Amo lock...bad?

Importskyline22

Importskyline22

www.fraganoob.com
Oct 2, 2006
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Cary, NC
Alright, after doing several several water changes and testing and testing and waht not. My ammonia reading still looks like this....

DSCF2249.jpg


Well. I have heard from another member on this forum that amo lock as been known to give false readings. And even the peeps at the LFS said they have never seen the tests get that dark.

But yet my fish seem happy and healthy and there is brown algae everywhere in my tank (which i heard means its healty)

So is it possible through the many times i have put ammo lock in...it has caused me to have false readings?

-sky
 
I too have heard the use of Ammo Lock can give false readings,by how much ???

When you did water changes,how much did you change?
 
1boatnut said:
I too have heard the use of Ammo Lock can give false readings,by how much ???

When you did water changes,how much did you change?
Click to expand...

The LFS peeps told me to do 50% every other day until the ammonia levels dropped.....they have never droped. It stays that shade.....

-sky
 
At 50 % every other day you would think there has to be some change.

How long has this tank been running?

I would look online or on the bottle of Ammo Lock and see if there is information to contact the company direct if possible. Many times they have websites with FAQ's or a # you can call

What kind of ammonia readings did you have prior to the use of Ammo Lock ?
 
Ammo lock converts toxic ammonia to harmless ammonium, which will register a false positive on some tests. Does the tetra test use one dropper bottle, or two for the ammonia test? If it's only a one part test, it probably does not differentiate. Have you tested your tap water for ammonia? What is that reading?

You still must have had a ton of ammonia when you put in the Ammo lock...are you dealing with the cause of that? Are you testing your nitrite? That will more than likely spike and it's probably more toxic than ammonia to fish. I'd definitely do 50% water changes daily. How long has the tank been running (i.e. are you cycled)?
 
On the SeaChem website, where they talk about the effects of Prime dechlor, (which happens to neutralize Ammonia somewhat), they mention that the "Bessler" test we go completely nuts in the presence of Prime and I would assume that this would apply to AmmoLock also. I believe that Bessler tests use one reagent bottle. Salicilate-based tests use I think use two bottles and are inaccurate in that they cannont differentiated between neutralized and non-neutralized Ammonia, but they will give you a reading on the total Ammonia in the tank.

Only tests that specifically say they differentiate free from total Ammonia will likely be able to work with locked up Ammonia. (The SeaChem website does helpfully mention that their tests will work.)

SirWired
 
webcricket said:
Does the tetra test use one dropper bottle, or two for the ammonia test? If it's only a one part test, it probably does not differentiate.
Click to expand...

It comes with 3 differnt bottles to do the test.

Have you tested your tap water for ammonia? What is that reading?
Click to expand...

DSCF2278.jpg


You still must have had a ton of ammonia when you put in the Ammo lock...are you dealing with the cause of that?
Click to expand...

Im not really sure... lol. I bought some of those "live ammonia" detecters and it turns out it was wrong...so maybe that ammo lock messed with those too.

Are you testing your nitrite?
Click to expand...

DSCF2275.jpg


How long has the tank been running (i.e. are you cycled)?
Click to expand...

Its been up since about august 28th. Then i had it way over stocked and have since moved some fish into my dads 55g so mine can cycle. But i assume...since i have nitrItes that it should be cycled...and i also have plenty of brown algae...which should grow unless its cycled and healthy, right?

Sirwired: THanks for that info, i will deffly check into that.
 
That's the ammonia test on your tap water? To quote Frank on "Everybody Loves Raymond"....Holy crap!

Same response to the Nitrite test....

Do you have access to another test kit? Something has to be wrong there. If not, take a sample to the LFS and have them test it for you.
 
SirWired, I have had trouble finding salicylate tests. The only one I know of is Seachem's ammonia test. Also, I have several ammonia tests that are Nessler-type (not "Bessler" :D ) that say in the instructions they only read total ammonia (i.e. toxic ammonia NH3 and less toxic ammonium ion NH4+). They have two, or even three, reagants, so number of reagant bottles is not the way to tell Nessler from Salicylate ammonia tests.

I think you need to read the instructions, and if it tells you it only reads toxic ammonia, then you know it is a salicylate test.

I'm still confused about this though :huh: I've even asked on other forums and have not been able to get a straight answer.
 
Ammo lock and Prime detofixy ammonia (NH4) into ammonium (NH3), which is less hamrfull to fish. But unfortunately, ammonia test on the market doesn't differentiate between NH4 and NH3, and thus the false reading ... reading of high ammonia.

Rohn
 
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