Discus Maniac
08-31-2017, 03:27 PM
I have 3 types of ammonia testing kits. Strips, Liquid based and Hanna Battery operated one.
I used the battery operated one as I usually do (Hanna) and I got whooping 2.65 reading, after PWC of 80%. Before panic set in I run other tests and they came at 0.
Conclusion - since the other two are giving readings based on chemical reaction with agents within the strips or within the other chemical that liquid tests provide, the Hanna instrument reads (I think) off of color differential (you put the tube with tank water + added agents inside and wait for reading). I have used ParaGuard earlier in the day as new Corys were introduced and that created colorful reaction with Hanna chemicals thus false positive reading, BUT it was not doing the same with strips or the other popular ammonia test kit, which also uses chemicals.
I thought it was an interesting finding and yet another proven reason to have more than one testing kit for any of those parameters.
I used the battery operated one as I usually do (Hanna) and I got whooping 2.65 reading, after PWC of 80%. Before panic set in I run other tests and they came at 0.
Conclusion - since the other two are giving readings based on chemical reaction with agents within the strips or within the other chemical that liquid tests provide, the Hanna instrument reads (I think) off of color differential (you put the tube with tank water + added agents inside and wait for reading). I have used ParaGuard earlier in the day as new Corys were introduced and that created colorful reaction with Hanna chemicals thus false positive reading, BUT it was not doing the same with strips or the other popular ammonia test kit, which also uses chemicals.
I thought it was an interesting finding and yet another proven reason to have more than one testing kit for any of those parameters.