A while back after some discussion as to whether ammonia locked by Ammo-Lock was actually available to the biological filter to process or not, I sent API an email. it took a while but I id get a response today. It is below:
"The process to lock ammonia up is a trade secret but I can tell you that it will not affect the development of your biological filter. The addition of the product simple prevents the ammonia from interacting in a toxic manner towards your fish. You can still test it with test kits and it is available and readily processed into nitrite by your establishing bacteria."
I then asked them a couple more questions concerning how long the ammonia stayed locked, thus non toxic and whether it worked after it was added on subsequent ammonia produced by the fish. The reply to that is below:
"Ammonia will stay locked until the ammonia is processed to nitrite or if it is removed via zeolite or a water change. As far as the Ammo-lock is concerned you have to dose every 48 hours this will lock any of the newly produced ammonia. When Ammo-lock is initially dosed it will continue to lock up the ammonia until it locks a total of 3.0 ppm. You will have to double dose if you have 6.0ppm, triple dose if 9.0 ppm. Dosing every 48 hours will lock any newly produced ammonia not locked after the initial dose."
So basically, they say it will not hinder the cycling process, that once locked, it stays locked and that it does not work on subsequent ammonia. I assume they are saying 48 hours thinking that it would take that long for enough ammonia to develop but in a heavily stocked, cycling tank, I would think that it might need to be added more often. I thought it was also interesting that it only locks up to 3ppm so extra dosage is required if the level is higher than that.
I have asked one more question of them and that is whether it is possible to overdose(dose every day instead of every other day). I doubt it's an issue since it is ok to triple dose to begin with if the ammonia level is high enough to warrant it.
"The process to lock ammonia up is a trade secret but I can tell you that it will not affect the development of your biological filter. The addition of the product simple prevents the ammonia from interacting in a toxic manner towards your fish. You can still test it with test kits and it is available and readily processed into nitrite by your establishing bacteria."
I then asked them a couple more questions concerning how long the ammonia stayed locked, thus non toxic and whether it worked after it was added on subsequent ammonia produced by the fish. The reply to that is below:
"Ammonia will stay locked until the ammonia is processed to nitrite or if it is removed via zeolite or a water change. As far as the Ammo-lock is concerned you have to dose every 48 hours this will lock any of the newly produced ammonia. When Ammo-lock is initially dosed it will continue to lock up the ammonia until it locks a total of 3.0 ppm. You will have to double dose if you have 6.0ppm, triple dose if 9.0 ppm. Dosing every 48 hours will lock any newly produced ammonia not locked after the initial dose."
So basically, they say it will not hinder the cycling process, that once locked, it stays locked and that it does not work on subsequent ammonia. I assume they are saying 48 hours thinking that it would take that long for enough ammonia to develop but in a heavily stocked, cycling tank, I would think that it might need to be added more often. I thought it was also interesting that it only locks up to 3ppm so extra dosage is required if the level is higher than that.
I have asked one more question of them and that is whether it is possible to overdose(dose every day instead of every other day). I doubt it's an issue since it is ok to triple dose to begin with if the ammonia level is high enough to warrant it.
