Ammonia at .25 PPM. Water change or wait?

[vetteguy53081]

Hi folks!
After my water change last week, my ammonia read 0 (API). Always does. However, after yesterday's water change (approx 20%), the ammonia is reading .25PPM. Tested 3 times. The fish seem fine, but I'm freaking out! I added Microbe-Lift Nite-Out II, but this morning it is still reading .25. How fast should a ammonia remover like that read 0? Should I do another water change today, or should I just monitor it and wait for next week's water change?

Thanks!

ScubaSkeets:

Please when you get your water tested and get results, let myself and MnFish1 know what they came up with for results

 

[Alenya]

ScubaSkeets:

Please when you get your water tested and get results, let myself and MnFish1 know what they came up with for results

It’s possible that the water change stirred up and displaced some organic material especially if you are using a canister and a sheet. That could account for a little ammonia. If you use the API test it measures both NH3 and NH4 so if it shows 0.25 chances are there is no ammonia in that water that would be affecting your fish.

 

[Garf]

Do you know what? I feel like buying one of these bloody tests and see if I can create a circumstance where it gives a proper reading, probably by recycling it through carbon or summit. It’s gotta be picking up something, just not what it’s supposed to. I suppose there might be some obscure instruction in the small print. It’s been a long time since I’ve used one.

 

[ScubaSkeets]

ScubaSkeets:

Please when you get your water tested and get results, let myself and MnFish1 know what they came up with for results

Unfortunately, the closest LFS is the one I mentioned that uses the strips. I'm not sure about the other shops, but even if they do better testing, they are not really convenient for me during the week.

 

[Ludders]

Honestly I wouldn't bother testing for ammonia in these circumstances, so don't stress too much.

 

[brandon429]

Scuba

was going to offer you one last help on your cycle in addition to what’s already here

Post pics of your tank, and from that we will know your ammonia levels as safe or dangerous again. Google .25 api false ammonia


it’s fifty thousand examples of tanks like yours, see how the crowd never agrees with the accuracy? thats where you are at here. Post pics second request. https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/w...ty-of-sustained-25-ammonia-in-reefing.685288/


that link proves you do not have .25 ammonia

B

captioning the thread assuming it won’t be clicked:

no reef tank ever made held at .25, it’s an impossible reading. We can attain .25 ammonia for a few minutes max, then it changes into higher or lower, sticking is impossible. It would be more helpful for you to know your reading is impossible rather than being told it’s possible, and to buy something. A landslide of proof has now been linked that nothing is wrong w your tank

the way we know you are cycled and have enough surface area about to be shown in pics is because you don’t report changing ammonia, the fixed reading means you are safe and all the life in your tank isn’t going to die by noon today.

pics of your tank, we need to see rock and and sand ratios

not one reef, at any time, even during fish death or direct kill of filter by antibiotics, has ever stuck at .25, it is impossible.

people using accurate test kits (seneye) and all of wastewater management science and all cycling charts ever written show us that .25 is a minutes-long waypoint on the road to a higher or lower reading


all the google readings about accuracy you’ve seen in recommended searches don’t suddenly change into accuracy here in your tank, they remain false and the kit simply reads organics you kicked up during the change as free ammonia, when it’s not.

 

[ScubaSkeets]

Yeah, I'm not going to sweat the .25PPM. (Wasn't really planning on taking the water to LFS for testing). I did have a Seachem Ammonia Alert card in the tank, but transfered it to my new 125G to monitor the cycle in that one, per https://www.algone.com/fishless-aquarium-cycling