Ammonia present

lonewonderer

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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

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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.
 
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lonewonderer

lonewonderer

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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

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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

why did you put a reef in that
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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

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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

why did you put a reef in that
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check the chem thread in our forum for a really similar ammonia thing going on
 
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