Ammonia + vinegar = more ammonia?

[Nerdist Aquarist]

While my main display tank is in a fallow period, I've been having trouble keeping my ammonia level low in the temporary container with my fish.

This got me thinking of ways to neutralize ammonia other than water changes. I figured ammonia is alkaline, so adding an acid like vinegar should neutralize it, right?

In a sample test I found I got completely the opposite of what I expected. Adding vinegar actually increased ammonia? Is this a false positive, or the API test kit is measuring something else? Any ideas what's going on here?

Sample water alone (left). Sample + vinegar (right)

Note: This is totally an experiment, and I'm NOT actually adding vinegar to my fish.

 

[Miami Reef]

For the fish: Add bottled bacteria and some media (like a sponge) for the ammonia.

For the chemistry question, I’ll tag @taricha and @Randy Holmes-Farley

 

[CoralB]

First off I’m my opinion ,I’d Get your water tested with another kit For ammonia . Kinda like a second opinion .

 

[taricha]

@Nerdist Aquarist
first, on the original API test, that light blush of green should be interpreted as zero ammonia, so there was no problem with the original water.
secondly, small amounts of vinegar could be helpful in lowering free ammonia - NH3 (by lowering pH and encouraging growth of organisms that can take up some ammonia)

Looking at that right vial, I am guessing you added some amount of vinegar to the small API test sample. This would be a very high concentration. If you had added aquarium-relevant amount of vinegar to saltwater (like ~1mL Vinegar / Gallon of saltwater) the API should show no immediate difference I'd guess. Let us know if this isn't the case.

If you are adding vinegar to the API vial itself, then it's not measuring ammonia - you are just breaking the test. Which can be fun and an interesting way to learn about the mechanics of some chemical reactions. I've enjoyed breaking the tests in weird ways - but that's not an ammonia measurement.

 

[gbroadbridge]

While my main display tank is in a fallow period, I've been having trouble keeping my ammonia level low in the temporary container with my fish.

This got me thinking of ways to neutralize ammonia other than water changes. I figured ammonia is alkaline, so adding an acid like vinegar should neutralize it, right?

In a sample test I found I got completely the opposite of what I expected. Adding vinegar actually increased ammonia? Is this a false positive, or the API test kit is measuring something else? Any ideas what's going on here?

Sample water alone (left). Sample + vinegar (right)

Note: This is totally an experiment, and I'm NOT actually adding vinegar to my fish.

If you add sufficient vinegar (a weak acid) to the tank, you would temporarily drop pH.

In itself that does not neutralize the ammonia but does result in a transition from free Ammonia to Ammonium which is less toxic to aquarium animals.

While it lasts.

I'm not sure exactly what you are measuring, but I would ignore the result.

 

[Nano_Man]

When I used api before I swapped brands . That reading you have for ammonia take it as normal that’s the problem with api test kits . On the other hand some people love api but I use salfert for everything . If you have the money hanna maybe.

 

[Nerdist Aquarist]

I added the vinegar to the sample water first, mixing well then performed the test. At first I added a few drops which I think would be a "reasonable" amount in proportion to not cause pH to plummet. That's when I saw it was just slightly darker green than the pure sample. Then I cranked up the amount, which resulted the picture on the right.

Anyway, not sure if this proved anything useful. Just got bored I guess

Maybe I'm looking for the next million $ invention in the reefing hobby!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I added the vinegar to the sample water first, mixing well then performed the test. At first I added a few drops which I think would be a "reasonable" amount in proportion to not cause pH to plummet. That's when I saw it was just slightly darker green than the pure sample. Then I cranked up the amount, which resulted the picture on the right.

Anyway, not sure if this proved anything useful. Just got bored I guess

Maybe I'm looking for the next million $ invention in the reefing hobby!

I expect it just messed up the test.

 

[Dan_P]

While my main display tank is in a fallow period, I've been having trouble keeping my ammonia level low in the temporary container with my fish.

This got me thinking of ways to neutralize ammonia other than water changes. I figured ammonia is alkaline, so adding an acid like vinegar should neutralize it, right?

In a sample test I found I got completely the opposite of what I expected. Adding vinegar actually increased ammonia? Is this a false positive, or the API test kit is measuring something else? Any ideas what's going on here?

Sample water alone (left). Sample + vinegar (right)

Note: This is totally an experiment, and I'm NOT actually adding vinegar to my fish.

There is a ferrocyanide catalyst in the salicylate ammonia tests. Acidifying the test mixture with acetic acid might have converted the near colorless compound to a deep blue compound, maybe prussian blue. Beautiful.