Is My Api Test Busted Or What Is Going On With My Water?

[Crito]

Hello everybody. I have been having problems with my ammonia readings which would constantly be at 0,5ppm. Because of that I have been postponing buying fish thinking the tank is not ready. However, when we went to our LFS to test the water, the test returned 'all clear'. I asked several times whether they were sure but the assistant shook his shoulders and said it was fine. So we actually got sold some fish! (OMG) Since then I have repeatedly tested for ammonia and got the same results. Then I wondered what if I test my tap water, I did and it scored between 0,25 and 0,5! Hard to tell which but one thing is for sure - it's not yellow which is supposed to be 0. It starts off yellow and after 5 mins is light green. I am very confused. Is there ammonia in my tap water, is my test inaccurate, do I leave it for too long? We've got 6 guppies, all seem happy so far :s

 

[fluttermoth]

It's very common to get a slight false positive with the API test. As long as it's only a tinge of green, then I wouldn't worry about it.

What dechlorinator are you using? Some of them will (Seachem Prime, for example) give a false positive if you don't read the test immediately.

 

[FishMonkey]

Hi Crito, i have had a similar issue recently and have had my issues sorted with the help from others on here, i'd take a read through my post as it helped me out massively!
 
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/432159-ammonia-issues-in-cycled-community-tank/

 

[Crito]

Fluttermoth, I am using Api stress coat. The tap water I tested had been left to stand for 24 hrs and had no dechlorinator added to it. I am not sure I can call it tinge of green, I've attached a pic. Thank you.

Hi Crito, i have had a similar issue recently and have had my issues sorted with the help from others on here, i'd take a read through my post as it helped me out massively!
 
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/432159-ammonia-issues-in-cycled-community-tank/

Thank you for this FishMonkey. I shall read it carefully, seems to be very informative indeed!

 

[daizeUK]

Crito have you got any deionised water, the kind you put in kettles etc?
Test that, if it comes out green, your kit is faulty!

 

[KirkyArcher]

The act of using any Sodium Thiosulphate based dechlorinator will cause Ammonia readings, using too much dechlorinator can cause even higher Ammonia readings as it will go on to break down some of the organic matter within the water column.

 

[FishMonkey]

Fluttermoth, I am using Api stress coat. The tap water I tested had been left to stand for 24 hrs and had no dechlorinator added to it. I am not sure I can call it tinge of green, I've attached a pic. Thank you.

Hi Crito, i have had a similar issue recently and have had my issues sorted with the help from others on here, i'd take a read through my post as it helped me out massively!
 
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/432159-ammonia-issues-in-cycled-community-tank/

Thank you for this FishMonkey. I shall read it carefully, seems to be very informative indeed!
 

 
I too was using API Stress Coat, i think that was what was causing my issues, i am now using SeaChem Prime as suggested by others on here, you save money as you only use a tiny bit, and it seems to do the trick nicely.

 

[Crito]

Crito have you got any deionised water, the kind you put in kettles etc?
Test that, if it comes out green, your kit is faulty!

Thank you guys! Filtered water scored zero, halleluijah!
However, although I always use a syringe to be more accurate, I have noticed that in the end the level of liquid can vary a fair bit. Makes me wonder about the uniformity of those drops!
I will invest into seachem prime if you think it's likely to make a difference, but isn't there any way to dechlorinate water without having to use chemicals?
Thank you all once again!

 

[fluttermoth]

I will invest into seachem prime if you think it's likely to make a difference, but isn't there any way to dechlorinate water without having to use chemicals?
Thank you all once again!

Prime is just very concentrated, so you use a lot less (0.25ml per 10l!).

If you just had chlorine in your water supply, you could aerate it for 24 hours and the chlorine would gas off (it's what we used to do in the 'old days'). However, many companies now use chloramine, which does not gas off so readily (it would take at least four or five days, AFAIK) and they can also switch from chlorine to chloramine without having to inform you.

