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pitmindi
07/07/2010, 09:03 PM
Hi everyone. I have had 3 freshwater tanks and an outdoor pond for years and the water always tests between .25 and .5 ammonia with the API test. My fish in the pond and freshwater tanks have lived for years. In Jan of this past year I got 2 saltwater tanks, a 90 gallon with a 30 gal refugium and a 34 gallon cube. I have 4 fish in the 90 gallon, two clowns and 2 anthias. I just bought 3 seahorses for the 34 gallon cube. I have many LPS corals in both tanks. The ammonia in both saltwater tanks varies between .25 and .5 with the API saltwater test. It is hard to tell the exact number since the colors are so close, but it is definitely more than 0 and less than 1. The nitrite level in all tanks is 0 and the nitrates vary among the tanks. The saltwater ph is 8.2 or 8.4 (colors are too similiar on test swab to decide which) The nitrate is 0 in the 90 gallon and 5 or 10 (cant tell with test swab) in the cube. My tap water doesn't contain ammonia. I use tapwater for all my tanks and perform 50% water change weekly on my freshwater and once monthly 30% on my saltwater tanks. Any thoughts???? Isn't it strange?!

jakesalk
07/07/2010, 10:43 PM
Its strange u don't use ro di water in your salt tanks.

Hormigaquatica
07/08/2010, 12:38 AM
Its strange u don't use ro di water in your salt tanks.

Very constructive.

Im willing to bet your test kit is bad, or you are having difficulty reading it. With the color charts being so subtle, a Lot of people have a tough time jusging what their results really are. In my experience, ammonia kits are one of the most notorious for giving 'false' readings. Your nitrite further supports that thought- ammonia with zero nitrite and low nitrate is a pretty rare thing.

Id suggest getting a different, better quality, test kit (I like Salifert myself). That might make the difference. If you really do have chronic ammonia, thats whole different problem unto itself.

Nanz
07/08/2010, 07:49 AM
My NH3 varies from 0.1 - 0.2 and I test in a Laboratory. Nitrites are 0 and Nitrates ~5ppm. My tank has been running for over 3 years and I have maroon clowns laying eggs every 10 days. Everything in my tank is healthy and growing.

Potsy
07/08/2010, 08:03 AM
+1 bad test kit.

pitmindi
07/08/2010, 09:40 AM
I think the test kit is working because my tap water tested yellow (0) while all 5 freshwater tested with API the same shade of green and both of my saltwater tanks tested the same shade of green using the API saltwater test kit. I just think I have constant ammonia and it is strange that it would be the same level in all the freshwater tanks, since they are so different. I change 50% water weekly with my indoor freshwater tanks. (250 gallon outdoor pond with goldfish, 125 gallon planted community tank with rainbowfish, neons, clowns, cories, platies, etc & 55 gallon tank with 4 small fancy goldfish & 20 gal tank with neons, beta, dwarf frogs-----then my saltwater tanks with totally different systems)