API Master Kit ammonia levels

[Fish24907]

So with the API Master Kit, I got my results and I can't really even tell the difference between the light yellow color corresponding to 0 ppm and the slighlty green tinted yellow color corresponding to .25 ppm.

Does anyone else have this problem? If so, what do you do? I guess you just act as if it were .25 ppm to be safe?

That is kind of annoying though, I researched for a while for the best kit and it apparently was the API Master Kit. I am not impressed at all right now with the kit though since these colors are so close together.

 

[Hholly]

Try testing some bottled water and compare.

 

[BHead707]

i used to have this problem but it was becaus i hadnt seen the true yellow color, if there is even a tint of green there is some ammonia. you will know when it tis yellow because it looks alot different in the tube IME

 

[Phranque]

The yellow in the tube isn't going to be as brilliant as on the card.... As mentioned, you need to get some RO or distilled water that you know is clean and run a side-by-side control sample next to your tank sample so you can "calibrate" your eye to see what 0 ammo really looks like. You're really looking for more of a "lack of green" rather than a bright yellow.

 

[Fish24907]

Cool guys.

And good idea, I'll try to use bottled water as a control and compare it to that. Previously i used my tap as a control...but you're right, bottled might be better.

 

[Phranque]

Cool guys.

And good idea, I'll try to use bottled water as a control and compare it to that. Previously i used my tap as a control...but you're right, bottled might be better.

Make sure the bottle says distilled.... There are a lot of bottled waters out there that are nothing more than a "treated" city water. I bought a bottle of water a while back just to check it out, and it had a trace of ammo, 5ppm nitrates, and 260 TDS !!!

 

[Hholly]

Make sure the bottle says distilled.... There are a lot of bottled waters out there that are nothing more than a "treated" city water. I bought a bottle of water a while back just to check it out, and it had a trace of ammo, 5ppm nitrates, and 260 TDS !!!

Wow, what brand was that?

 

[Phranque]

Wow, what brand was that?

Drat !! Thought I still had it downstairs.... I do remember it was a local brand carried at Speedway.