Measuring ammonia - interpretation

[Army_of_mantis_men]

Hi, I have a difficulty reading my NH3 + NH4 test kit from Salifert. Here's how it looks like under different sunlight angle, plus it's somewhat cloudy. Two questions: 1) how do you read this, is this zero, or not? and 2) is this supposed to be always cloudy, just somehow on a color spectrum? I'm surrently cycling the tank, finished 2nd week, it still reads this on ammonia, 0 on NO3 and between 2-5 on NO2.

Direct light = somewhat cloudy and shaded

side light = most clear

angled, I don't know.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Did it ever read higher, like 2 ppm?

All interpretations are low enough to be no concern and the tank is cycled if it read higher.

 

[Army_of_mantis_men]

Did it ever read higher, like 2 ppm?

All interpretations are low enough to be no concern and the tank is cycled if it read higher.

Do you mean ammonia? Maybe at the first week, I had the same difficulty reading the result but I think it was a bit darker.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Do you mean ammonia? Maybe at the first week, I had the same difficulty reading the result but I think it was a bit darker.

Yes, ammonia. How are you cycling?

 

[Army_of_mantis_men]

Yes, ammonia. How are you cycling?

No lights, no livestock, water and live rock came from estabilished tank, live sand is the only thing out of the box. Dosing starting bacteria weekly (Bactoblend).

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

No lights, no livestock, water and live rock came from estabilished tank, live sand is the only thing out of the box. Dosing starting bacteria weekly (Bactoblend).

It’s probably good to go. :)

 

[Army_of_mantis_men]

It’s probably good to go. :)

Thanks, I'll give it one more week and if I measure the same values, I'll start the population :)