Effects of CP on ammonia tests

[Claus84]

Hi all,

Hoping someone can advise as i'm slightly stumped

I have a fully cycled QT which I ran for 4 weeks before adding fish, I did a full fishless cycle using seeded media, dosed 2ppm ammonia etc and waited until it dropped to 0ppm within 24hours before adding fish. I added fish and ran them through a 30 day course of chloroquine phosphate alongside 10 days of kanaplex. After dosing the meds I was getting consistent ammonia readings of around 0.25 on my API test kit which I presumed was a false positive caused by the CP as my seachem ammonia alert badge was reading 0. Regardless I added prime each day as a precautionary measure.

I finished the CP 6 days ag0, did a 50% water change and added polyfilter and carbon to remove. Tested the water again today and am still getting an ammonia reading on the API and a new Tetra test kit. I figured this may be residual CP in the water but decided to do a little experiment to check.

I took some 0ppm ammonia water from my display tank and ran several API tests side by side:

1. Tank water only
2. Tank water + CP
3. Tank water + CP + Kanaplex
4. Tank water + CP + kanaplex + prime

Lo and behold all tests were coming out at 0ppm! Not a false positive in sight

Question is am I missing some other variable that could be at play or does this mean I have actually been keeping fish in a QT of around 0.25ppm ammonia (albiet detoxified) this whole time??

I guess the CP and kana could have knocked out my biofilter and its also possible I have a defective ammonia alert badge.

Thanks

Nick

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I'm not sure if the amines in chloroquine mess with the two types of ammonia test kits. I've seen comments and experiences either way, but no data either way.

I also think a lot of folks have issues with the API ammonia kit on the low end, and 0.25 ppm is often considered not reliably different from 0 ppm.

 

[Claus84]

I'm not sure if the amines in chloroquine mess with the two types of ammonia test kits. I've seen comments and experiences either way, but no data either way.

I also think a lot of folks have issues with the API ammonia kit on the low end, and 0.25 ppm is often considered not reliably different from 0 ppm.

Thanks I did a large water change which seems to have brought it down somewhat so I'm thinking i may be dealing with an actual spike. I guess the antibiotics and chloroquine did a number on my filter bacteria and its taking a while to biuld back. I'm keeping it dosed with prime and the fish are active and eating so hopefully there has been no harm done!