Will Amquel change Nitrite test?

[jsoong]

Hi all, I've lurking around for a little while, learning lots about aquariums. Great place!

From what I can gather, using Amquel will give false ammonia reading - the NH3 is converted to NH4, but is still read by the test kits as ammonia.

Question is: is this the same with nitrite (NO2)?

I have a 10 gal with 2 1" fantail goldfish, 3rd week in the set up. Ammonia is now zero for the last week, but I am having to do frequent water changes to keep nitrites in check. Fish seem fine, so I am wondering if the nitrite (supposedly detoxified by the amquel) is still showing up in the test kit.

Thanks all.

J.S.

What sort of test kit are you using?

I try never to use the test strips, as I have found them to be false.

As far as Amquel and Ites, I do not believe it alters those readings.

Funny story, or half of one....

When I set up my 29 gal I put in 1/3 of a bottle of Amquel in my tank on accident. I finally, almost 2 months later, have an ammonia reading of Zero!

[sweetsuvvyb]

My guess would be you're still cycling.

As far as I know, the Amquel converts NH3 (ammonia) to NH4 (ammonium), which makes it harmless to your fish, but with "nessler" type tests, you'll get a false positive (which you already stated). It doesn't do anything to to nitrites (NO2), however...although I'd speculate that adding a lot of amquel will impede the cycling process by eliminating the ammonia the nitrifiers need for food.

Just gotta stick with the water changes (which again slow the cylcing a bit, but you gotta do 'em)...and if you're worried about the nitrite levels, adding a little sea salt can prevent the nitrites from getting into your fishies bloodstream.

[jsoong]

Amquel + bottle states it removes nitrites & nitrates, but I have no idea how it is done.

I am using the wet test kit from Hagen, supposedly the good one.

I am keeping up with the water changes, but hope it won't take too long for the cycling to complete... lugging half a tankful of water everyday is getting tiresome

[Allivymar]

Interesting. I didn't realise Amquel Plus: "will instantly break the bond between chlorine and ammonia found in chloramines, then remove the chlorine, remove at least 1.2 ppm of ammonia, at least 2 ppm of nitrite, and at least 13 ppm of nitrate as well as remove many other toxic nitrogen compounds." I wonder if it will wash the dishes, throw out the garbage and have your children for you as well

While the Kordon site explains in detail how regular Amquel detoxifies ammonia, nowhere does it explain how it removes nitrites. So I can't figure out A) how it works and B) if it would affect testing. You might want to throw an email at em and see what they say: http://www.novalek.com/kordon.htm . If you do find out, please share I'm curious.

[ADCISCO]

I have had a major nitrite problem going on now for 2 weeks and I have used Amquel Plus that (should) removed ammonia, nitrates and nitrites........well I have done water changes at 20% 4 times now and used Amquel to not have but of difference in my nitrites.....so I dont know what that tells you about the stuff. I think I am going to stick to 20% water changes until nitrate is gone!

[jsoong]

Followup on this thread:

I email kordon & they state that Amquel plus will not alter nitrite or nitrate tests, but they won't say how it works - trade secret?

As a test, I took some water from my tank, with nitrite measuring 2 - 3, and added double the amount of conditioner (for the volume of my water sample), waited an hour, & comfirmed that the sample now tested negative for nitrite.

So I can conclude that - 1. nitrite is removed & 2. I can measure it with my test kit.

An interesting fact - while poking around the net researching this thing, I ran across an Amquel Plus look alike - Prime by Seachem, which basically do the same thing & seem to have the same effect on test kits - ie interfer with Nessier test on NH3 but not NO2 & NO4. However, Seachem stated that the effect disappear in 24 Hours! I wonder if this is the same with Amquel Plus as well.

I was going to run another test, ie add the conditioner to tank water with NO2, & test in 1 Hr & 24 Hr. However, my tank had rapidly finished cycling in the last 2 days & now I have no measurable NH3 or NO2 (Yey ), so I will have to leave this experiment to someone else who is interested.

[Allivymar]

Oh neato jsoong! Thanx for taking the time to contact Korden as well as doing some testing of your own. Coupla kudos comin your way for being so kind to look into things

There have been quite a lot of posts about Amquel plus and rising nitrite levels on all sorts of forums recently. I'm now wondering what the issue is, as your test seems to indicate Amquel DOES reduce nitrites. Maybe the amounts on the bottles are not enough to cause a decrease as I see you doubled amounts...something to ponder.

And hooray for a cycled tank what a relief eh?