Dodgy test kit?

[spamvicious]

Good sign. Ammonia is being processed.

We are still left with conflicting ammonia results. Have you tested new saltwater with the Red Sea test? New saltwater can have a couple tenths ppm ammonia but never the 1-2 ppm you get from testing aquarium water. If you have the energy, validate that the Red Sea kit is working by testing new saltwater. It should give a yellow to pale green color.

Salt water I just mixed.

 

[Dan_P]

Salt water I just mixed.

OK, this looks like the correct color. This tells me the Red Sea is probably working correctly.

Since an increase in pH raises the proportion of free ammonia, the toxic species, don’t do anything that will raise the pH. In fact, lowering the pH by a few tenths of a pH unit is a good emergency response to ammonia poisoning. If you can, measure the pH and temperature, and get a fresh reading of ammonia with the Red Sea kit, it is easy to estimate the amount of free ammonia from the chart that comes with the Red Sea kit.

 

[spamvicious]

OK, this looks like the correct color. This tells me the Red Sea is probably working correctly.

Since an increase in pH raises the proportion of free ammonia, the toxic species, don’t do anything that will raise the pH. In fact, lowering the pH by a few tenths of a pH unit is a good emergency response to ammonia poisoning. If you can, measure the pH and temperature, and get a fresh reading of ammonia with the Red Sea kit, it is easy to estimate the amount of free ammonia from the chart that comes with the Red Sea kit.

Hmm I don’t have a liquid ph test to hand. I had some strips that said the ph was between 7.0 and 7.5. The temp is 26.5c or 79f. I did a Red Sea ammonia test this morning and it was saying around 1ppm. I haven’t done one since as I’ve fed the fish.

 

[Dan_P]

Hmm I don’t have a liquid ph test to hand. I had some strips that said the ph was between 7.0 and 7.5. The temp is 26.5c or 79f. I did a Red Sea ammonia test this morning and it was saying around 1ppm. I haven’t done one since as I’ve fed the fish.

OK, those values will do for now. Plug your numbers in here

Free Ammonia Calculator

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

www.hamzasreef.com

 

[spamvicious]

OK, those values will do for now. Plug your numbers in here

Free Ammonia Calculator

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

www.hamzasreef.com

So it’s 0.0054 ppm according to that chart.

Thank you for all your help by the way. It’s very much appreciated.

 

[Dan_P]

So it’s 0.0054 ppm according to that chart.

Thank you for all your help by the way. It’s very much appreciated.

This explains how there can be a high total ammonia with little or no effect on fish. Keep an eye on the total ammonia though.

Those dang nitrifying bacteria should be working by now. Makes one wonder about the health of the bottled bacteria that were added.

Good luck!