So i'm doing the fishless cycle and I purchased some household clear ammonia with no fragerance or anything. I added just a little bit maybe the equivelant of 6-8 drops into a 30 gallon rectangular tank and I have a freshwater master API test kit and my ammonia reading when i test it is simply clear. Doesn't even remotely have a hint of color to it. I even tried adding just some ammonia to the test tube with 5ml of tap water and some ammonia and its still clear. I've also added Bio-Spira and i'm still not reading any nitrite spike. or Nitrates. I have no idea what happened. The lfs I bought from keeps all there bio-spira refrigerated and I put it right in the fridge when I got home.
Weird Ammonia Reading
- Thread starter shad
- Start date
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tawolcott
Aquarium Advice Freak
perhaps a bad/expired test kit.. take a sample to the lfs and have them test it. Bio-Spira , like dosing ammonia is going to take some time as well. It's not immediate. It should jumpstart the cycle, not zoom you past it.
Fishyfanatic
Aquarium Advice Addict
It could have been a bad batch of Ammonia solution. You used both solutions, right? If so, get a new Ammonia kit.
tawolcott
Aquarium Advice Freak
how can you be sure if you don't do a baseline test? Unless you're using ro/di water, you should probably be seeing some level of nitrate just due to whats in your tapwater. IMO better safe than sorry.. take your kit, go to the lfs. have them test, then u test and compare.. for each
jsoong
Aquarium Advice Addict
I would suspect a bad kit .... you should get the yellow if you test just plain water .... if not, get a new ammonia refill (or a refund/exchange).
pitt420dude
Aquarium Advice Addict
Shad aren't there two solutions for ammonia? You probably are, just be sure you're following the directions before you go and buy a new one.
Fishyfanatic
Aquarium Advice Addict
Yes, there are two solutions. Make sure you are using both.
neilanh
Sliced Bread
Agreed, and the 30 second and 1 minute mixing instructions are important to. IIRC, the first solution is clear, second is yellow. It sounds to me like you're not using the second solution as directed.
Fishyfanatic
Aquarium Advice Addict
The API kit needs to use both solutions. I see that you edited your thread and I'm assuming that you were only using one solution but have tried it using both. Did it work the second time? You need to add the number of drops from both solutions, shake, and let sit for a few minutes. If it doesn't turn yellow, you need a new test kit.
pitt420dude
Aquarium Advice Addict
How did it go? Was that the problem? Where you using only one solution or not mixing them properly? IMO, Ammonia is the hardest thing to test w/ the API kits.
Fishyfanatic
Aquarium Advice Addict
I think it is the easiest with Nitrate being the most difficult. All that shaking. 
CatatonicBug
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I agree! I feel like I should be singing a tune and dancing a jig while tesing the nitrates!I think it is the easiest with Nitrate being the most difficult. All that shaking.
pitt420dude
Aquarium Advice Addict
Oh, I'm confusing Ammonia with Nitrates, yeah, the Nitrates is a pain.
I like to spice up the testing of the Nitratesa little by singing
"SHAKE IT UP BABY NOW, SHAKE IT UP BABY, TWIST AND SHOUT!!"
I like to spice up the testing of the Nitratesa little by singing
"SHAKE IT UP BABY NOW, SHAKE IT UP BABY, TWIST AND SHOUT!!"
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