False positive with Ammonia?

[GazerOfStars]

Alight so my city water has quite a bit of chloramines in it. I use Prime for every water change. But it is my understanding that with this process I'll get false positives in ammonia tests?

If this is the case how will I ever know my true ammonia levels?

My parameters:
(11-11)
Ph 7.8
Ammonia: 2
Nitrite 0-.5
Nitrate:0



(11-17)
Ph:7.8
Ammonia: 1 ppm
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5-10

(11-18) I did a water change last night.
Ph: 7.8
Ammo: 1
Ite:0
Ate:0


P.s. If you read this, Ed, you know my water situation best

 

[Jenste]

I have heard of false negatives, have not heard of false positives.

 

[GazerOfStars]

Well I could be wrong, but from what I understand these chemicals are bound into a 'Safe' ammonia, and so the drop tests detect these.

Even when I test my tap water directly it registers at 2+ ppm of ammonia

 

[Ed]

Yes, you will get false positives because the binding up of the nitrogen carrying molecule is not set up in a way that prevents it from being detected by the test kit. Once the tank is actually cycled, the biofilter will handle any ammonia fed to it by the tap water fairly readily so you will get a zero ammonia reading when that occurs in the tank (it takes a couple of hours to overnight to process but can occur quite rapidly). As for how to get an actual reading, if you are getting levels higher than the tap water, if you test the tap water as well and subtract the tap water from the aquarium (I know this is a guesstimate based on the test kit) it will give you an idea of the actual levels.

If you have space, you can set up a bucket or rubbermaid trashcan (on a dolly) with the water for the tank and aerate it overnight. This will reduce the ammonia in it, as well as allow it to equilibriate with the atmosphere and temperature. If you do it long enough the trashcan will cycle and consume the amnmonia and nitrite (although if going this route monitor for nitrite).

Ed

 

[GazerOfStars]

Yes, you will get false positives because the binding up of the nitrogen carrying molecule is not set up in a way that prevents it from being detected by the test kit. Once the tank is actually cycled, the biofilter will handle any ammonia fed to it by the tap water fairly readily so you will get a zero ammonia reading when that occurs in the tank (it takes a couple of hours to overnight to process but can occur quite rapidly). As for how to get an actual reading, if you are getting levels higher than the tap water, if you test the tap water as well and subtract the tap water from the aquarium (I know this is a guesstimate based on the test kit) it will give you an idea of the actual levels.

If you have space, you can set up a bucket or rubbermaid trashcan (on a dolly) with the water for the tank and aerate it overnight. This will reduce the ammonia in it, as well as allow it to equilibriate with the atmosphere and temperature. If you do it long enough the trashcan will cycle and consume the amnmonia and nitrite (although if going this route monitor for nitrite).

Ed

Subtracting the tap water reading is a good idea If my memory serves the tap water tested higher then what my tank was.

By aerate it overnight, do you mean putting a bubbler in the bucket?

 

[Ed]

Yep. A bubbler in the bucket helps off gassing and removes a small (but any is better than none) ammonia.

Ed