Help needed badly.

[nuclearbroccoli]

Hi, I'm praying someone can help me with this puzzle. I bought an ammonia test kit (aquarium pharmaceuticals inc). It has two bottles, 8 drops of each are added to a tube of water. So, if the water in the tube turns yellow, ammonia levels are 0 and all is well, and if the water turns green, the darker green it is the higher the ammonia level, right? Ok, my test keeps turning blue! This color is NOT on the color chart. I have no idea what the ammonia level is and I'm getting worried.

Anyway, a little more info maybe: The first tank that gave this result is an 18G, aquaclear 30 filter, kept at about 80 degrees. Tank contains 2 small angelfish (New angel added, one other just died - white around eye - starting treating with myacin (?), too late I think.) Recently replaced the carbon insert with the ammonia remover insert. (*the test was blue BEFORE I did this, as well as after). PH is about 7.5. I know, a little high, but the water is hard and I can't make a dent in the PH level and the aquarium store suggested I should leave it alone.
Second tank just recently started giving blue reading. It's a 20G, aquaclear 30 (again with the ammonia remover instead), kept at about 80 degrees as well. Contains 3 small barbs. (Lost 2 fish from this tank at different times - both green barbs..) Did something stupid last week - still kind of new to this and following directions to the letter, I replaced the foam filter. Ammonia levels skyrocketed, green barb died, test showed about 4ppm ammonia. Hard to tell if it was ammonia though as I added ammo lock in response to an earlier test. Anyway, the tank went super cloudy, film on top, fish gasping at surface. I skimmed the top, added a bubbler and fish seem fine 2 days later. But test is blue! Even the local "experts" at the largest aquarium supply in the city have no idea why. Anyone?

*Another thought: Brown algae has recently begun developing in both tanks (yuck). Would this have any effect on my test?*

 

[saffikeagan]

Have you taken your water into your LFS and had them test it? I think that would be my first move.

Also, have you tested some other water, like tap water, with your test to see what color scheme you get.

Did the test kit ever read properly? Have you checked the expiration dates?

 

[nuclearbroccoli]

Haven't taken water in to be tested yet, but probably should tomorrow. Test kit works fine, betta tank registers very light green. Other Betta tank registers yellow. Tap water registers yellow as well. You can see why the blue color puzzles me. The only thing the two tanks that register blue have in common is the ammonia filter and brown algae. But the test registered blue before I changed the filter, so I don't think that has anything to do with it. Off to the store tomorrow evening I guess... I'll post the results if anything interesting comes up.

 

[Sum22]

A stable pH is better than trying to change it, so don't worry about it.

How long have your tanks been set up? Gasping for air might be a sign that the ammonia or nitrite levels in your tank are high. If that happens, change 50% of the water.

Cloudy water indicates you are going through a bacteria bloom. That is a good thing since it means you are close to having the tank cycled. Either that, or if it is already cycled, then it could have been a mini cycle from changing the filter media.

Diatoms the brown algae, is common in new tanks or those with high nitrates. Weekly, partial water changes along with a bit of tank scrubbing will keep those diatoms away.

 

[Sum22]

Could the blue color mean that your ammonia is off the charts high? I'm not sure, but have you tried a partial water change in the tank to see if it comes down to a readable level?

 

[CaptainAhab]

If you bought your test kit from the same lfs that you plan on going back to get your water tested, take enough water and your kit with you. If it's the kit perhaps they will refund/swap out a new kit if you can show that it's defective.

 

[bs6749]

You added maracyn (?) to the tank? Was it powder form or liquid form? If liquid what color was it? There are lots of meds that are blue tinted and this may be causing your problem with an inaccurate result and I can't remember if it is blue or not in liquid form. Maracide is definitely blue. Have you added any other meds to the tank?

If you have algae problems you need to check your nitrate levels. I'd expect to find something in the range of 25-40ppm. Do a large water change of 15 gallons. This will immediately reduce all of your levels of ammonia/nitrite/nitrate. Test again and then let us know your results. We'll go from there.

 

[An t-iasg]

Yes, medicines can affect the ammonia test colors. Even when you added ammo-lock, the ammonia test should not have been affected. The ammonia isn't available to the fish anymore but the test kit should still pick it up. What dechlorinator are you using?

One time I had a bag of water squeezed from a sponge filter from my lfs. I squeezed my filter sponge in some of the water didn't use the rest. This bag of water sat around for a few days until I threw it away. I tested it to see what I would get and the vial (same ammonia test that you used) turned a deep blue, off the chart, like Sum22 said. I would verify the ammonia level in this tank as soon as possible. It wouldn't hurt to do some water changes in the meantime. All your tanks that do not show a 0 ammonia reading should receive a 25-50% water change. Don't rinse or replace the foam filter insert, as you've found out.