]

I for sure wouldnt be drinking that water!!!!