In addition, a good quality dechlorinator will neutralise heavy metals, like copper, which is very useful, especially if you have inverts; freshwater shrimps, for example.

For the few pence it costs each water change, it's not worth skimping on, IMO.

 

[Crito]

For the few pence it costs each water change, it's not worth skimping on, IMO.

Absolutely. All I am asking is whether there's a way to avoid adding chemicals and yet achieving the same results because earlier you said that prime can sometimes give a false positive :s
I also want to advise all newbies (like muself) to inspect your test kit properly! I have discovered today that the nozzle of my ammonia test soluttion bottlle has a crack in it which makes the drops considerably bigger. I wondered about it the first time I tried it - it seemed to pour so freely - wheres with the other bottles I always had to squeeeze a little. I am not saying that is what caused my readings but am definitely not happy with what I've found and will be asking for a replacement.

 

[fluttermoth]

All I am asking is whether there's a way to avoid adding chemicals and yet achieving the same results because earlier you said that prime can sometimes give a false positive

No, there really isn't. Everything is chemicals anyway

All you need to do, if you're using Prime or a similar dechlorinator is to read the ammonia test immediately, rather than wait for the usual five minutes

 

[daizeUK]

 
I also want to advise all newbies (like muself) to inspect your test kit properly! I have discovered today that the nozzle of my ammonia test soluttion bottlle has a crack in it which makes the drops considerably bigger. I wondered about it the first time I tried it - it seemed to pour so freely - wheres with the other bottles I always had to squeeeze a little. I am not saying that is what caused my readings but am definitely not happy with what I've found and will be asking for a replacement.
 

 
That may well be the source of your problem.  It may be amplifying a small amount of trace ammonia into a larger apparent value.
I don't trust API kits.  Mine has the opposite problem, it only reads about half the ammonia that is actually present.  This caused me HUGE problems when I was trying to cycle my first tank.  I ended up buying three different brands of ammonia test kit and tested them on a known concentration of ammonia to figure out which one was telling me porkies!

 

[Crito]

Everything is chemicals anyway

I know, even plain water is H2O!

 
That may well be the source of your problem.  It may be amplifying a small amount of trace ammonia into a larger apparent value.
I don't trust API kits.  Mine has the opposite problem, it only reads about half the ammonia that is actually present.  This caused me HUGE problems when I was trying to cycle my first tank.  I ended up buying three different brands of ammonia test kit and tested them on a known concentration of ammonia to figure out which one was telling me porkies!

What brand(s) are you using if you don't mind my asking?
This uncertainty is driving me mental. I count the fish ten times a day, every time one is missing my heart sinks "Where's the last one?!! Ah.. There he is.. False alarm"

 

[daizeUK]

The brand I use now is Seachem Ammonia MultiTest.  It actually comes with a reference solution of 1ppm ammonia so I can tell that it is accurate.
It's a bit more expensive than other test kits - I think it cost me about £16 - but like you, the uncertainty was driving me mad!
It works slightly differently than API, you have little yellow discs that change colour and need to be kept in a special container.  The test also takes longer to perform - 15 minutes, or up to 30 minutes for greater accuracy.  Like all tests, it helps to have good colour vision to read the card!
I'll dig out an old thread with pics of the tests I did, if you're interested.

Edit:  here's the thread http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/415015-ammonia-testing-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/page-2

 

[Crito]

Woah Daize, I am impressed! You guys obviously know this subject quite well, I find it fascinating but it also feels like it may be a bit too much science for me at the moment. I want to think I am learning it bit by bit but I guess it'll take some time before I feel capable of doing what you guys do.
In the mean time I can say it saddens me that these kits are not very reliable. Because I'd done a bit of research online and seen so many people recommend it. Most of the time it would say something like "Don't bother with the test strips but you might want to invest into a PROPER thing" Me thinks - Oh yeah, I'll do that then, shall I. Only to find out that my proper thing is not actually that proper. Oh bother.
P.S. I am waiting for my replacement bottle, see if it has any effect on my readings.
Thank you all very much!