Seachem ammonia test

[Reefing_addiction]

Has anyone used this?

I just did and want to understand my readings

tank has been running since November (upgrade from a 16 to a 75)

I am testing ammonia because my wrasse went MIA figured good way to know if he is dead is if there is a spike in ammonia
Test said no free ammonia
But registered between .02 - .1 of total ammonia.
Picture for reference (I only ran the test for 15 minutes so I read the bottom of the color chart to get my numbers)

 

[vetteguy53081]

Has anyone used this?

I just did and want to understand my readings

tank has been running since November (upgrade from a 16 to a 75)

I am testing ammonia because my wrasse went MIA figured good way to know if he is dead is if there is a spike in ammonia
Test said no free ammonia
But registered between .02 - .1 of total ammonia.
Picture for reference (I only ran the test for 15 minutes so I read the bottom of the color chart to get my numbers)

up to .04 is my high range. A reading of.05 mg/L of toxic ammonia (NH3) is at the very edge of safety for any aquarium. But that level can be reached when the total ammonia compounds are only 1.2 (NH3+NH4) mg/L if the pH is 8.0.

 

[Reefing_addiction]

up to .04 is my high range. A reading of.05 mg/L of toxic ammonia (NH3) is at the very edge of safety for any aquarium. But that level can be reached when the total ammonia compounds are only 1.2 (NH3+NH4) mg/L if the pH is 8.0.

It was definitely closer to the .02 reading from what I could tell.

 

[vetteguy53081]

It was definitely closer to the .02 reading from what I could tell.

water change, wait at least 12 hours and test again

 

[Reefing_addiction]

water change, wait at least 12 hours and test again

Gonna do a water change today anyway.

 

[brandon429]

total ammonia above reduces down to nh3 at safe levels. reasonable to infer he's wrassing in the sand

the chemists have said we only care about the nh3 portion. not the nh4, due to our pH apparently.

 

[Dan_P]

Has anyone used this?

I just did and want to understand my readings

tank has been running since November (upgrade from a 16 to a 75)

I am testing ammonia because my wrasse went MIA figured good way to know if he is dead is if there is a spike in ammonia
Test said no free ammonia
But registered between .02 - .1 of total ammonia.
Picture for reference (I only ran the test for 15 minutes so I read the bottom of the color chart to get my numbers)

One thing to keep in mind, as the pH increases, so does the fraction of free ammonia. If you do anything, like do a water change, avoid raising the pH. Lowering the pH a little reduces the risk further.

Just to get your bearings with this test, test newly prepared saltwater and see what color shows up. You might not have measurable ammonia to worry about.

 

[Reefing_addiction]

total ammonia above reduces down to nh3 at safe levels. reasonable to infer he's wrassing in the sand

the chemists have said we only care about the nh3 portion. not the nh4, due to our pH apparently.

Explain he wrassing in the sand

 

[brandon429]

Meaning not dead but hiding / was a dead wrasse the suspected reason for the spike

 

[Reefing_addiction]

Meaning not dead but hiding / was a dead wrasse the suspected reason for the spike

That wrasse makes me nervous. But I guess that’s what he wants to do. Did my water change will test again tomorrow evening. I figured it’s the best way to keep an eye on him with out tearing up my tank

 

[Reefing_addiction]

water change, wait at least 12 hours and test again

First two pictures total ammonia
Last picture free ammonia

 

[brandon429]

And the updated fts of the reef

Ammonia always needs to be balanced by a reef pic, they show clear water, even fish distribution vs fish huddled and harmed, and all corals closed. If there was free ammonia, it would be apparent in pics



The test alone without the pic context is this thread:

Sustained Ammonia spikes are misreads

The reason you think your reef tank can’t control its ammonia is due to false training from old cycling science. That and you don’t own a seneye on the tank in question: if you did, you wouldn’t ever think your ammonia was out of control...

www.reef2reef.com

A tank picture is more likely to be accurate for ammonia verification vs a common reef test kit for it. I know the claim seems crazy in a chem forum but I feel it will pan out this way as digital testing evolves. We will see all common tank sources for nh3 handled, even fish deaths after a cycle completes once digital measures have replaced color comparison tests.

Seneye owners already track how rapidly ammonia is uptaken in dosed reefs, it's fast. I believe in ammonia spikes, just not sustains

 

[Reefing_addiction]

And the updated fts of the reef

Ammonia always needs to be balanced by a reef pic, they show clear water, even fish distribution vs huddled and harmed, and all corals open. If there was free ammonia, it would all be reversed. But if the tank is cloudy water, clammed up fish closed corals - and- that reading, it means something.


The test alone without the pic context is this thread:

Sustained Ammonia spikes are misreads

The reason you think your reef tank can’t control its ammonia is due to false training from old cycling science. That and you don’t own a seneye on the tank in question: if you did, you wouldn’t ever think your ammonia was out of control...

www.reef2reef.com

A tank picture is more likely to be accurate for ammonia verification vs a common reef test kit for it.

My wrasse is MIA.
my tomini tank is a chicken and really was only comfy coming out when the wrasse was MIA
Toby blue spot is fine
water is clear
Corals are fine
Just trying to keep an eye on ammonia incase the fish is dead

 

[Reefing_addiction]

And the updated fts of the reef

Ammonia always needs to be balanced by a reef pic, they show clear water, even fish distribution vs huddled and harmed, and all corals open. If there was free ammonia, it would all be reversed. But if the tank is cloudy water, clammed up fish closed corals - and- that reading, it means something.


The test alone without the pic context is this thread:

Sustained Ammonia spikes are misreads

The reason you think your reef tank can’t control its ammonia is due to false training from old cycling science. That and you don’t own a seneye on the tank in question: if you did, you wouldn’t ever think your ammonia was out of control...

www.reef2reef.com

A tank picture is more likely to be accurate for ammonia verification vs a common reef test kit for it.

honestly I just don’t understand how to read this eaither

 

[brandon429]

OK. Forget the mention of it.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

IMO, there's little reason to do a free ammonia test when levels are low. One just looses sensitivity compared to running a total ammonia test.

 

[Reefing_addiction]

IMO, there's little reason to do a free ammonia test when levels are low. One just looses sensitivity compared to running a total ammonia test.

Neither side of that disk ever completely changes even when I leave it in for 30 minutes. How would you interpret the results?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I haven't used a Seachem ammonia kit in 20 years, so I don't think I can give much advice on it, except to not overly worry about levels of total ammonia below 0.1 ppm.