Seachem badge vs ammonia test

[jasonrusso]

I recently had a fish in QT. He had ick so I was treating him with Chloroquine Phosphate.

The ammonia badge was reading ammonia, so I put in some prime. It was a 20G long with 15 gallons of water. I did a 5G water change, no change on the badge. I tested the water with the seachem ammonia test (which I think is just smaller versions of the badge). The test showed zero free ammonia after 30 minutes.

The next day, the badge was still reading ammonia. I did a 10g water change (66%), no change on the badge!! The ammonia test again showed no ammonia! I used 2 discs in each cup from a brand new kit.

The fish was showing symptoms of ammonia, again I added prime and changed another 10G. Again, no change on the badge, test shows zero.

The fish ended up passing away . I'm not sure if it was ammonia or a bacterial infection (I'm leaning towards bacterial because he had stuff on his skin)


My question is, how can the badge and the ammonia test be so different??

 

[Propane]

Sorry about your loss. The badge will take several hours to show no ammonia. The fish also kept producing ammonia. Prime usually only binds ammonia and I think it becomes active again after a time

 

[n00bReefer]

I've had two of those badges and they never were right! Had one that didn't even change colors at all. I've given up on them and rely on the chem tests. Also, the badge doesn't change right away it can take up to four hours to do so.

 

[Propane]

I wouldn’t rely on the badge for ammonia levels only for the presence of it. But some users have found them unreliable as n00breefer stated

 

[jasonrusso]

Sorry about your loss. The badge will take several hours to show no ammonia. The fish also kept producing ammonia. Prime usually only binds ammonia and I think it becomes active again after a time

48 hours is what I go by. If the fish keeps producing ammonia (which I agree with) then the prime would bind that as well.

I would think that a 66% water change would change the badge after 4 hours. It wouldn't build up that fast.

 

[Propane]

what sort of filtration were you using. I might be wrong but it was always my understanding that ammonia can build up pretty fast depending on the size of the fish and the volume of the water column.

 

[jasonrusso]

what sort of filtration were you using. I might be wrong but it was always my understanding that ammonia can build up pretty fast depending on the size of the fish and the volume of the water column.

I had a sponge filter and I added dr Tim's. I also had a HOB filter. It was a small puffer who I know is dirty, but I was vacuuming out all the uneaten food and waste I could see daily.

 

[Dan_P]

I recently had a fish in QT. He had ick so I was treating him with Chloroquine Phosphate.

The ammonia badge was reading ammonia, so I put in some prime. It was a 20G long with 15 gallons of water. I did a 5G water change, no change on the badge. I tested the water with the seachem ammonia test (which I think is just smaller versions of the badge). The test showed zero free ammonia after 30 minutes.

The next day, the badge was still reading ammonia. I did a 10g water change (66%), no change on the badge!! The ammonia test again showed no ammonia! I used 2 discs in each cup from a brand new kit.

The fish was showing symptoms of ammonia, again I added prime and changed another 10G. Again, no change on the badge, test shows zero.

The fish ended up passing away . I'm not sure if it was ammonia or a bacterial infection (I'm leaning towards bacterial because he had stuff on his skin)


My question is, how can the badge and the ammonia test be so different??

Prime does not remove ammonia. The label claim is incorrect.

Ammonia tests have a difficult time detecting low total ammonia. Also, the color at near zero is confusing. What test did you use?

The ammonia badge measures free ammonia and is slow to change color once the ammonia is gone. What was the reading on the badge?

 

[jasonrusso]

Prime does not remove ammonia. The label claim is incorrect.

Ammonia tests have a difficult time detecting low total ammonia. Also, the color at near zero is confusing. What test did you use?

The ammonia badge measures free ammonia and is slow to change color once the ammonia is gone. What was the reading on the badge?

I don't think Prime claims to remove ammonia, only chlorine. It binds free ammonia for 48 hours.

I used this test below. It has always worked in the past.

The badge looked like it was in the alarm range, but like I said even after a 66% change, it didn't register. The free ammonia test showed nothing, but total ammonia showed something. The same as my display.

