i just bought an ammonia testing kit by Aquarium pharmaceuticals, inc it's a yellow box with two bottles and one testing tube the instructions are simple rinse the tube with the water being tested then fill the tube with 5 ml of the water then just put 8 drops of bottle #1 and then 8 drops of bottle #2 shake for 5 seconds and then wait for 5 min. this test says that all of my tanks are high (.5-2) it even says my treated tap water from a clean container is high in ammonia does any one have any idea what i'm doing wrong
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Re: ammonia testing?
Micheal, since our part of town went on surface water, the city switched from chlorine to chlorimines. In the summer, especially during very hot spells, like the one we are having, they up the dosage of chlorimine to a higher level than in the winter. If you are using a dechor product, when you remove the chlorine, you leave ammonia behind in the water. It is possible that with the increased dose the city is using at the moment, that your test kit is showing high ammonia and is correct. If you are using a dechor product that says it removes ammonia, it does not, it binds it, but does not remove it, and some test kits will give a false reading if you are using an additive to take care of the ammonia.
There is really only two ways to remove the ammonia, using polly disks or using zeolite, if you do not use one of these products, the next best thing to do would be to store your city water in a container under aeration for 3 to 4 hours and then, contrary to all of our training, do small water changes, 10 to 25% so that your filter does not become overloaded and can handle the ammonia.
As the city water supply's around the country do more to "PROTECT" the water supplys, they make it much harder on the aquarium hobbiest to keep good water for his fish, and I am not convinced the water is any safer for us to drink.GIVE NONE, TAKE NONE - BE FREE, HAVE FUN
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