Question to those that use "Prime"

[Freshwater Tim]

Does Prime make the ammonia test read positive??

Reason I ask is I did an ammonia test today and it was at 0. Noticed there was some bits of stuff on the bottom of my tank that I wanted to suck out (little stones and bits of wood from the driftwood), so I took the end off my Python and used the hose to grab this little bit of debris. Didnt vaccum the sand...just picked up some bits off the top of the sand. By the time I was done my water level was down about an inch so I dosed the tank with prime and topped up the tank. Did another ammonia test and it showed a trace. I have two API test kits. One is the "Master Test Kit" which the ammonia test consists of two bottles of solution...the other test kit is an API single bottle that you just add 8 drops. The single bottle test is the one I am getting a reading from and it starts reading at .05-1.0ppm where as the Master kit (which I am not getting a reading from)starts showing at 0.25.

Is it the prime that is showing this false reading???

I tested right before dosing with Prime and topping up the tank so it is the only thing I can think that would cause this.

Anyone else experience this?

 

[Toby_H]

Prime converts Ammonia to Ammonium... this lasts approx 24 hours... Ammonium, just like Ammonia, is 'consumed' by bacteria in the system...

Most aquarium grade ammonia tests do not differentiate between ammonia and ammonium...

Most tap water contains chloramine, which is chlorine bound with ammonia. So when Prime is added to tap water with chloramine... the chlorine/ammonia bond is broken, the chlorine is converted into a gaseous form and dissapates while the ammonia is turned into ammonium and is dealt with by the bacteria.

Thus it is perfectly normal and perfectly safe to have trace ammounts of "ammonia" detected after adding tap water and Prime....

 

[Freshwater Tim]

Thanks Toby

 

[nfored]

After your tank has been going for a while you might not even see that any more. I used to see it after adding water, however now after doing 50% wc I see no Ammonia with in a hour or so after changing.

 

[J.Lake]

Prime converts Ammonia to Ammonium... this lasts approx 24 hours... Ammonium, just like Ammonia, is 'consumed' by bacteria in the system...

Most aquarium grade ammonia tests do not differentiate between ammonia and ammonium...

Most tap water contains chloramine, which is chlorine bound with ammonia. So when Prime is added to tap water with chloramine... the chlorine/ammonia bond is broken, the chlorine is converted into a gaseous form and dissapates while the ammonia is turned into ammonium and is dealt with by the bacteria.

Thus it is perfectly normal and perfectly safe to have trace ammounts of "ammonia" detected after adding tap water and Prime....

Great answer! I too wondered this years ago when i first started using prime. I get traces for a hour or so sometimes. Depending on percent wc and what time of year. My water is being treatled with a lil extra chloramine this time of year. So more chloramine to break apart.

 

[Spiritofthesoul]

that reading is from the ammonia (pure or broken from chloroamine) in your tap water.