Need Help - Ammonia in Newly Mixed Saltwater >6ppm!

[CronicReefer]

Weird, try switching the buckets (outside now inside, and inside now outside). I can't imagine that anything indoors is adding ammonia to the water.

So I brought the bucket inside from outside and let it sit for 12 hours. Got a reading of <1ppm ammonia (could even be considered a false positive) so I think airing out my house with box fan paid off, I also moved the cats litterbox into the laundry room so it would at least be separated by a room. I got some water mixing up outside in the mean time so I can do a water change on the tank to help bring the nitrates down quicker.

[Sunstar]

So you feel cats are the actual issue? this is good to know if I ever decide to get a kitty.

[CronicReefer]

So you feel cats are the actual issue? this is good to know if I ever decide to get a kitty.

I think it's a little more complicated than simply owning a cat. Somehow free ammonia had built up enough in my living room to cause the water to reach toxic levels (for our fish at least). I cleaned the carpets really well today and had a box fan blowing air for 24hours to circulate the house. Hopefully I won't see this issue again in the future but it shows that good air circulation from outside is important. I would just think you would be smelling the ammonia for something like this to happen but even my friends say my house has no odor so I guess it can happen much easier than anticipated. Again it could have always come from a source I haven't idrntified but air quality seemed to be the issue.

[Tamberav]

My mixing bucket is next to the cat box. I will check next water change.

[CronicReefer]

My mixing bucket is next to the cat box. I will check next water change.

Yes please let me know. I feel like there is no consistency between people who have cats and whether or not they have a problem like this.

[MLS_Reef]

Ok i have been reading. Lol according to the health department of new york....

Ammonia is a gas at room temerature.

It is also as a gas readily soluble in water.

https://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/emergency/chemical_terrorism/ammonia_tech.htm

 

Now after reading about it i think it is completely acceptable to assume your open bucket of mix water is absorbing ammonia from the air and that boomer is correct. However cats do not excrete ammonia they excrete urea and water CO(NH2)2 which decomposes into ammonia via bacteria in the box.

 

So if the cat box is in close proximity to the open water and the water is pure and absorbing Ammonia. I think you stop the absorbtion and ammonification of the pee to the water by creating better absorbtion in the cat box. Put baking soda in the bottom of the cat box.

[CronicReefer]

Ok i have been reading. Lol according to the health department of new york....

Ammonia is a gas at room temerature.

It is also as a gas readily soluble in water.

https://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/emergency/chemical_terrorism/ammonia_tech.htm

Now after reading about it i think it is completely acceptable to assume your open bucket of mix water is absorbing ammonia from the air and that boomer is correct. However cats do not excrete ammonia they excrete urea and water CO(NH2)2 which decomposes into ammonia via bacteria in the box.

So if the cat box is in close proximity to the open water and the water is pure and absorbing Ammonia. I think you stop the absorbtion and ammonification of the pee to the water by creating better absorbtion in the cat box. Put baking soda in the bottom of the cat box.

I read some similar things and even found an article with some formulas for determining equilibrium rates and amounts. Everything seems to be getting better though but most of my SPS frags look like they won't make it. I'm going to do another water change today but the tank is reducing nitrates on its own as well now.

[Tamberav]

Yes please let me know. I feel like there is no consistency between people who have cats and whether or not they have a problem like this.

 

I let my mixing water go for a week next to the cat box, no ammonia. It mixes inside a cooler that is pretty much completely closed. The cord running to the inside of the cooler so its not air tight but close.

[aviator300]

I'm surprised that no one has brought this up because it's the very first thing that came to mind when I started reading this thread but do you think it's possible that the Kitty is peeing in your water?

[CronicReefer]

I'm surprised that no one has brought this up because it's the very first thing that came to mind when I started reading this thread but do you think it's possible that the Kitty is peeing in your water?

That would be amazing cause then I could train him to use the toilet (I seriously hate the litter aspect of cats) but I highly doubt it. The original tub I used is about a 2' wide diameter so he would have to be balancing pretty well to do something like that.

 

 

I let my mixing water go for a week next to the cat box, no ammonia. It mixes inside a cooler that is pretty much completely closed. The cord running to the inside of the cooler so its not air tight but close.

Yeah I'm still confused by it all and was never sold on it being the litter box. I'm glad to say everything is better now after I aired the house out for a couple days. Thanks for letting me know as well.

[Clown79]

This is so very strange.

 

I have 4 cats. My old 55g after cycling never had any ammonia. I kept my ro/di buckets(with lid on) in the same rm of my cats litter-storage rm off my kitchen which had no windows. Never had issues.

I didn't mix my water in that area though which could have changed the outcome.

 

I had no issues in that tank.

 

 

Could the alcohol you clean the buckets with alter the tests?

Maybe switch to a vinegar water mix to clean them and see if possibly any remaining alcohol could be the culprit.

[CronicReefer]

This is so very strange.

I have 4 cats. My old 55g after cycling never had any ammonia. I kept my ro/di buckets(with lid on) in the same rm of my cats litter-storage rm off my kitchen which had no windows. Never had issues.

I didn't mix my water in that area though which could have changed the outcome.

I had no issues in that tank.

Could the alcohol you clean the buckets with alter the tests?

Maybe switch to a vinegar water mix to clean them and see if possibly any remaining alcohol could be the culprit.

I'm still at a loss for the real cause but I just mix my water on the porch now . The tank has recovered for the most part and I added a clam a few days ago. There was never any problems in the tank before that water change at the beginning of March but I know it was definitely something in my house that caused a problem in the water change (air or otherwise).