How long for AmQuel?

[jkun17]

Just out of curiosity, how long does it take for AmQuel to work? I've been using it to condition water I'm keeping in 2.5 gallon buckets. I conditioned it about 26 hours ago but the ppm has only dropped very little.

 

[wuvmybetta]

It should work instantly. It will alter your test readings so the results you are getting are false.

 

[Gunnie]

If you have the ammonia test with the card that goes from yellow to orange, you will get a false positive when you use amquel or ammo lock. Either get a master test kit by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals which contains the nitrate test kit, or just get an ammonia test with a color card that goes from yellow to green. This test will tell you your true ammonia level when using amquel. I think this type of ammonia test is also a 2 part test if you can't see the color card.

 

[blue_ram]

Just out of curiosity, how long does it take for AmQuel to work? I've been using it to condition water I'm keeping in 2.5 gallon buckets. I conditioned it about 26 hours ago but the ppm has only dropped very little.

If you're thinking of skipping cycling by using Amquel, it won't work. Amquel and other water conditioners only converts extremely toxic ammonia into less toxic ammonium. Only the nitrifying bacteria (or plants) can "remove" ammonia. nitrifying bacteria converts ammonia/ammonium into nitrite and nitrate. The plants uses ammonia/ammonium, nitrite, and nitrate as food. But in the end, the nitrogen remains in the water. The nitrogen can only be truely removed through partial water changes or denitrification.