Hanna Hi-784 ammonia checker help needed.

[AquaHaven]

I have an issue reading the Hanna Hi-784 ammonia checker.

It says that it measures both NH3 and NH4 ammonia, and there is a conversion table to get the toxic NH3 reading.

So the question is: Is the main readout what's important? Or the number you get after conversion?

Example:
I'm doing a fishless cycle on a new tank. My readout says 1.75. Is it 1.75 and I need to panic? Or is it the 0.21 (NH3 conversion), and I am then on a right track?

Much appreciated for any help as I've been searching all day and I can't find an answer.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Just focus on total ammonia. It's the value nearly everyone reports and discusses, unless it is a situation where the pH is far out of normal ranges (like inside a shipping bag).

If a 1.75 ppm total ammonia is accurate, it is not adequately cycled yet.

This has more:

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/ammonia-is-our-friend.1062/

 

[brandon429]

can you post a pic of your tank, sometimes neat unstated clues are seen there

what was your cycle details: feed, bottle bac, how many days has it been running so far (curious about surrounding details of the cycle unrelated to the readout)