False Ammonia Readinngs

I sent an email to Seachem about this; Their MultiTest ammonia test kit will show down to .05 ammonia and won't show "false positives".

After adding Prime(and some hours), my tap water tests near 2.0 for ammonia(API salicylate based kit). How am I supposed to monitor ammonia levels and cycle my tank? I'll probably try and pick up one of Seachem's test kits.
 
MG - I've had the opposite w/ Prime and API test kit, but for NO3. I gtt low readings w/ freshly spiked (w/ NO3) aquarium water samples (Prime treated, days earlier).
 
I'm very confused now. Can a spoiled(expired) test kit cause a way-too-high reading in the presence of any ammonia at all? My tap water tests zero, but after adding prime it tests about 2.0ppm. As a test, I filled my tank and let it sit for a couple of days. Water circulating, prime added, but *nothing* in the tank, completely bare otherwise. API kit now reads just about as dark as it looks like it will go. Easily more than 4.0ppm. I think I'll take some water to a LFS tomorrow, see what they test it at...

(Disclaimer; When I say empty, I mean no fish either. Don't worry, nothing is being harmed except my brain!)
 
Spewn said:
I sent an email to Seachem about this; Their MultiTest ammonia test kit will show down to .05 ammonia and won't show "false positives".

After adding Prime(and some hours), my tap water tests near 2.0 for ammonia(API salicylate based kit). How am I supposed to monitor ammonia levels and cycle my tank? I'll probably try and pick up one of Seachem's test kits.
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As long as the ammonia is in a non-toxic form, it shouldn't be an issue. Even with those conditions, in a properly established tank, the readings should be at zero with in 24 hrs.
 
rbishop; I understand that, but how will I know if the ammonia is in a toxic or non-toxic form? That's my concern with the API test kit thus far. I'm starting to suspect my individual kit, though, and I'm going to have someone else test my water today. 8.0 TA in an empty tank makes no sense :/ This tank is not established, but it hasn't had anything added to it which would add ammonia...

To clarify, what happens when you use Prime is that if you've got chloramine in the water, the prime(or any other dechlorinator) binds with the chlorine and leaves you with ammonia. Now, Prime also detoxifies ammonia so that's fine, but it will cause your TA level to be above 0 even if your tapwater tests 0.

Perhaps an "Ammonia alert" in the tank? They read only free ammonia. I'm just at a loss as to how I determine if my tank is safe if I can't read only free ammonia.
 
Prime doesn't cause the ammonia level to be high....it binds the toxic form to a non-toxic form. Fish are safe and the ammonia is still available for the bacteria.

So if you are using Prime and you are cycling, with or without fish what is the problem?
 
I understand the chemistry behind prime, and why my water shows positive for ammonia after adding it to my tapwater. That's *not* the issue, I understand that the ammonia will no longer be toxic.

The issue is that I can't know what my free ammonia levels are, and thus, I can't know if the tank is safe for fish. Does that make sense? If I'm testing to ensure the safety of my tank, I need to know the free ammonia level.
 
No, you don't, if using Prime. You will know you have an active fully established colony if all ammonia disappears in 24 hrs.
 
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