Api Master Test Kit Info

[KISSfn]

Since March 25th I have never seen an Ammonia test result of 0 from my tank. As I have fish in it this concerned me greatly as many of you know.
So tonight I did a different test. I put 5ml of Ace Janitorial Strength Ammonia in a tube and tested it........Result.........0!!!
The lot numbers on my bottles are from 2010 & 11 so they are within the alleged 3 year shelf life. Sometimes you really can't believe your eyes!

 

[Lufbramatt]

The high concentration of the bottled ammonia may have given an off the scale result though due to its high strength- ie there isn't a colour to measure that high ppm so it defaults to yellow.

 

[Jackiee]

If you're having problems with Ammonia in your tank while you have fish living in it, might I suggest getting some Prime tap water conditioner and dosing your tank to detoxify the ammonia to keep it from harming your fish until the ammonia problem works itself out.

 

[KISSfn]

Thanks to forum admin Tolak my ammonia problem is solved. He donated a very generous amount of mature filter media to me and my tank is cycled. Prior to his help I always used Prime and Ammo Lock. I also have a SeaChem Ammonia Alert monitor. Anytime it started to move from a safe level I did a water change and added Prime and Ammo Lock. I tested the API ammonia test with 4 drops of Ace Ammonia first and saw only a very light green result. Then I tried 8 drops, same result. That's when I tested with all Ammonia and it read 0. I would think since the ammonia scale goes from light yellow to dark green it should have been at least a very dark color, not light yellow. I have read that in fishless cycles when Nitrites are off scale the test color is dark purple so it doesn't make sense to me that the ammonia test would default to 0 if it is off scale. Thanks for your advice.

 

[StandbySetting]

The reagents in the ammonia test kit will not remain yellow if ammonia is present, it will always form a green precipitate, are you adding both reagents? If so your test kit is probably dud.

 

[KISSfn]

Yes I did add both reagents. Thanks.

 

[BigbruiserAl]

have the same problem with my Api kit so i got another newer one from a dff source still the same reads 0.25ppm ammonia in all tanks, one of the tanks has been going since Dec10 with 400-500 apples snails now that a mature a filter by now and seeding all my other tanks but still 0.25. I even didt do a water change in my cycled shrimp tank for 2 weeks tested still 0.25. Defo going another brand when these run out

 

[waterdrop]

You might try a Salifert's ammonia kit. Salifert's are generally considered to be more accurate and reliable than the API ones and it would be interesting to here more experiences. Many of the experienced fishkeepers on TFF tend to mention Salifert's as probably the very best, then API and Nutrafin kits as the second tier, then a number of kits below that that have varying results.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[KISSfn]

Thank you!

 

[Tizer]

Have you tried testing your tap water with the api test kit? See if it turns yellow or green?

 

[BigbruiserAl]

mine has 0.25ppm ammonia in after is been left to stand for 24hrs which is normal but even when tested in a mature tank where it could process 0.25 in maybe a couple of hours it will still show the next day as a green hint

 

[KISSfn]

Have you tried testing your tap water with the api test kit? See if it turns yellow or green?

According to API my tap water reads 1mg/l Ammonia.

 

[algir]

My Ammonia results always read 0.25 with my API test kit. I've been wondering if I was some sort of color blind for months now! I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one!

 

[waterdrop]

My Ammonia results always read 0.25 with my API test kit. I've been wondering if I was some sort of color blind for months now! I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one!

Have you tried testing tap water, distilled water or bottled water? Also, are you making sure to use incandescent light and not compact fluorescent? Often the fluorescent can give a slight greenish cast. If your tank is less than 3 months old the low ammonia readings are often correct!

~~waterdrop~~

 

[algir]

My Ammonia results always read 0.25 with my API test kit. I've been wondering if I was some sort of color blind for months now! I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one!

Have you tried testing tap water, distilled water or bottled water? Also, are you making sure to use incandescent light and not compact fluorescent? Often the fluorescent can give a slight greenish cast. If your tank is less than 3 months old the low ammonia readings are often correct!

~~waterdrop~~

I just changed my lighting from incadescent to flourescent today, so it is funny you said that. I upgraded my tank a few months ago, but the filter is and was well established (far older than 3 months). I tested my tank water against bottled water and both came out the exact same color. Still, which to me, looks like a 0.25. I'm just going to chalk it up to API test kits not lasting as long as claimed, and will consider a 0.25 reading as 0. I should mention that I also took my water to the LFS to get tested, and made them test the bottled water as well. Results were 0. However, the store was using a different brand test kit. Case solved?