problem with seachem ammonia alert badge

[CarterJ]

I set up a 10g QT for a fish that is arriving today. I put a seachem ammonia badge in the tank (emtpy) last night. This morning the badge was reading a color not really on the scale but some where between alarm and toxic. I mean there shouldn't be any ammonia in, but I tested it with my normal Seachem kit anyway and ammonia appeared to be zero. Any explanation for why the badge is reading this way?

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

Those badges are just not reliable.

 

[Velcro]

Get some prime in there. Also buy some stability and start dosing it.

Buy this test and use it daily. It's MUCH more accurate than those badges: http://www.marinedepot.com/Seachem_...2PzBqaGaul_SihEpQB3QB7sYecwE8JTkJqBoC_Znw_wcB

 

[saltyhog]

I have had similar issues but not to that degree. Some seem super sensitive and will show ammonia levels when the test kit won't detect it and show higher levels when the test kit shows a very low level. I still use mine but watch the fish closely and test with my kit as well.

I only use mine for TTM and I know from experience how much I feed and when to be on guard for ammonia. Usually never have a problem till the last day of that tank and usually only if there's more than one fish in TTM.

 

[Joey waid]

Make sure you shine a light behind it to get the true color. I have found out if the light is coming from the front it looks more gray.

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

Soak your badge in distilled or RO/DI water overnight and see how it behaves. Also, make sure the badge is backlit when you are trying to read the ammonia level. If you're leaving the lights off due to fish sensitivity, you can easily get the wrong reading off of these badges.

 

[CarterJ]

thanks for all the feed back! Ive got the seachem multitest kit, so Ill keep monitoring ammonia that way. I'll soak the badge in some RO/DI and see what it reads tomorrow. I have the lights off, so I'll check it with a flashlight also.

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

I have the lights off, so I'll check it with a flashlight also.

I think you'll find that this was the problem ;)

 

[phatduckk]

Make sure you shine a light behind it to get the true color. I have found out if the light is coming from the front it looks more gray.

Best advice. Just stumbled upon this thread after I just setup my first QT with all new everything. I freaked out seeing my badge was green. I did 2 water changes on a zero stock tank for no reason.

Thanks!

 

[Bpar]

I set up a 10g QT for a fish that is arriving today. I put a seachem ammonia badge in the tank (emtpy) last night. This morning the badge was reading a color not really on the scale but some where between alarm and toxic. I mean there shouldn't be any ammonia in, but I tested it with my normal Seachem kit anyway and ammonia appeared to be zero. Any explanation for why the badge is reading this way?

I have the same problem but I ran a Fritz ammonia test which showed zero amonia while the Seachem alert shows .02 ppm. Suspecting the Seachem alert might be off, I submersed it in a glass of tap water and it read 0 ppm. So now I’m not sure my new tank is cycled since readings for nitrite and nitrate are 0 but the ammonia? What to do?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I have the same problem but I ran a Fritz ammonia test which showed zero amonia while the Seachem alert shows .02 ppm. Suspecting the Seachem alert might be off, I submersed it in a glass of tap water and it read 0 ppm. So now I’m not sure my new tank is cycled since readings for nitrite and nitrate are 0 but the ammonia? What to do?

FWIW, the person you quoted has not been on in years, but...

0 ppm total ammonia (Fritz) and 0.02 ppm free ammonia (Seachem badge) are both low levels that are not a concern.