Ammonia present

[lonewonderer]

Hello, I have started my 40 gallon reef tank last May of this year. I'm just curious why my water until now reads 0.25ppm ammonia on my API test kit. I feed very minimal. below is what i have in my tank and my parameters. need help please.

Ammonia 0.25ppm
nitrites 0ppm
nitrates "undetectable"
phos "undetectable"
Calcium 420
Kh 8
Ph 8.2

2 clown fish
3 green chromis
2 damsel
2 shrimps
3 snails

 

[Brew12]

Hello, I have started my 40 gallon reef tank last May of this year. I'm just curious why my water until now reads 0.25ppm ammonia on my API test kit. I feed very minimal. below is what i have in my tank and my parameters. need help please.

Ammonia 0.25ppm
nitrites 0ppm
nitrates "undetectable"
phos "undetectable"
Calcium 420
Kh 8
Ph 8.2

2 clown fish
3 green chromis
2 damsel
2 shrimps
3 snails

Your test kit may be getting old. API's are known for false low level ammonia readings.

 

[PatW]

API is famous for often reading .25 at a 0 level. You could try another test like Red Sea or Salifert.

 

[PAXpress]

Same as the above I've had issues non stop with api and saltwater. However in freshwater it seems to be fairly accurate.

 

[Big G]

+1 on trying another brand of test kit. I like and use Red Sea. Very happy with their kit.

 

[tankstudy]

Before buying another kit, test your kit on freshly made saltwater. It should read zero if it's still good.

 

[lonewonderer]

Thank you guys. I will test it with my freshwater and see if it reads with ammonia. so red sea it is. Thank you!

 

[Brew12]

Thank you guys. I will test it with my freshwater and see if it reads with ammonia. so red sea it is. Thank you!

I would actually just stop testing ammonia. Keep the API in case of emergency. No need to test ammonia in a mature tank regularly.

 

[brandon429]

Post full tank shot if you can

This thread is now linked to a running collection I keep of false .25 readings

Skeptics will claim your fish bioload is causing it, let's prove it not so

 

[glb]

API does sometimes have false positive readings. If you’re still unsure, you could put in a capful of Seachem Prime to neutralize ammonia just in case. But I agree with everyone else. Probably a test error.

 

[brandon429]

check the chem thread in our forum for a really similar ammonia thing going on