Zuri_08 Posted April 10, 2013 Report Share Posted April 10, 2013 Hello I have a tropical fish tank and two tests for measuring ammonia levels. I have been using the API ammonia test kit (that has two bottles of solution) and the result is always yellow, even when i suspect ammonia level is high (there are too many fish in my tank). However today I also used the API "5 in 1 Aquarium test strips" and got a high ammonia reading (I tested ammonia using both methods at the same time today). Anyone know why the test strips seem to give a much higher reading for ammonia than the test using test bottles? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godly3vil Posted April 10, 2013 Report Share Posted April 10, 2013 I am not sure why but I have heard that those strips can give dodgy readings and they're not very accurate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reptilez Posted April 10, 2013 Report Share Posted April 10, 2013 I have also heard that the strips are inaccurate, the test kits with the bottles are the best method to test for ammonia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoFishing Posted April 10, 2013 Report Share Posted April 10, 2013 Could you test your API kit out by making up an ammonia solution with a known qty of ammonia? Only two issues with doing that of course is where to get the ammonia from and how much would you add to your water sample. I'm sure there's plenty of cleaver enough people here though that have done this before. :dno: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calculator Posted April 10, 2013 Report Share Posted April 10, 2013 My solution to wanting to know if a test kit is faulty is to bring the water into a fish shop and get them to test it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stillnzcookie Posted April 10, 2013 Report Share Posted April 10, 2013 What makes you think you have high ammonia levels? Are your fish sick or dying? How long has your tank been running? I agree that the strips are less likely to give an accurate reading - I'd trust the API test, unless you have a reason (eg sick/dead fish) for thinking your ammonia levels are up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zuri_08 Posted April 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2013 Thanks for the comments everyone. I was thinking the ammonia would be high because there are too many fish in my tank (two platties had lots of babies and now there are too many - how big do they need to be before I can start giving them away?). The gills of the fish are a little red - I had read that was a sign of high ammonia. Also, i've used the test strips many times before with the ammonia part staying almost white - and now I've tested with the strips a few times and it goes pink (and I've changed about 1/3 of the water now). I did find shaking the second bottle of solution in the other test made a more green result too; someone on another forum had suggested the chemical settles, or something, in the second bottle. My tank has been running for about 7 months. I really need a second tank! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
critter_crazy Posted April 11, 2013 Report Share Posted April 11, 2013 All the bottles in the API test kit need a really GOOD shake first Often wont work otherwise. Try and shake each for a good 30 seconds and you should get a much more acurate reading :thup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reptilez Posted April 11, 2013 Report Share Posted April 11, 2013 What is the last four digits of the lot number on your ammonia test kit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zuri_08 Posted April 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2013 Thanks critter_crazy. reptilez: The bar code has numbers to either side of it, so I'm not sure if those are part of the bar code or not... but the whole code is: 3 17163 00086 1. The product number: LR8600. Was there a bad batch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reptilez Posted April 11, 2013 Report Share Posted April 11, 2013 Thanks critter_crazy. reptilez: The bar code has numbers to either side of it, so I'm not sure if those are part of the bar code or not... but the whole code is: 3 17163 00086 1. The product number: LR8600. Was there a bad batch? is yours API? It should say the Lot Number on the actual bottle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamstar99 Posted April 11, 2013 Report Share Posted April 11, 2013 Im not sure you would have hi ammonia readings. Your bacteria will keep increasing with your fish size and the extra waste output. You would get higher nitrate readings though. Could you test something really obvious like putting a cleaner containing ammonia in some water and testing that if you want to confirm your test is good? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zuri_08 Posted April 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2013 Im not sure you would have hi ammonia readings. Your bacteria will keep increasing with your fish size and the extra waste output. You would get higher nitrate readings though. Could you test something really obvious like putting a cleaner containing ammonia in some water and testing that if you want to confirm your test is good? Oh, so is it only Nitrate I should worry about? Are there different tests for that one? That is a good idea about testing it - though I wouldn't be sure of mixing chemicals in case of some chemical reacation... I don't know much about this stuff. reptilez: Yep, API, numbers on the actual bottle: bottle1: 0711, bottle2: 0811. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reptilez Posted April 11, 2013 Report Share Posted April 11, 2013 That is the date they were manufactured, they last around three years after that. Written in month/year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted April 13, 2013 Report Share Posted April 13, 2013 That's what I was wondering, if the test kit was outdated? Caper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamstar99 Posted April 13, 2013 Report Share Posted April 13, 2013 Oh, so is it only Nitrate I should worry about? Are there different tests for that one? That is a good idea about testing it - though I wouldn't be sure of mixing chemicals in case of some chemical reacation... I don't know much about this stuff. reptilez: Yep, API, numbers on the actual bottle: bottle1: 0711, bottle2: 0811. Re. the cleaner. You would hardly be mixing chemicals. Just have a look in your house hold cleaners and see if you have anything containing ammonium- glass cleaners usually and put sum in some water and then test it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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