Ammonia test strips

MaiaDee

MaiaDee

AC Members
Jun 14, 2012
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Payson, AZ
Real Name
Maia
I've been using Jungle Quick Dip Ammonia Test Strips. Regardless of water changes and adding anti-ammonia tabs, ect, the strips always read the same ("harmful"). :wall:

For fun, I decided to test other water: water I have standing in plastic jugs to top off tank, water out of the faucet with conditioner added, and water that had been treated by reverse osmosis. I still got the same "harmful" rating.

Am I not testing correctly, is ALL the water around me full of ammonia (:22_yikes:), or could this be a poor quality product?

Any suggestions as to a better testing regent would be most appreciated. Thanks so much!
 
It is because they are strips. Everyone here will tell you to never ever use strips. The best testing equipment is a liquid test kit and the best one to get is the one made by API. It's just called "API freshwater master test kit"
 
Good to know. Thanks so much. I will pick up the API kit.
 
I believe the API test kits still have a manufacture date on the bottom. Check this as they do expire after a few yrs.
 
I'm honestly starting to believe that many test strips are manufactured specifically to give false harmful ratings, to encourage sales of their companies chemical water treatment solutions.

The same way that retail salespeople at big chain pet stores are trained to recommend chemical solutions for removing algae as opposed to offering advice on prevention, ammonia/nitrite/nitrate neutralizing chemicals instead of advice about water changes, etc.

It's all about making money. There's a lot of money in specialty fishkeeping products, and a majority of those products are completely unnecessary, and often even harmful to tank inhabitants. That's why I like to get my info from reputable fishkeeping hobby websites/clubs, as opposed to retail stores or their websites. The info is given in the best interest of the fish & hobbyist, as opposed to the best interest of a pocketbook.

Oddly enough, dose for dose, the API liquid test kit, while a more expensive unit than a pack of test strips, actually works out to be far cheaper and conduct far more tests in the long run.
 
Wow. You guys rock. Thanks so much for all the replies.

I can't get the test kit until Saturday (going to a "big" city then!). I was planning to also get ATM Colony Nitrifying Bacteria, but based on what you all have told me, it looks like I should pick up some Prime also. Being as the nearest decent store to buy aquarium supplies is 2 hours away, I'd like to be able to get what I need all at once.

Any opinions on the ATM bacteria?
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Don't get it. If you want some sort of bacteria in a bottle the ONLY on you will find in a store that is worth is called safe start made by tetra. Stuff cycled my tank like a charm
 
I did want to buy the tetra safe start, but couldn't find it locally and ended up with the jungle start right. I was thinking it was crappy cuz of the ammonia readings, but now I know that I have no clue what my ammonia is. So no ATM? I thought it might be good due to who it's made by.
 
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