Still reading NH3

[DraggingTail]

My tanks is 6 weeks old and I have only snails and crab and they are feeding off a brown algae bloom.

I test once a week after a 5% water change. I keep expecting to see 0 NH3 but I have gotten .25 for the past 3 weeks.

I started with 2 shrimp which I could not remove because they are down in the rocks. I no longer see them and assume they broke down by now.

My nitrites are 0. Nitrates have dropped from 80 to 40 to 20 just now. I assume the algae is knocking that number down.

What could my problem be?

 

[PDR]

What ammonia test are you using?

 

[DraggingTail]

What ammonia test are you using?

ATI Saltwater Master Test kit

 

[PDR]

ATI Saltwater Master Test kit

I assume you mean API. If that's the case, the API ammonia test is notorious for never reading 0. I have trouble reading most ammonia tests, so if I have any doubt I run 2 tests side by side, one with tank water and one with freshly mixed sw. I then compare them to each other to see if there really is any ammonia reading.

 

[DraggingTail]

I assume you mean API. If that's the case, the API ammonia test is notorious for never reading 0. I have trouble reading most ammonia tests, so if I have any doubt I run 2 tests side by side, one with tank water and one with freshly mixed sw. I then compare them to each other to see if there really is any ammonia reading.

Yes API.

That's an awesome idea. I assume ammonia would kill my inverts.

Is that correct?

 

[PDR]

Yes API.

That's an awesome idea. I assume ammonia would kill my inverts.

Is that correct?

They may be able to survive a low amount, but if it’s been weeks of a real ammonia reading I would assume it would have killed them by now.