What could cause a false reading on ammonia tests?

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jag14

jag14

Candiru
MFK Member
May 27, 2012
498
47
46
knoxville tn
I've been attempting to get my 75 cycled for about 2 months now. The last test showed good on nitrates and nitrites. What I can't figure out is why the ammonia test comes up positively toxic. It turns so dark it's off the chart. This has happened repeatedly on different tests done at different fish stores.

Weird thing is, I have 6 tinfoils living in the 75 for over a week now. I have my eye on a carpintes at LFS, but they don't want to sell it to me, because of the water test results. Only thing I can figure is something is causing a false positive reading, but I don't know what it could be? Anybody else out there ever had a similar problem? Don't know if it makes a difference, but this tank was home to a turtle for 15 years.

I do want the carpintes and will probably get him this weekend, based on how the tinfoils are doing. Probably not a smart thing, but if the 6 are doing fine, why wouldn't the cichlid?
 
It could be ammonium, which is created by some ammonia "removers" such as Safe, if I'm not mistaken.
 
The only chemicals I'm using are a bacteria additive-Activate and a water conditioner. I was for a while using a API Ammonia remover, but that was at least a month ago.
 
Could ammonium cause a persistent high reading? And if it is, how do I get rid of it and get a normal reading again. I'm even filtering with zeolite in the Emporer 400.
 
Sounds strange indeed. It'd be a very good idea and good practice to own your own test kit, e.g., liquid Master Kit from API is was I always use - only $23 from say Petsolutions.com and ~150-500 tests per each kind.

Then one could start with a simple experiment: check your tap water, check tank water before and right after say a 90% water change and then monitoring it.

API NH3 remover does not remove NH3 but converts into a far less toxic NH4+ = Ammonium. Both Ammonia and Ammonium read the same on the tests. Also, most nitrogen-contaning dyes can generate false positive, e.g., Acriflavine - a common anticeptic. But for it to be so dark is quite weird and for your fish to be ok is even stranger.

WC's take out Ammonium.

Also, zeolites, under certain conditions can release what they adsorb, especially if not replaced as recommended. It may be your old zeolites too.

IMO, you have to play and experiment (and learn doing so) to figure this one out.

Good luck!
 
Thanks, I'll check into getting a kit, if nothing else saves me the cost of gas running to the fish store every week. This particular tank has been quite a challenge to get started since I took it back from the turtle. It has also been suggested that my tap water may be part of the problem. I'll check tap and tank water next time. It can't be that toxic, if the tinfoils are doing as well as they are.
 
MyGiants said:
You say its been 2 months since tanks been running. What was in the tank before the Tinfoil barbs.

If you still got a high ammonia level either your tank has not cycled or your over feeding. Or you cleaned your filter to clean washing out all the beneficial bacteria.
Click to expand...

This is exactly what I was gonna say two months is plenty of time for a 75 to cycle, do you clean your filters ? Or maybe do too many gravel vacs ? The more bacteria you have the better

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