Ammonia Differences Between Test Kits

[FatPoseidon]

Hi y'all,

I'm in the middle of rebooting one of my larger tanks and it's in the middle of cycling. I use a combination a methods to monitor ammonia during the cycle (fishless) and am encountering an issue I have not seen before.

I'm using a new Red Sea Marine Care kit as well as a SeaChem Ammonia Alert Badge. My Red Sea test is returning a value of about .9 NH3/NH4; but the Seachem badge is staying solidly in the yellow area.

I've tested the Red Sea kit on another tank and the results are like you would expect for something established - 0 ppm. The badge has been in the water for about 48 hours now. The only thing I've done differently this time as opposed to others is use a standard dose of Prime (about 72 hours ago) just in case there were any chloramines from power washing the live rock (air dried for a few weeks before I added water), and over dosed bacteria since I'm using the live rock die-off for an ammonia source. Last time I used a badge during a non-QT cycle it was reporting values in line with the test kit as soon as 12hrs after installing.

In terms of bacteria I've dosed 14oz of Dr. Tim's One and Only and 128oz of Fritz 9 (super overkill I know but again expecting a lot of die-off/decomp from the rock). Total system volume is about 225 gallons.

Any thoughts on the reason between the delta on the badge value and the Red Sea kit?

 

[Garf]

The relationship between total ammonia and free ammonia is pH dependant. Lower the pH the less free ammonia compared to total ammonia.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

"Any thoughts on the reason between the delta on the badge value and the Red Sea kit?"


The Seachem badge only (purportedly) measures free (toxic) ammonia while most test kits measure total ammonia (ammonia plus ammonium).

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Oh wait -- you added Prime? Then your test kits are useless.

 

[FatPoseidon]

The relationship between total ammonia and free ammonia is pH dependant. Lower the pH the less free ammonia compared to total ammonia.

I thought the badge tested only for total ammonia, same as the Red Sea kit.
ph is currently at 8.0 @ 77 degrees

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I thought the badge tested only for total ammonia, same as the Red Sea kit.
ph is currently at 8.0 @ 77 degrees

Nope

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

 

[Garf]

I thought the badge tested only for total ammonia, same as the Red Sea kit.
ph is currently at 8.0 @ 77 degrees

Definitely nope.

 

[FatPoseidon]

Oh wait -- you added Prime? Then your test kits are useless.

Yeah.... not a fan of the snake oil, but it does handle chloramines like a beast. It has been cycling through in excess of 72 hours - thought that was enough for the alleged ammonia binding.

 

[Garf]

ph is currently at 8.0 @ 77 degrees

Free Ammonia Calculator

Aquarium calculator; Estimate the free (un-ionized) ammonia (NH3) concentration, given the total ammonia concentration.

www.hamzasreef.com

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Yeah.... not a fan of the snake oil, but it does handle chloramines like a beast. It has been cycling through in excess of 72 hours - thought that was enough for the alleged ammonia binding.

There. Is. No. Ammonia. Binding.

Period.

End of story.

Despite the claims, Prime's sole useful function is to dechlorinate tap water.

Incidentally, chloramines are chlorine plus ammonia, so when Prime dechlorinates, the ammonia remains in the water.

 

[Garf]

Oh wait -- you added Prime? Then your test kits are useless.

It's supposed to reduce the total ammonia readings (falsely) a little, that's all, as far as I'm aware.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

It's supposed to reduce the total ammonia readings (falsely) a little, that's all, as far as I'm aware.

Again, nope.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

It's supposed to reduce the total ammonia readings (falsely) a little, that's all, as far as I'm aware.

If Prime did what it claims to, it would convert ammonia to ammonium. Total ammonia would not change.

 

[Garf]

If Prime did what it claims to, it would convert ammonia to ammonium. Total ammonia would not change.

I think we are agreeing, lol

 

[FatPoseidon]

If Prime did what it claims to, it would convert ammonia to ammonium. Total ammonia would not change.

Yeah I remember all the testing Taricha and folks did on Prime (long time listener first time caller). Sadly Prime was the only thing the LFS had on hand for dechlorination.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I think we are agreeing, lol

Except that Prime does not do what it claims...

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Yeah I remember all the testing Taricha and folks did on Prime (long time listener first time caller). Sadly Prime was the only thing the LFS had on hand for dechlorination.

No worries. Just trust the badge over the kits. Is there anything alive in the tank? If not, just let the bacteria do its job and be patient

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

No worries. Just trust the badge over the kits. Is there anything alive in the tank? If not, just let the bacteria do its job and be patient

(Also, if you ever kept freshwater tanks, you probably remember that you can leave a bucket of tap water out overnight and the next day, the chlorine is gone... In a tank without livestock, you can essentially just let the chlorine dissipate on its own -- if there's just a little)

 

[Garf]

Except that Prime does not do what it claims...

I know it doesn't do what it claims, except dechlorinate. I didn't say that, lol. I said it falsely reduced test kit readings for total ammonia a little. We are in agreement.