Ammonia Test Problems

[Torrean]

I'm attempting to do a fishless cycle in order to test a filter design I came up with...I have been adding ammonia throughout the day today trying to get my ppm up to 5...I started with 20 drops and then started adding by the strawfull...well I got up to 60 drops and then 24 straw fulls (approx. 30 drops per straw)...and my ammo read 2ppm...This really started to bug me so I decided to test my ammo kit by testing a 50/50 mix of ammo and tank water...I GOT A READING OF 0 PPM... I'm thouroughly confused at this point. I mean maybe my kit is dead. It is pretty old but if that's the case why did it read anything at all in the tank?

 

[moeldner]

Sorry if I'm asking the obvious, but have you checked that it is not a heavily diluted bottle of ammonia you are using?

 

[Torrean]

No need to apologize...it's usually the obvious that gets us. There is no concentration information on the packaging. I thought of that. and if that's the case that's fine I don't mind putting in a cup of ammonia. But that wouldn't explain why a 50/50 blend of water and ammo would read 0ppm...

 

[vic]

Are you using a test kit or the test strips? The teat strips are notoriously inaccurate. Take a water sample to you LFS and get them to test for you.
Cheers;

 

[Torrean]

kit

There really is no longer a question in my mind on whether my kit is shot or not.

I CAN SMELL THE AMMO coming from the tank lol and my test is readin aroun 1 ppm lol.

My sis has a spare ammo test she's gonna give me tonight so it'll be allright

I'm gonna have to do a massive water change to bring my ammo back down

 

[TammyLiz]

That is really funny. I had heard they could go bad but never "met" anyone who actually had it happen. Just out of curiosity--what brand is it and how long have you had it?