Ammonia Monitor

[sic0198]

I have a FW tank with Convicts in it. The other day I was doing some maintence, testing the water ]for ammonia, nitrates, nitrites etc] I was looking at my test strips and thought there has to be a mor accurate, easier way to do this. Maybe somethind that shows you in real time different stats.

Something like this. Conductivity Monitor


But I'm looking for something to measure ammonia, nitrites, nitrated, hardness etc.

Anyone know of anything like this?

 

[Axleuk]

I have a FW tank with Convicts in it. The other day I was doing some maintence, testing the water ]for ammonia, nitrates, nitrites etc] I was looking at my test strips and thought there has to be a mor accurate, easier way to do this. Maybe somethind that shows you in real time different stats.

Something like this. Conductivity Monitor


But I'm looking for something to measure ammonia, nitrites, nitrated, hardness etc.

Anyone know of anything like this?

I have not used this myself and would be interested to hear from anyone who has tried it. I beleive it only monitors ammonia though.

You can find the product here Ammonia Monitor

 

[tangokitty]

Does your tank have an ammonia problem? I have used a card like the one Axleuk posted, and it never showed any ammonia. I stopped using it.

 

[sic0198]

I just thought that it'd be neat if there was a moniter that could give me readings in real time. Give me readings kinda like that monitor. I have use something by mardel it sucks.

 

[Dave Spencer]

A conductivity meter will just measure the impurities in your water in microSiemens/cm. It doesn`t measure ammonia specifically, unless ammonia was the only impurity in the water.

Dave.

 

[sic0198]

A conductivity meter will just measure the impurities in your water in microSiemens/cm. It doesn`t measure ammonia specifically, unless ammonia was the only impurity in the water.

Dave.

I know that. I was using that as an example. It would be cool if they had a monitor like that but instead of wter conductivity it'd show ammonia, nitrite and nitrites. I want something that can display those figures in much the same way as the water cond. monitor shows it to you. I think it'd be more accurate and easier to read.

 

[jglover]

I have a FW tank with Convicts in it. The other day I was doing some maintence, testing the water ]for ammonia, nitrates, nitrites etc] I was looking at my test strips and thought there has to be a mor accurate, easier way to do this. Maybe somethind that shows you in real time different stats.

Something like this. Conductivity Monitor


But I'm looking for something to measure ammonia, nitrites, nitrated, hardness etc.

You're looking for something like an ion selective electrode. They make them for a wide variety of parameters such as ammonia/ammonium, nitrate, nitrite, chloride, sulfate, pH, sodium, calcium, etc. You can get them in real time sensor packages as well, but you will need a separate electrode for each parameter. They also are not cheap, typically about $500 for the initial set up (probe plus meter). Each additional ISE probe is about $300. They also require calibration and separate calibration solutions for each parameter is typical. Laboratories use them regularly. To set up to do ammonia (as ammonium), nitrite and nitrate would probably be an investment of about $1000....one can buy lots of API test kits for that kind of money!

Still, you can look at companies like Hach, Fisher Scientific, Orion, etc.....as an example, here is a link for the Orion kits and probes.....


http/www.pollardwater.com/pages_product/...moniaISEKit.asp

Pricewise....OUCH!

I think getting rid of the test strips and going with a good liquid colorimetric kit, such as the API kits, is as much accuracy as you will need. As a chemist, I'd love to have a set of ISE's to do my water testing with but I do not have my Agency's budget for the test equipment.

John

 

[Dave Spencer]

We have a lot of online monitoring at work for boiler water analysis, plus lab testing is carried out daily. The relevant tests we carry out are for ammonia, hardness and phophates.

For any kind of reliable results you are talking serious money, and the kit is way beyond the requirements of our hobby. Personally, I see the kits we use in the hobby as kids toys, so I just observe my fish and plants for any signs.

Dave.