Crew and Russ thank you for taking the time to explain the process.
Problems with cats: ammonia?
- Thread starter jbdreefs
- Start date
Crew and Russ thank you for taking the time to explain the process.
Use any Windex in the area? That will put ammonia in the air - and the tank.
Use any air fresheners? Scented oil will kill a tank PDQ.
If there was that much ammonia in the air from the cats, you would smell it, unless you're nose-blind to it.
A dirty water container will take on a 'cat pee' smell (read: ammonia). I've seen this in instances where people use the same container to take out their waste water, and store new RO or saltwater (NOT recommended - using a dirty container for clean water contaminates it instantly). I'd find out when I'd open up a customer's water container to fill it with new water and POOOOF! A narsty whiff of yuck would come out. Needless to say that I wouldn't refill that container with clean new water.
Sounds to me like your pitcher is either dirty, or has had a contaminant introduced to it OR it's leaching something, but that is more likely to be phosphate than ammonia.
Jenn
Use any air fresheners? Scented oil will kill a tank PDQ.
If there was that much ammonia in the air from the cats, you would smell it, unless you're nose-blind to it.
A dirty water container will take on a 'cat pee' smell (read: ammonia). I've seen this in instances where people use the same container to take out their waste water, and store new RO or saltwater (NOT recommended - using a dirty container for clean water contaminates it instantly). I'd find out when I'd open up a customer's water container to fill it with new water and POOOOF! A narsty whiff of yuck would come out. Needless to say that I wouldn't refill that container with clean new water.
Sounds to me like your pitcher is either dirty, or has had a contaminant introduced to it OR it's leaching something, but that is more likely to be phosphate than ammonia.
Jenn
tbh. the fact that your DT has ammonia registering is causing me to think 2 things.
1: your tank is new and you spiked it.
2: cat peeing in the tank or some contaminate is going to town.
i can dump an entire windex bottle in my tank and it would resolve itself in a few days. whilst im not going to prove it. i have done fishless cycling where i had to continually pour bottles and bottles of ammonia to obtain 2 ppm in a 220.
end result is nitrate. so no. not gonna do it to prove a point.
however big this DT is... and registering ammonia, id really want to know what is really going on.
btw i use windex on my glass all the time. you need a lot to register 1 ppm. even for a nano.
1: your tank is new and you spiked it.
2: cat peeing in the tank or some contaminate is going to town.
i can dump an entire windex bottle in my tank and it would resolve itself in a few days. whilst im not going to prove it. i have done fishless cycling where i had to continually pour bottles and bottles of ammonia to obtain 2 ppm in a 220.
end result is nitrate. so no. not gonna do it to prove a point.
however big this DT is... and registering ammonia, id really want to know what is really going on.
btw i use windex on my glass all the time. you need a lot to register 1 ppm. even for a nano.
Russ do you spray the glass with Windex? Or do you put it on a cloth or paper towel and then wipe the glass? The former action has wiped out more tanks than you may realize.
Because it's easy to still have some on hands etc., after the fact, I recommend using either a bit of vinegar and water or an aquarium-safe outer glass cleaner. It's not just the ammonia that poses a risk but the other chemicals in the stuff that can harm inhabitants. It's a risk that can be completely avoided very easily, so why chance it?
Since cats generally don't like water (except the one I had who loved taking showers...), it's unlikely being directly done by a cat, but something is weird with that pitcher. The tank being new and cycling does not account for the water in the pitcher registering ammonia - that had to be coming from somewhere.
Jenn
Because it's easy to still have some on hands etc., after the fact, I recommend using either a bit of vinegar and water or an aquarium-safe outer glass cleaner. It's not just the ammonia that poses a risk but the other chemicals in the stuff that can harm inhabitants. It's a risk that can be completely avoided very easily, so why chance it?
Since cats generally don't like water (except the one I had who loved taking showers...), it's unlikely being directly done by a cat, but something is weird with that pitcher. The tank being new and cycling does not account for the water in the pitcher registering ammonia - that had to be coming from somewhere.
Jenn
the pitcher is 1 gallon registering 2ppm. that would not give a 10 gallon display more than .2ppm and even less if he had a bacteria load.
while i agree it is good practice to remain cautious about windex. i actually jump started my 265 by putting a 1/8th cup of windex in there and have coralline algae before 30 days.
windex will not crash a healthy tank unless it spilled. ime.
it would be pointless for me to prove it being that i have 300 gallon volume and it wouldnt even register
From left to right:
Cup of water sitting by tank covered with plastic wrap.
Cup of water sitting by the tank exposed to air.
Cup of water, uncovered, in the laundry room with the litter.
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From left to right:
Cup of water, uncovered, our formal den on the other side of the house.
Test from fresh salt water mixed covered and in the basement.
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Cup of water sitting by tank covered with plastic wrap.
Cup of water sitting by the tank exposed to air.
Cup of water, uncovered, in the laundry room with the litter.
From left to right:
Cup of water, uncovered, our formal den on the other side of the house.
Test from fresh salt water mixed covered and in the basement.
Can we conclude there is something in the air? Both containers that were covered registered little to no ammonia. The others are through the roof.
All water came from my RODI barrel via the same pitcher. Cups were all the same type of cup. The RODI water tests with no ammonia.
All water came from my RODI barrel via the same pitcher. Cups were all the same type of cup. The RODI water tests with no ammonia.
api ammonia is fine. its nitrate, calcium and phosphate that i challenge consistently.
yeah. you have a ton of ammonia in the air. open the windows, change the hvac filters (although without carbon your hosed) and id relocate litter boxes.
that has to be airborne.
question though. it is summer. what temp do you keep the house at?
yeah. you have a ton of ammonia in the air. open the windows, change the hvac filters (although without carbon your hosed) and id relocate litter boxes.
that has to be airborne.
question though. it is summer. what temp do you keep the house at?
We could use better husbandry with our litter box, as in not cleaned daily. I wouldn't say it gets disgusting, but I usually clean the box when I start to smell it. I wouldn't say it ever gets to the point where it smells like cracking open a bottle of ammonia.
open the windows at night. usually lows at 69-70 at this time. bleach the litter boxes and then dust it with baking soda.
that house needs to be aerated.
the reason i asked about house temp is because humidity will bind the ammonia ions to the water and it will condensate back in.
it could also come from carpet where the cats leave "presents". your air filters will also be shot.
after that do a test and see how it works
that house needs to be aerated.
the reason i asked about house temp is because humidity will bind the ammonia ions to the water and it will condensate back in.
it could also come from carpet where the cats leave "presents". your air filters will also be shot.
after that do a test and see how it works
