King British ammonia test (6 in 1 test)

[st.john]

Hello group.

So I bought a King British 6 in 1 test strip kit. To put it bluntly I am not impressed at all. The ammonia test especially appears to be a pile of c**p - was showing dangerous levels (deep blue/green) of ammonia which freaked me out but then checked it against plain tap water (untreated though) and was showing the same result. Am I leaving it too long to develop? Any tips? Am I doing something wrong or are they just a total waste of money?
I am soaking it for 5 seconds in the tank and taking the reading after 1 minute.
Any advise/reasurance/recommendations on better kits is greatly appreciated.

Should explain that I had to H2O2 my tank to rid it of a stubborn attack of BG algae to great success but likely nuked the BB in the process although left filters off for 4hrs and only turned them on after 60% water change and 1hr of high light to degrade any residue h2o2. Fish appear fine after 4 days (lost a couple of RCS and an amano).

I appreciate that the tank is likely cycling again but wondering if I can trust the ammonia test as is?

Peace.

 

[ian_m]

they just a total waste of money?

Got it in one. Ammonia test is influenced by presence of chlorine, so tap water testing is a waste of time and also if you have used any dechlorinator recently testing tank water is a waste of time.

Please read this.
https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/what-about-test-kits.52487/

If you really really want an ammonia test kit, this will do the job perfectly fine even in presence of other interfering chemicals.
https://uk.hach.com/test-kit-nitrogen-ammonia-model-ni-sa/product?id=26427820075&callback=pf

 

[sparkyweasel]

Bin it!
As you've found out they can give a clearly wrong reading, even when you've followed the instructions. What's worse is when they give you a wrong reading, but it's not obviously wrong.
If you have time to search the forum you will find a lot of people think liquid test kits are bad, and strips even worse.
Some of the threads explain why, and the science behind it, but basically it's hard to get an accurate reading without very fancy lab equipment, because there are so many variables in a real-life aquarium. Mainly for NH4, NO2 and NO3.
Hardness and pH kits not so bad, but a pH pen and TDS meter are better, especially now they are so cheap. Although for most purposes you don't need to worry about pH and hardness unless you're doing a pH profile for CO2 injection.
I would just keep up with your water changes, or increase them if the fish look distressed.
Your filter will recover from any setbacks, and your plants will be filtering your water, even better now you've got rid of the BGA.
H2O2 quickly breaks down after you dose with it btw, into oxygen and water..

 

[sparkyweasel]

Lol, beaten to it while typing slowly.

 

[st.john]

Thanks guys! Guessed as much - I've not bothered with any testing for over a year as there seemed so little point but thought it would be an idea to try them again after blitzing the BG algae.

Insidently very impressed with the h2o2 - did a full tank treatment which nuked 99% of it and now gently spot treating the remaining few bits. Strongly recommended.

 

[rebel]

Any thoughts on the API ammonia kit? I think it's ok for cycling etc. No need to use it after that though.

 

[ian_m]

Any thoughts on the API ammonia kit?

As stated before, ammonia test is influenced by presence of chlorine, so tap water testing is a waste of time and also if you have used any dechlorinator recently testing tank water is a waste of time.