Quick-Dip ammonia test kit help?

[Freshie In Disguise]

Apparently I'm untalented at ordering things from amazon, so my API test kit is on hold, and I bought an ammonia test kit from Walmart, just because I am so curious I am jumping out of my skin.

The first test I tried to do, I must have done it wrong because the strip was white. Apparently it should have been some shade of green (I haven't been cycling long).

...Does anyone have a video of exactly what I'm supposed to do? Or could you explain it to me in a different manner than the box attempted to?

Sorry for the trouble. I just want to do this right.

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

Just get some water out of the tank in a cup and dip it. That's what I do with mine (got it for free and use it just for fun).

 

[Freshie In Disguise]

Okie dokie, I'm going to try it again. Maybe I didn't leave it in the water long enough.

 

[Freshie In Disguise]

Okay, I'm still getting nothing, lol. It stays white.

 

[Freshie In Disguise]

It's still staying white. I'm following the instructions to a T. What am I doing wrong?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

That's drip strips for you. Highly inaccurate.....
You'd be better off taking a sample of water to your LFS to test.

 

[Freshie In Disguise]

There is no LFS, I'm afraid.

I can't even make the strips turn color.... ANY color! Atleast it was only $2....

 

[Mumma.of.two]

There is no LFS, I'm afraid.

I can't even make the strips turn color.... ANY color! Atleast it was only $2....

maybe a water change as a precaution until your real test kit arrives.

 

[librarygirl]

What brand test kit is it? What size tank and what fish are in there and how long has it been running?

 

[Freshie In Disguise]

Jungle brand test kit in a 20gL FW tank, no fish, lots of plants, cycling for maybe a week.

 

[librarygirl]

Jungle brand test kit in a 20gL FW tank, no fish, lots of plants, cycling for maybe a week.

Oh, no fish in there? Are you adding an ammonia source? If not, that's why the test is showing 0 ammonia; you have to add an ammonia source for the tank to cycle. There's a link below in my signature called: new empty tank. Give it a read and it'll tell you what to do.

 

[meegosh]

Those test strips are always a pain, and they're inaccurate. Some say dip for 10 seconds and then shake for 30. Makes me feel like I'm in elementary school, "Pat your head and rub your tummy in a circle" Blah.

If you don't have any fish or a source of ammonia (pure ammonia, prawn, fish food, etc) then you won't have any ammonia. That might be why you are reading 0's.

I'd wait for your API kit as that will be accurate.

 

[Freshie In Disguise]

I think I should have too much ammonia with what I added. The petstore recommended using a dead glofish and cranking up the heat to start the cycle, which I did, and now the glofish is almost disintegrated after just 1 week. It's just a white fuzzy spot on the gravel now... And I have white slimey junk in various places of my tank... Not quite sure if that's good or bad...