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Unread 01/17/2018, 01:07 PM   #1
tonyreef
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API ammonia test & BIO-SPIRA

In my QT the seachem ammonia badge reads 0 but my ATI test reads somewhere around .05ppm could this reading with the ATI kit be false do to the bio-spira?
I have been doing about 1% water changes everyday removing any leftover food. So I'm surprised with the API results.


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Unread 01/17/2018, 01:12 PM   #2
homer1475
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API ammonia kits are notorious for reading trace amounts of ammonia when there is none. Sometimes the color is just hard to tell(is it light green or yellow?).

With that said, I personally have had several seachem ammonia badges read 0 when there was well over 2ppm of ammonia in the tank. I do not trust them.


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"He's just taking his lunch to work"
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Unread 01/17/2018, 01:35 PM   #3
tonyreef
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Yea the API results are light green somewhere between 1 & .25? I though maybe it had something to do with the bio-spira?


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Unread 01/17/2018, 01:56 PM   #4
bertoni
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The ammonia badge detects only free ammonia, which is much more toxic than ammonium, the ionized form. Did you mean that the API is reading around 0.5 ppm (not 0.05 ppm)? I suspect that the API kit is either overly sensitive or that the kit has failed. Ammonia kits are fairly notorious for failing and reading ammonia everywhere. I might test some RO/DI or distilled water as a sanity check.


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Unread 01/17/2018, 02:05 PM   #5
tonyreef
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Yes .5ppm I did a test on my DT and it is 0ppm
I want to do a WC but I just mixed the water this morning not sure if it is safe to use it? IO RC



Last edited by tonyreef; 01/17/2018 at 02:13 PM.
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Unread 01/17/2018, 02:42 PM   #6
homer1475
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You can use it as soon as it is clear.


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Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht:

"He's just taking his lunch to work"
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Unread 01/17/2018, 03:59 PM   #7
bertoni
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RC probably is good to use immediately, but I'd check the pH. Some salt products mix to a rather high pH, although it'd likely still be okay for a small change.

I would dose some Prime or Amquel into the quarantine tank, out of caution, if there are any animals in it at the moment.


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Unread 01/17/2018, 06:09 PM   #8
tonyreef
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I have a few fish in there & I changed about 1 gal cleaned the hob filter pad and added some bio-spira. I don’t have prime or amquel. Am I mistaken that bio-spira helps with building bacteria?


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Unread 01/17/2018, 08:38 PM   #9
bertoni
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Bio-Spira might or might not help. That's hard to determine, and I've never seen any reason to believe that it's better than a placebo. With all the bacterial additives, whether the bacteria actually are alive on delivery is hard to judge. If that's all you did to get the tank going, then I suspect that it failed. I'd get some sort of ammonia binder quickly, and do some large water changes in the meantime.


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Unread 01/17/2018, 10:37 PM   #10
tonyreef
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Yea you’re probably right. I did the pvc & the ceramic beads from the hob in the sump for a month & 1%WC every day it must not be enough in a BB.
UPDATE:
Tested pretty green from .25-.50pp so I went ahead and put a pice of live rock from my sump in and 30%WC. Tested the same. I cant believe theres something in the QT that would cause false. I believe the DT results 0
I really didn't want to put LR in the QT because I am under the impression meds will basically render it exiled from the DT/Sump or is that only copper? I plan on doing a couple Prazi stints and hate the idea that my rock is beat. What do you think about rock in a QT or should I up my WC and save the rock? I would like to get at least 4 day without a WC or is that crazy? It would be a pain to medicate otherwise.



Last edited by tonyreef; 01/18/2018 at 01:34 AM.
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Unread 01/18/2018, 05:12 PM   #11
bertoni
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The live rock will adsorb copper, which would mean you'll need to remove it before dosing. It probably will adsorb other medications, and I'd pitch the rock or acid dip it before using it in a tank again. Praziquantel might be a problem. Is the fish doing well enough now? You might be able to seed an artificial filter with the live rock in the tank fairly quickly.

Water changes probably will work, but it might take a lot of them, along with Prime or the like, to keep the ammonia under control.


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Unread 01/18/2018, 09:01 PM   #12
tonyreef
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The fish are doing fine, they responded well to the rock & large WC ammonia is down maybe .25ppm. I’m not sure about medicating if I have to change so much water so often. I’m going to remove the rock before any meds that is if I medicated if the fish continue to do well I might pass?


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Unread 01/18/2018, 09:38 PM   #13
bertoni
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I don't know much about treatments for fish. Praziquantel is good for a number of parasites, so it might be worthwhile. I'd ask in the fish disease forum.


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Unread 01/18/2018, 10:36 PM   #14
tonyreef
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Thank you Jonathan for the support. I will!


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Unread 01/19/2018, 04:44 AM   #15
homer1475
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Does the OP mean Prazipro or Praziquantel? If the later the rock will be fine, Prazipro is reef safe and can be dosed directly in the DT. If you meant Praziquantel, then Bertoni's posts apply.


Typically Prazi = Prazipro.


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Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht:

"He's just taking his lunch to work"
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Unread 01/19/2018, 04:45 PM   #16
bertoni
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PraziPro is a liquid formula containing praziquantel. I would be cautious about dosing any form into a reef tank. It can kill various worms and possibly other organisms.


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Unread 01/20/2018, 01:25 AM   #17
tonyreef
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That is true says it on the bottle


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