Seachem Ammonia Alert

[OMG Aquatics]

Does anyone use this in their tank?

Are they effective?

[Shrimpie]

I use it in my tank.  That way I can see if there is any immediate change in the water.  I still do my normal testing. This just gives me an immediate notification that something is wrong.

[OMG Aquatics]

I use it in my tank.  That way I can see if there is any immediate change in the water.  I still do my normal testing. This just gives me an immediate notification that something is wrong.

What level is your PH in the tanks?

[Jadenlea]

I have used it for years.  It does seem to be fairly accurate though I wouldn't count on it alone.    For the first time I am using the PH one .  I have a very difficult time with the API PH test kit, distinguishing the colors so I am really curious as to how accurate the seachem  in tank PH one is .  

[chibikaie]

I have used two so far, really love them. I can see if there is a spike, even a small one, and that lets me start looking for the cause before it gets to dangerous levels.

[RyeGuy411]

I was wondering if these work, I have read mixed reviews mostly poor actually.

[chibikaie]

I could go find some ammonia and run a few tests. Not sure when my new ones are arriving, so it might be a few weeks.

(I'm bored.)

[Shrimpie]

I have tried the PH alert, but I don't trust it.  The ammonia alert seems okay and has good reviews. But I do not find the PH alert reliable.

[OMG Aquatics]

I hope none of you are using Seachem Ammonia Alert in a tank with PH under 7. Seachem just replied to my messages and Ammonia Alert is useless in tanks with under 7 PH

[Soothing Shrimp]

Great info Poopians!

[chibikaie]

http://www.seachem.com/support/FAQs/AmmoniaAlert.html

I'd say "useless" is the incorrect term. It simply isn't testing for total ammonium under 7.0. More of a case of "not what you're looking for" instead of completely useless.

[Soothing Shrimp]

Just for info:

 

"PH is the determining factor on what type is present. If your pH is acidic (below 7.0), it is chemically impossible for ammonia (harmful gas) to exist. Yet a total ammonia test kit will register a reading because it detects both the free ammonia (harmful gas) and ammonium (harmless ionized form of ammonia). The more basic your pH becomes, the greater the chance of ammonia existing. Example: If you have 1.0 ppm of total ammonia and your pH is below 7.0, then 1.0 ppm will exist as ammonium. Ex. If you have 1.0 ppm of total ammonia and your pH is 7.6 (slightly basic), then of that 1.0 ppm total ammonia......only .2 or so would exist as a gas and the other .8 would exist as ammonium."

[Soothing Shrimp]

So does this mean that testing for ammonia is not necessary with shrimp when ph is under 7 since it doesn't hurt shrimp according to the above paragraph??

[randy]

So does this mean that testing for ammonia is not necessary with shrimp when ph is under 7 since it doesn't hurt shrimp according to the above paragraph??

IIRC, it is around ph 6.4 when almost all ammonia turns into ammonium.

Ammonium is much less toxic but not entirely harmless. I think you do want to make sure your tank has enough bateria for nitrogen cycle, well, at least half of it up to nitrate.

I know some breeders add shrimps as soon as moss has new shoots, thats like 3-7 days in a new tank and claim it works well for them. I am thinking ph is the key why they dont lose many shrimps due to ammonia.

[Jadenlea]

Soothing, you make my head hurt

[Jadenlea]

so if ammonia is not very harmful  under 6.5 ph,  what is the reason for making a tank cycle  if say you are raising TB in 6.0?

[chibikaie]

With the kits for total ammonia/um, what we are supposed to do is consult a table to see what percentage is in what form due to the pH. That is supposed to indicate how much to panic. Many people would skip that step (me included), and true, any form is bad news. Always err on the side of caution.

I am probably biased as I have no intentions of ever having a tank with a pH that low. I still think of 6.4 and under as specialty setups, but I guess that is the normal range for crystals.

Still, I think it is much more useful to have a constant readout of only free ammonia than nothing at all. I would not check it nearly so frequently with a kit or even a dipstick.