What To Look For In An Ammonia Test Kit?

[kelly528]

Hey there,

Just trying to wrap my head around the ammonia/ammonium concept... I have made do with the same API Ammonia test kit for ages now and am trying to hone in on a water-change schedule for my planted tanks.

The kit I currently have is a Nessler, with only one bottle of test solution and readings based on the shade of yellow the sample turns. Should I be looking for a kit that tests NH3 and NH4 separately? Is that even possible? I am just so confused... I am seeing these test kits that come with 2 bottles, but they both only test the overall ammonia.

Help?

 

[fatheadminnow]

I am pretty sure there are no test kits available to use(public) that will test ammonia and ammonium separately. As far as I know, our ammonia test kits will read both ammonia and ammonium as ammonia, as you know.

Sorry not to be more helpful.

-FHM

 

[OldMan47]

Some kits include a graph you can use to estimate how much of the ammonia is in each form, ammonia or ammonium, based on the water's pH. I am not sure what good it would do. If I find any form of ammonia in my tanks, it has to go, period. I do understand that a total ammonia reading, the kind we get from our kits, does not tell much about toxicity by itself, but I do not want to trust the idea that ammonia is basically harmless at less than about a 5.0 pH. I do not want the stuff in my tanks.

 

[kelly528]

Hmmmm. Just concerned about accuracy, say, if the ammonia and ammonium results will skew one another, giving you a false sense of security. Not sure if that even makes sense. No wait, I suppose the total ammonia would be the sum, not the average of the two. Hmph. Maybe three_fingers will step in with something brainiac. Barring that, I guess I'll settle with the nessler as long as it doesn't compromise the accuracy.

 

[ellena]

Yes, total ammonia is the sum, not the average, so as oldman47 says, you want a 0 reading whichever kit you're using.
It's the NH3 which is toxic in low concentrations, interferes with the gills in some way. The NH4 is only toxic in very high concentrations when it causes burns.
I was reading all about this on seachem's site yesterday. I added some fish last week and am getting some trace ammonia readings. Using seachem as the water conditioner, I'm hoping most of what I'm reading is harmless NH4. Obviously, this should just be temporary