API ammonia accurate?

[cowboycoyote]

Hi all, I have a 2.5 gallon nano tank. It's currently stocked with the help of my LFS. There are two trochus snails, one peppermint shrimp, one gsp, and one mushroom. It cycled for two months. However, I woke up to my tank being extra foamy on the top, no actual foam, but a lot of the bubbles were not popping and collecting on the sides. I did an ammonia test from API and it came out to be 2.0 pp which I was shocked. At that pp wouldn't everything be dead? I did a water change two days ago so I'm a bit confused. My seachem alert that I have on in my tank says there 0 ammonia. Everything is acting fine in the tank, and the corals have been a little annoyed with the water change and the overall change from the lfs to my tank, but the mushroom isn't spitting its guts out and the gsp is still opening up some. I added some more bacteria just in case.

Edit: Thanks sm for all the information! I definitely feel better and I upped my surface flow and that seems to be making a difference with the film now!

 

[Spare time]

Keep in mind that the kit tests total ammonia, not necessarily how much of the "highly toxic" form of ammonia is present. It sounds like something was wrong with the test or how it was performed (did you test twice?). They are not typically inaccurate. Most issues people have are inexperience with determining 0 from 0-0.25ppm. If you had nitrite spike up too, then I would be a little more concerned since nitrite spikes can be an indicator of an ammonia spike.

 

[Timfish]

I like and use API's alkalinity, pH and calcium but thier ammonia test kit isn't the best. I'd try another one. As far as the surface film your filter should have some kind of surface pull to keep it from building up. I'd take a closer look at how water is flowing though it.

 

[brandon429]

agreed

not an ammonia issue, all picos face this issue

a no skimmer issue is the filmy layer. dont focus on ammonia any more after a cycle/saves headaches. those two kits read two different forms of ammonia above/ignore both of them and cease ammonia testing after a cycle when nano reefing, it only causes you doubt and hesitation.

ammonia cannot rise before a kill event; a kill even within the tank risers ammonia

ergo
just make sure all your stuff is alive and if something dies, pull it out before it rots. cease ammonia testing it causes reef tanking hypochondriasis.

 

[brandon429]

Tim is officially in the group of six folks online who give updated cycling science advice. I like your posts Tim all these years.

that sounds preachy but to differentiate new cycling from old cycling I look for this clue:

is reassuring in cycle question posts vs causes fear/doubt/purchase/test reaction.
(as compared to the nature of all seneye nh3 owners, are they a fearful or a resolved group about ammonia in their tanks?)

read the bulk of Tim's posts on cycling and compare to anyone else's=rare trend spotted= 6 folks in reefing don't fear ammonia noncontrol.

If you were a moderator at RC Tim they could retain many many many many many members.

 

[Timfish]

Tim . . .

That's a very nice way of calling me pedantic! Thank you!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi all, I have a 2.5 gallon nano tank. It's currently stocked with the help of my LFS. There are two trochus snails, one peppermint shrimp, one gsp, and one mushroom. It cycled for two months. However, I woke up to my tank being extra foamy on the top, no actual foam, but a lot of the bubbles were not popping and collecting on the sides. I did an ammonia test from API and it came out to be 2.0 pp which I was shocked. At that pp wouldn't everything be dead? I did a water change two days ago so I'm a bit confused. My seachem alert that I have on in my tank says there 0 ammonia. Everything is acting fine in the tank, and the corals have been a little annoyed with the water change and the overall change from the lfs to my tank, but the mushroom isn't spitting its guts out and the gsp is still opening up some. I added some more bacteria just in case.

Api and alert is less than accurate. Badge at first when new may have more accuracy that API but a few weeks in the water , is less than reliable. I on a personal level will NEVER depend on a $7 badge or $25 master kit to sustain hundreds in live stock.
Is your test accurate, Take a good size water sample to a trusted LFS that does not use Api kits and see what readings they come up with and to compare with yours. You will then know.
Ammonia will kill fish in freshwater but in your instance can lower oxygen but not be a silent killer unless its reached sky high level

 

[brandon429]

googling that bc I forgot what it means lol

 

[brandon429]

OH HA

that's how they view me lol. I view you opposite of pedantic/you write with care.

 

[GARRIGA]

Prepared a reference solution using ammonium chloride and it was spot on accurate. Easy enough to create your own reference solution and test it. Internet often recites that heard and never having actually used it. Been using API since the early 80s. Might of been 70s. So long ago I can't recall but my main concern with ammonia and nitrites being the presence of it and not an exact measurements anything over what should cause concern more import than an exact reading or measurement. This isn't like maintaining a narrow phosphate range because one keeps sticks. For that I'd choose Hanna otherwise everything else close enough.