Ammonia test ... Weird reading.

[ThatsCrayFish]

So I did an ammonia test yesterday and got a weird result and did it again and got the same result, it's reading a very dark blue... Darker than the green color that represents 8 ppm ... I don't think this could be right but if it is I'm in trouble, has anyone had a problem like this before?


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[Mebbid]

Nope, never had that before. But you can just do water changes to reduce it. Are there fish in rhe tank?

 

[NigelK8485]

Are you using API liquid tests? What are the expiration dates on the bottle and is your tank cycled?


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[Krely]

Any reading that high would be highly toxic to your fish and I would be very surprised that your fish would still be alive if it was in fact reading that high.

I would check the expiration on the test kit and made sure it hasn't expired. Also, are you rinsing your test tubes out with tap water? If you are, make sure it is completely dry before testing (would help to put a little water from your tank in after rinsing and shake it up and empty out to make sure all tap water is not in the tube) as any tap water left in the tube can alter the test dramatically and give you weird results.

 

[ThatsCrayFish]

Thanks for the heads up, all the fish are fine as the tank is cycled, just can't seem to get this Test to work, I'll have to check for an expiration date...it is the API liquid testing kit.


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[evil Nick]

are you shaking that second bottle hard and for a LONG time?
also are you following the instructions and dosing the first bottle - shaking - letting sit a couple minutes THEN adding the second and doing the same.

My guess tho if its new is that maybe they labeled the wrong bottle in your kit and your mixing something like ammonia and nitrite or PH solution and not even knowing it. can you return it?

 

[enrgizerbunny]

Thanks for the heads up, all the fish are fine as the tank is cycled, just can't seem to get this Test to work, I'll have to check for an expiration date...it is the API liquid testing kit.


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Run the test on your tap and bottled water, if you get the same result exchange it at the store and tell them what happened. I'd give API a call as well. If yours is truly defective you're probably not alone.

Call API before you exchange it, they might want the batch number.

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[BBradbury]

Water Testing

So I did an ammonia test yesterday and got a weird result and did it again and got the same result, it's reading a very dark blue... Darker than the green color that represents 8 ppm ... I don't think this could be right but if it is I'm in trouble, has anyone had a problem like this before?


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Hello That's...

Is it the kit or your testing procedure? I used to test the tank water in my tanks every couple of weeks when I was first in the water keeping hobby and realized that if I did a better job of taking care of the tank water, I really didn't need to spend the money on the kit, nor the time on the testing routine.

Here's the skinny on the tank water. The fish and plants do their business in it every day. So, over time, if the water isn't replaced regularly, the wastes build to toxic levels and kill the fish.

If you remove and replace the water often enough, there's no time for waste to build up before you remove it through a water change.

I worked up to the point I was removing and replacing half the water in the tank every week and the tests were always the same: No ammonia, no nitrite and very low nitrates. After a few weeks, of weekly water changes, I quit testing altogether. There was no point, the water was always waste free.

If you need to test the tank water, you're not removing and replacing enough tank water. Work up to the weekly, 50 percent water changes and then you won't need to fret over the water chemistry or test results.

B