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Ammonia test strip with fishless cycle


ARMYVET
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It seems to me that the test strips are only test for the presence of ammonia which it does show by a change in color but does not show with accuracy the concentration of ammonia seeing how all of the concentrations are coming out in the same color. 
I tested .5 ppm …1.0 ppm … 1.5 ppm and 2 ppm and all read the same color.  Showed the presence but not the actual value from what I experienced and what @Isaac M experienced.


I’m sure this development will give @Corynew questions for the manufacturer. 

Edited by ARMYVET
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The only time I have encountered off the charts readings was when I tested water with a diluted bleach product. The product had more than just bleach in it. I imagine some sort of insanely basic detergent. Anyway I literally melted one of those pH test strips. All the color drained from the pad and it had a swirl of purple (it's highest reading) and yellow (mid-range reading) at the bottom. I tested this solution with 5 different test strips from 5 different containers and products before finally using our lab's electronic pH reader. Which read 13.2. Keep in mind 14 is the maximum on the pH scale.

 

So all of this to say that once you go past the threshold the colors no longer make any sense.

 

___I should also add technically 0 and 14 aren't the true "maximum and minimum" as negative values and values above 14 are possible.____

Edited by Biotope Biologist
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6 Drops result

Test Strip: 0.5ppm

A6CFE6CE-60F9-4D6A-BACC-D9B89A8E81DA.jpeg.7b0f2a5d946ac30cdaf13fbc748b5cc0.jpeg

API: Got a little darker, maybe 2-3ppm? 

B4F1A907-18FD-446B-AF52-2595F55FB3F7.jpeg.0f1b6124baa8cffa3f69c67e2cdc331e.jpeg

The test strips still show the same color of 0.5ppm. I am not sure what is causing this but I am sure the great team at Aquarium Co-op will figure it out. The bottle of Dr. Tims does say that it produces ammonia-nitrogen (NH3-N), not sure if that is helpful to solving the issue but it is worth mentioning. 

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  • 2 weeks later...
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Wanted to update that we got our Dr Tims to start testing with. It's reading accurately for us.... Which just makes this even harder. Are you open to possibly sending us yours, and us buying you a replacement? We want to test here, and then send it to a lab to be analyzed.

 

We found it accurate in the lower end range we tested, and the above 6 range we tested. We basically were able to replicate the lab results and cannot explain why there seems to be a problem thus far.

 

image0.jpeg

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On 6/28/2021 at 1:51 PM, Cory said:

Wanted to update that we got our Dr Tims to start testing with. It's reading accurately for us.... Which just makes this even harder. Are you open to possibly sending us yours, and us buying you a replacement? We want to test here, and then send it to a lab to be analyzed.

 

We found it accurate in the lower end range we tested, and the above 6 range we tested. We basically were able to replicate the lab results and cannot explain why there seems to be a problem thus far.

 

image0.jpeg

Cory I have no problem sending you in both my Bottle of ammonia test strips and the bottle of Dr. Tims ammonia just to make sure there is not a discrepancy with the DR. Tims Products.  

Please Pm me an address to where you would like it sent and I will send it immediately.  

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On 6/28/2021 at 11:24 AM, ARMYVET said:

Cory I have no problem sending you in both my Bottle of ammonia test strips and the bottle of Dr. Tims ammonia just to make sure there is not a discrepancy with the DR. Tims Products.  

Please Pm me an address to where you would like it sent and I will send it immediately.  

I don't have the ability to PM as them turned off, so I don't get flooded. However you can send them to our store:

9661 Firdale AVE

Edmonds WA 98020

 

Then if you want to email our customer service we can send out some new test strips, and either a gift card for the dr tims, or a different product we sell of a similar price.

 

Thanks

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On 6/28/2021 at 2:31 PM, Cory said:

I don't have the ability to PM as them turned off, so I don't get flooded. However you can send them to our store:

9661 Firdale AVE

Edmonds WA 98020

 

Then if you want to email our customer service we can send out some new test strips, and either a gift card for the dr tims, or a different product we sell of a similar price.

 

Thanks

Thank you very much for really trying to figure this all out for us. 

I will have it in the mail tomorrow.  Ill package everything up tonight and tape the liquid bottle so it doesn't leak.  I will message back to let you know they are on the way!

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@Cory Is there a lot number printed on the bottle of test strips?  I dont have my bottle in front of me so I cant tell if so what lot is your bottle.....I will post mine when I get home.

Possibility of a weird lot?   Just one more variable to think about.

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On 6/28/2021 at 2:31 PM, Cory said:

I don't have the ability to PM as them turned off, so I don't get flooded. However you can send them to our store:

9661 Firdale AVE

Edmonds WA 98020

 

Then if you want to email our customer service we can send out some new test strips, and either a gift card for the dr tims, or a different product we sell of a similar price.

 

Thanks

Hey @Cory all boxed up ...labled and headed to the post office.  Would you like for me to send you the tracking number?

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  • 2 years later...

@Cory

@ARMYVET

 

Any news here? Found this post as I am experiencing very similar issues with my strips and was trying to figure out if I just got a bad bottle.  My multi strips work perfect but the ammonia ones show zero on known ammonia containing water (because is dosed it to 2ppm, also with Dr Tim's)

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@Cory

Thanks, hrm, not sure why mine is not then I am dipping once per second, for 30 seconds and then immediately reading the result, shows zero...but if I let it sit, it will start to darken around the outside edge of the strip to the color I would have expected.

 

The videos you posted earlier in the thread showing from the lab exactly how to perform the test are no longer working, do you perhaps have a new link to that video?

PXL_20240204_062952958.MP~2.jpg

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