Ammonia Test Kits

[morph]

Hi,

I am new to this excellent and very informative forum and looking for a bit of help or advice please.

I have just started a fishless cycle on a juwel 260 vision, i am using Jeyes Kleen Off ammonia. I started adding a few drops at a time but my NTL liquid test kit was showing no ammonia, so I started adding more and more until, quite frankly there is a lot in there. The NTL kit is showing an ammonia content of just under 5ppm of ammonia. Today I went and bought a tetra test liquid ammonia test kit for a comparison. Run the test and it is way of the scale for ammonia but my NTL kit still shows just under 5ppm.

So, the question is which one do i trust, if i trust the NTL and the tetra test is right then I have way too much ammonia. If I trust the tetra test and do a water change until it comes down to 5ppm and the NTL test kit is correct then I will not have anywhere near enough ammonia in the tank.

Any advice or help greatly appreciated.

 

[rdd1952]

How much ammonia did you add? It generally takes about 1ml to raise 5 gallon to about 5ppm. I would guess that the original kit was faulty. You might want to take a sample of the water to the LFS and have them test it also just to get a 3rd reading.

 

[pauly]

I had this problem when trying to calculate how much I'd need. Fortuantely I used a bucket to work it out so didn't overdose my tank. My test kit only showed 1ppm of ammonia despite pouring in nearly half a bottle into 5l.


I think the general consensus is 1 teaspoon (about 5ml) of 9.5% ammonia/water solution to 5 gallon will raise the ammonia to 5 ppm.

I haven't tried this yet, so don't take my word for it.

Paul.

 

[morph]

How much ammonia did you add? It generally takes about 1ml to raise 5 gallon to about 5ppm. I would guess that the original kit was faulty. You might want to take a sample of the water to the LFS and have them test it also just to get a 3rd reading.

Thanks for the response,

added approx 60ml jeyes Kleen off, not sure of its concentration cant find it anywhere on net, but i believe its around 10% have used both kits on my community tank both reading zero. I don't trust the LFS near me the man who runs it knows nothing, always pushing his own products, as soon as you say something different he loses interest and walks away.

Maybe I should buy a third kit from different supplier and take an average of all three?

 

[rdd1952]

I had this problem when trying to calculate how much I'd need. Fortuantely I used a bucket to work it out so didn't overdose my tank. My test kit only showed 1ppm of ammonia despite pouring in nearly half a bottle into 5l.


I think the general consensus is 1 teaspoon (about 5ml) of 9.5% ammonia/water solution to 5 gallon will raise the ammonia to 5 ppm.

I haven't tried this yet, so don't take my word for it.

Paul.

Actually, 1 teaspoon is way too much unless the concentration is low. Here is a thread where someone has worked out the amount mathmatically (3rd post). It comes out to about 1 ml per 4 gallon. Not certain of the concentation of the ammonia I have but 1ml to 5 gallon always works for me.

60ml would be enough for a 300 gallon tank. Don't try averaging them. I feel certain that your first kit is faulty. If you buy anoter kit, get an API, that seems to be the most popular kit on the forum.

 

[morph]

Thanks for the advice guys,

Just checked the nitrite level, has jumped to 1ppm, I think I will leave it for 24 - 48 hrs and see what happens.

Thanks again for all the advice.