Cycle question, testing different ammonia values

[WrasseMan89]

So I've been cycling about 2 weeks, used fritz ammonia to 2ppm and live bacteria to Kickstart it. I've left it alone for the most part to let it do it's thing but I'm really confused. I have 2 different kind of tests,a fluval test and a salifert test. Fluval is showing ammonia over 6 and salifert is looking about 1.5. Temp is 78.5, 7.9ph, 1.025 salinity. Not sure what to do, one of the tests are bonkers but if fluval is right then I'm way overdosed.

 

[gilbert23]

I don’t know anything about Fritz. But when I was starting out my tanks I have three. I used prime and stability. Dosing the prime every 24 hours and stability for 7 days straight. Prime detoxify’s ammonia out of water which you want it to reach 0. Along with nitrite 0. Which that will change to nitrates you want the nitrate to rise while the ammonia and nitrites read 0. So I would personally get a different test kit. You have any fish or anything in tank. Those are dangerous levels?

 

[lapin]

Post #3

Fluval ammonia test

High i tested my ammonia with a fluval test kit and it came out a really light blue which is not any color on the test and i was just wondering if any one else has used this kit and if they know what my ammonia might be thank you

www.reef2reef.com

 

[WrasseMan89]

I don’t know anything about Fritz. But when I was starting out my tanks I have three. I used prime and stability. Dosing the prime every 24 hours and stability for 7 days straight. Prime detoxify’s ammonia out of water which you want it to reach 0. Along with nitrite 0. Which that will change to nitrates you want the nitrate to rise while the ammonia and nitrites read 0. So I would personally get a different test kit. You have any fish or anything in tank. Those are dangerous levels?

Yea my LFS uses salifert so that's what I originally went with but I needed a nitrite test so I picked up the fluval since it came with all of them. It's an empty tank so that's good.

 

[WrasseMan89]

Post #3

Fluval ammonia test

High i tested my ammonia with a fluval test kit and it came out a really light blue which is not any color on the test and i was just wondering if any one else has used this kit and if they know what my ammonia might be thank you

www.reef2reef.com

Holy cow, thanks for this. I'm putting my Fluval right in the garbage can.

 

[gilbert23]

I know they are expensive but if you got the money get the Hannah checker. I use those for only my calcium,kh,nitrate,phosphate. I use the api test for my ammonia nitrite and the Red Sea for my mag lol. Went a little over board but reliable test kits are a must in the hobby.

 

[WrasseMan89]

I know they are expensive but if you got the money get the Hannah checker. I use those for only my calcium,kh,nitrate,phosphate. I use the api test for my ammonia nitrite and the Red Sea for my mag lol. Went a little over board but reliable test kits are a must in the hobby.

I actually have hanna checkers for phosphate, alkalinity, copper, and nitrate but I didn't think I needed ammonia because I really wouldn't need to test for it outside of a cycle so I didn't get it haha. I have salifert for my mag but I picked up the fluval cause I didn't have anything for nitrite and I wanted to check it.

 

[Bruttall]

I know they are expensive but if you got the money get the Hannah checker. I use those for only my calcium,kh,nitrate,phosphate. I use the api test for my ammonia nitrite and the Red Sea for my mag lol. Went a little over board but reliable test kits are a must in the hobby.

Hanna for DKH, Phos and Calc levels, API for Nitrates. I don't see a need to test for ammonia or nitrites. In fact I don't even own nitrite tests because they are useless. If you have ammonia you will have nitrites and very very soon nitrates. There is no need to test nitrites at all IMO. I have probe testers for salinity and temp.

Unless your running a super SPS dominate tank, I really don't see the need to test for Calc that often. My experience has been my softy dominate doesn't uptake calc hardly at all. Mostly because I don't have a lot of SPS corals. Now if I see a rapid increase the growth of the coraline I will test more often obviously.

 

[brandon429]

This is exactly why we invented testless reef tank cycling