What ammonia reading do you get?

[LaurieC]

What do you think the reading is on this ammonia test?

 

[D1J8Z]

.25-.5

 

[LaurieC]

Thank you and ah-ha my ammonia mystery is finally solved. I thought the same .25 This is a sample of distilled water. I think my test might be off. Phew!!!!!

 

[Dre]

0.25

 

[jr973]

Yea that's definetly. A quater jus a trace nothing to b worried about acouple of water changes and maybe less feedin would drop that to 0

 

[JARRETT SHARK]

.25 but all ammonia test kits stink

 

[VJ&POOPS]

how do you know your distilled water doesn't have ammonia?

 

[LaurieC]

I don't know, that's a good point. I did use another test kit at home later on the distilled water later and got a bit of ammonia on that kit too. So crazy. I'm still getting a reading of ammonia on my tank and filtered water. Also a bit of nitrite. I did a small water change yesterday and both came down a tad, but this is insane. I have 3 shrimp in there along with fish and a cuc and everyone is great--out and about, eatting, no signs of stress or anything. So I'm at a loss as to whether I should be concerned about this or not.

 

[Bob 1000]

Water changes won't stop a cycle lower the feeding amount, your filtration isn't adequate.. You shouldn't have any ammonia in your system..
How long has this tank been set up??
What does your filtration consist of?
What the total size of the system in gallons?

 

[ecvernon]

if you get a reading of ammonia in your distilled (if your test kit is correct) then your tank should always test positive of ammonia. what brand of test kits are you using?

i use api and salifert.
the API I dont rely on the numbers of ammonia results. just on the fact if there is a color change then the level is unacceptable.

 

[LaurieC]

I have an Ocean Master kit by Marineland and a Red Sea kit

 

[NYC Joe]

i have the same test.
it always looks green to me.
i hate it.

be careful when your looking at them, some of them say look at it sideways, and some say look top down.
If you look at them wrong, its a different color!
Blah!

-Joe

 

[KoralGal]

Suggest you take your water to lfs and have them test it. Call first to make sure they use a different test kit.
I have this EXACT issue w. my Red Sea phosphate test kit: the 0 reading is supposed to be yellow but I’ve tested THREE brands of distilled water and only get faint GREEN, never yellow.
I use the API Saltwater Master test kit for Ammonia, and it distinguishes well between 0 and 0.25. I’ve gotten both colors at different times.

 

[LaurieC]

Thanks! This is an older thread, so the ammonia is closer to 0 of my kit now, but yeah, I got all the same readings on distilled water as my tank water so who knows. I'm not panicking like I was and I going with the idea that if the color looks 0-0.2 and the shrimp are alive and active as well as everyone else, then all is good. Seems all the ammonia test kits give off shades of green-yellow in the 0-0.2 range. I just got a Salifert ammonia kit so maybe that will be better