Amonia Level

[aharmsworth]

I know amonia is supposed to be 0 at all times but I am having some real problems with keeping it down.

It seems to stay fairly level at .25 PPM is this normal or is there still something fundamentlay wrong, my set up is -

65G tank with a Prizm Skimmer and Rena XP3 filter, about 20 KG of live rock for Filtration.

I have aprroximatly 10 inches of Fish. and an enemane

I change half the filter medum (half left to maintain 'frendy bacteria) about once a month.

Feeding wise I put in a squaire CM of frozon food per day and some seawead for the Tang once in a while.

My thoughts are not anough water movement?

Any support greatly recived.

Andrew

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Something is wrong. Perhaps it is just a kit error, or perhaps soemthing more troubling.

What are you using for top off water?

Have you used the kit on other aqauria and seen lower levels?

What kit?

What is the purpose of hcanging half the filter media each month? I'm not familiar with a Rena XP3. What does it do?

[aharmsworth]

Thanks for the reply,

I don't have a RO unit but I filter my Tap water through a resin based filter to remove metal traces and add a chlorine remover.

I recently changed the Tank upgraded from a 50 Gallon so it is not really that much bigger however I have never seen much less than .25 PPM, when I tested water form the fish shop today it showed .5 which has made me doubt my test kit somewhat, however -

The XP3 is a Rena external filter suitable for tanks up to 90 gallons (according to the box) it has 3 media chambers in it, I have a coarse sponge in the bottom of the first and the second chamber then a fine sponge, what I have done in the past is ditch the fine sponge from the first chamber and replace with new media. I then swap the 1st and second media chambers over so that I keep a good % of the bacteria, and repeat next month etc The top chamber contains more biological and a carbon bag, hope that makes sense. If you have a better idea how I should use the chambers I would be grateful.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Tap water sometimes contains chloramine, and that can pass through a resin and possibly deliver ammonia to the aquarium. I'd check to see if you local water company uses chloramine to treat the water.
Here's further information:

Chloramine
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-11/rhf/feature/index.htm

It is certainly possible that you have a kit problem.

If you have a better idea how I should use the chambers I would be grateful.

I might be inclined to ditch all the media except the carbon.