Salifert ammonia test kit?

[Red2143]

how many salifert ammonia test kits are there? I see some listed as nh3 some as nh4 and some as nh3/nh4??????

 

[Tahoe61]

If you want Ammonia specifically the chemical formula is NH3.

Thread 'What is NH4? Proper levels for reef tank and how to maintain those levels?'

Jun 22, 2021

Can't find much on it other than on seneye website is that its not toxic. And have seen my levels all the way up to 16ppb and now in new system around 9ppb.
What is it?

• LRT
• Replies: 36
• Forum: Reef Chemistry by Randy Holmes-Farley

 

[EnterName]

how many salifert ammonia test kits are there? I see some listed as nh3 some as nh4 and some as nh3/nh4??????

Ammonia (NH3) and Ammonium (NH4) always coexist in an equilibrium in your tank that changes with pH (and also temperature). In most reef tanks NH3 will make up roughly 7% to 9% of "total ammonia" based on pH and temperature. Total ammonia is just "NH3 + NH4".

The test kits should all report NH3+NH4, but even if they aren't, you can approximate what you need to know now:

NH3+NH4 ≈ NH3 ÷ 0.08
NH3+NH4 ≈ NH4 ÷ 0.92

NH3 ≈ 0.08 • (NH3+NH4)
NH3 ≈ 0.08 • NH4 ÷ 0.92

NH4 ≈ 0.92 • (NH3+NH4)
NH4 ≈ 0.92 • NH3 ÷ 0.08

I'm fairly certain they report total ammonia and you don't need to perform any approximations.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

As noted, all Salifert kits are total ammonia (NH3 + NH4+), as are nearly all kits reefers use.

Unless clearly specified otherwise, it is safe to assume all kits are total ammonia. It takes a special and different design to detect NH3 only, such as the Seachem alert badge.

I have never seen and think it would be hard to design an NH4+ only
Kit.