 

[Dan_P]

I don't think Prime claims to remove ammonia, only chlorine. It binds free ammonia for 48 hours.

I used this test below. It has always worked in the past.

The badge looked like it was in the alarm range, but like I said even after a 66% change, it didn't register. The free ammonia test showed nothing, but total ammonia showed something. The same as my display.

It does not bind ammonia either.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I recently had a fish in QT. He had ick so I was treating him with Chloroquine Phosphate.

The ammonia badge was reading ammonia, so I put in some prime. It was a 20G long with 15 gallons of water. I did a 5G water change, no change on the badge. I tested the water with the seachem ammonia test (which I think is just smaller versions of the badge). The test showed zero free ammonia after 30 minutes.

The next day, the badge was still reading ammonia. I did a 10g water change (66%), no change on the badge!! The ammonia test again showed no ammonia! I used 2 discs in each cup from a brand new kit.

The fish was showing symptoms of ammonia, again I added prime and changed another 10G. Again, no change on the badge, test shows zero.

The fish ended up passing away . I'm not sure if it was ammonia or a bacterial infection (I'm leaning towards bacterial because he had stuff on his skin)


My question is, how can the badge and the ammonia test be so different??

I have no faith in badges after a week or two and much prefer test kits other than Api

 

[jasonrusso]

It does not bind ammonia either.

Isn't that it's sole purpose?

 

[Dan_P]

Isn't that it's sole purpose?

It can neutralize chlorine and chloramine.

 

[MnFish1]

I recently had a fish in QT. He had ick so I was treating him with Chloroquine Phosphate.

The ammonia badge was reading ammonia, so I put in some prime. It was a 20G long with 15 gallons of water. I did a 5G water change, no change on the badge. I tested the water with the seachem ammonia test (which I think is just smaller versions of the badge). The test showed zero free ammonia after 30 minutes.

The next day, the badge was still reading ammonia. I did a 10g water change (66%), no change on the badge!! The ammonia test again showed no ammonia! I used 2 discs in each cup from a brand new kit.

The fish was showing symptoms of ammonia, again I added prime and changed another 10G. Again, no change on the badge, test shows zero.

The fish ended up passing away . I'm not sure if it was ammonia or a bacterial infection (I'm leaning towards bacterial because he had stuff on his skin)


My question is, how can the badge and the ammonia test be so different??

OK - so there are multiple threads about whether prime reduces - or does anything to ammonia - and I'm not going to get into that debate. Second - the badge can take an hour or so to re-adjust(in my experience). So - If the ammonia the badge was reading 4, a 5 gallon change would reduce it to 3. I do not like the disk kit - that said - were I you, I would have bought a new disk. Given the fact that it was still reading 'ammonia' (the amount is important).


I do not want to get into the argument regards to prime - however - multiple ammonia tests read incorrectly with prime (i.e. - even though - according to the company) The sachem alert badge should be correct. IMHO - the key is 'the amount' of ammonia

 

[jasonrusso]

So I broke down the tank and set up another one. They are 20G long tanks with Aqueon HOBs and air sponge filters. Nothing is new, I have complete setups in my attic that I take out when needed.

After a couple of days, no fish or any lifeforms, the badges (I put in 2 for testing purposes) were reading green!!! 0.05ppm. I put one in my feeder tank (freshwater) and the next morning it was yellow. Put it back in and it was green.

I have a seneye reef I bought years ago that I use to check par on my reef tank. I never used it for monitoring, but it has a low level ammonia gauge. I ordered some slides and soaked one overnight.

I put it in the seneye and it immediately read 0.055ppm, exactly what the badge read. I drained all the water and refilled it with fresh water. Within an hour it was reading 0.01ppm and the badges turned yellow.

So basically, the badges are correct and the ammonia test is junk. I feel awful that this is likely why my fish died.

Because I reuse everything, I believe that there was organics left over in the sponge filter, HOB, tank, etc that broke down when it hit the water again.