Dr Tim’s ammonia chloride testing issue

[scubatan]

Hi all, I’m doing my first cycle and have dr Tim’s ammonia chloride and salifert ammonia test kits. Trying to dose to 2ppm.

I added drops as directed but am not getting detectable ammonia from tank water tests. I then tried putting a few drops of the ammonia chloride directly into the vial with tank water and still am not getting any ammonia reading - it’s basically clear.

am I doing something wrong or do I have to wait for the ammonia chloride to change to no4?

Thanks

 

[piranhaman00]

Put in 1 drop per gallon along with biospira. You can add fish in 2-3 days. No need to test ammonia.

 

[scubatan]

Put in 1 drop per gallon along with biospira. You can add fish in 2-3 days. No need to test ammonia.

Isn’t it odd though that salifert can’t detect any ammonia?
Also it recommended 4 drops per gallon (formulation changed in 2016 apparently)

 

[Cell]

Did you use live rock perhaps? As in rock from a mature system that stayed wet?

 

[drolmaeye]

I *believe* Salifert only tests for free ammonia, not Total Ammonia Nitrogen. So you will not register lots of free ammonia after doing ammonium chloride. This is very important. You would want a test for total ammonia nitrogen to be able to measure the 2 ppm you added. DO NOT try to add ammonium chloride until the Salifert test reads 2 ppm.

ETA: Looks like Salifert makes both an ammonia test (NH3 on the box) and a Total Ammonia Nitrogen test (NH4 on the box). Double-check which test you have (but I am guessing it's the ammonia one, NH3). If you do not want to buy another test kit, in my experience yo can trust you added the proper amount provided you followed the directions.

 

[scubatan]

Did you use live rock perhaps? As in rock from a mature system that stayed wet?

All dry. My brother has some live rubble I can add soon.

 

[scubatan]

I *believe* Salifert only tests for free ammonia, not Total Ammonia Nitrogen. So you will not register lots of free ammonia after doing ammonium chloride. This is very important. You would want a test for total ammonia nitrogen to be able to measure the 2 ppm you added. DO NOT try to add ammonium chloride until the Salifert test reads 2 ppm.

Interesting. I have no way of testing that so maybe I’ll just carry on and add my bottle bac?

 

[drolmaeye]

I just edited my post but will add it here also: I believe you can rely on an appropriate amount of ammonium being in the tank provided you followed the ammonium chloride directions (as it doesn't have to be exactly 2 ppm). You can add your bottled bacteria and test for the future appearance (and later disappearance) of nitrite.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Hi all, I’m doing my first cycle and have dr Tim’s ammonia chloride and salifert ammonia test kits. Trying to dose to 2ppm.

I added drops as directed but am not getting detectable ammonia from tank water tests. I then tried putting a few drops of the ammonia chloride directly into the vial with tank water and still am not getting any ammonia reading - it’s basically clear.

am I doing something wrong or do I have to wait for the ammonia chloride to change to no4?

Thanks

Either the test is bad or the ammonia is. If it is the ammonia then it may not be cycled.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

FWIW, I would always test total ammonia. Free ammonia is far lower and hence harder to detect accurately.

 

[scubatan]

Either the test is bad or the ammonia is. If it is the ammonia then it may not be cycled.

Maybe the salifert doesn’t detect ammonia chloride? I would find it hard to believe either of them are bad but I don’t have another way to test either of them

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Maybe the salifert doesn’t detect ammonia chloride? I would find it hard to believe either of them are bad but I don’t have another way to test either of them

Only if it’s a bad kit. Ammonium chloride is not a thing in water. It is ammonia/ammonium and separate ions of chloride. This is exactly what it is supposed to detect.

 

[Dan_P]

Hi all, I’m doing my first cycle and have dr Tim’s ammonia chloride and salifert ammonia test kits. Trying to dose to 2ppm.

I added drops as directed but am not getting detectable ammonia from tank water tests. I then tried putting a few drops of the ammonia chloride directly into the vial with tank water and still am not getting any ammonia reading - it’s basically clear.

am I doing something wrong or do I have to wait for the ammonia chloride to change to no4?

Thanks

Buy a different brand of ammonia test.