Strange Ammonia Readings

[amcalab]

I tested my tap water for ammonia with the Red Sea test kit and got a reading somewhere between .25 and .5. I added some Seachem Neutral Regulator (which removes ammonia) and got about the same reading. Is my test kit bad.

 

[xoedusk]

It may just turn the ammonia in to a less-toxic form, which will still show up on tests and still be available for your biological filter. See if you can find more info on the product.

 

[amcalab]

It may just turn the ammonia in to a less-toxic form, which will still show up on tests and still be available for your biological filter. See if you can find more info on the product.

So I used another test and yes, I have about .5 ppm ammonia in my tap water. As you mentioned, there are some products which eliminate ammonia (as well as nitrite and nitrate) such as AmQuel. But that stuff seems to powerful for regular water changes. I don't want something that destroys the food for my biological filtration.

So I'm looking for a basic water conditioner that dechlorinates, binds heavy metals and DETOXIFIES (turns ammonia into less toxic form but is still be available for biological filter). API AmmoLock seems to do eveything but the heavy metals. I can't tell how AquaSafe works. But it mentions reducing chlorine and ammonia components with the caveat that it does not remove ammonia from an uncycled or under-filtered aquarium. Is that code for DETOXIFIES but doesn't remove.

 

[zoekin8yg]

I would use dechlor and ammolock personally.

 

[amcalab]

I would use dechlor and ammolock personally.

Two different products? Isn't there one that does everything I need it to do?

 

[zoekin8yg]

Not that I have seen, but I could be wrong.

 

[PaPeRo]

Stresscoat and Novaqua both remove chlorine and breaks down chloramines without removiing ammonia.

Anyway if you're fishless cycling why do you care to detoxify ammonia? That's what Ammo Lock does but you don't need it.

 

[zoekin8yg]

Stresscoat and Novaqua both remove chlorine and breaks down chloramines without removiing ammonia.

Anyway if you're fishless cycling why do you care to detoxify ammonia? That's what Ammo Lock does but you don't need it.

I think they are worried about adding ammonia to the tank from the tap water

 

[PaPeRo]

Stresscoat and Novaqua both remove chlorine and breaks down chloramines without removiing ammonia.

Anyway if you're fishless cycling why do you care to detoxify ammonia? That's what Ammo Lock does but you don't need it.

I think they are worried about adding ammonia to the tank from the tap water

Then use Stresscoat + Ammo Lock, that's what they are designed for. They're made by the same company.