Finding the Problem with ACO Ammonia Test Strips

[modified lung]

On 9/4/2022 at 11:17 AM, Kiefer said:

0.5ppm free ammonia is where most aquaculture studies I've read say you start seeing hazards from chronic exposure.

It's 0.05 ppm NH3, not 0.5 ppm, where chronic often starts. The EPA criteria for chronic exposure is between 0.015 and 0.025 ppm NH3 depending on pH and temp. A lot of studies report LC50s in TA or TAN so it can get confusing.

On 9/4/2022 at 11:17 AM, Kiefer said:

cardinal tetras who start showing chronic damage at 0.1ppm

The 96 hour LC50 (acute) for cardinal tetras is between 0.3 and 0.4 ppm NH3. The 96 hour LC10 is between 0.02 and 0.2 ppm NH3. Chronic is usually considered to be 30 days of exposure so those numbers could be a lot lower—usually 5 to 10% of the 96h LC50 so 0.015 to 0.04 ppm NH3.

study 1

study 2 (pdf)

Cardinal testas are an extreme example though. But others aren't far off. In study 2 only 4 of the 11 species studied had an LC50 above 1.0 ppm NH3 (converted to ppm from mM).

Tilapia are well known to be very hardy and goldfish can actually detoxify a good amount of ammonia inside their bodies. Cyprinids in general seem a bit more hardy than others.

But most LC studies only expose fish to one stressor. The numbers fall fast when exposed to multiple stressors.

I admit it could have said "many" or "some" fish. But that's not really a big deal.

Edited September 4, 2022 by modified lung

[modified lung]

On 9/4/2022 at 2:37 PM, Pepere said:

I wonder if the corollary is true too with the API wet test.  
 

you mentioned bottle 1 solution is designed to raise ph so all of the ammonia is NH3 free ammonia which bottle 2 detects.

 

can you use just bottle 2 to find out how much NH3 is in your tank?

Theoretically it would work but I've never tried it. You can use the 2nd nitrate bottle to do a nitrite test too but it's a little off.

Edited September 5, 2022 by modified lung

[Tomdobbins]

ME?? IM surprised CORY SIR hasn't run the test himself....Didn't he test them... I HOPE he let's us know what's what.... Maybe THE people who make them know....

[modified lung]

On 9/6/2022 at 11:42 PM, Tomdobbins said:

ME?? IM surprised CORY SIR hasn't run the test himself....Didn't he test them... I HOPE he let's us know what's what.... Maybe THE people who make them know....

If it's a mistake from the manufacturer, he can't be expected to test every batch of strips.

Or he could have intended them to only test unionized ammonia which would be completely fine. But then I'd like to know the reasoning behind the ranges on the color scale on the bottle. He might have a good reason for all I know.

Honestly, if the ACO ammonia strips are working as @Cory intended (meaning they won't change) and I can find a good, cheap way to increase the pH of water samples to 10 which would let me see chronic levels of unionized ammonia, I'd make my employer completely switch over to them. They are otherwise that good.

[Myrium]

On 9/7/2022 at 11:13 AM, modified lung said:

Honestly, if the ACO ammonia strips are working as @Cory intended (meaning they won't change) and I can find a good, cheap way to increase the pH of water samples to 10 which would let me see chronic levels of unionized ammonia, I'd make my employer completely switch over to them. They are otherwise that good.

 @modified lung Thank you (18 months later!) for a very interesting discussion/conclusion regarding NH3 vs (NH3 + NH4+) testing.  Were you ever able to find a cheap, lay person accessible buffer at pH 10 to use for water sampling via the ACO strips?  If so, do you still use it (what's your protocol)?  If not, I'm still glad to have found this thread.  

[Pepere]

On 9/3/2022 at 2:16 PM, Cory said:

I'll inquire with our manufacturer.

Did you ever hear back results from your inquiry on this @Cory?

[Solodude]

great info wish there was more info on what the test strips are testing for on the package 

[Becky412]

On 3/24/2024 at 8:33 AM, Pepere said:

Did you ever hear back results from your inquiry on this @Cory?

Since @Cory has not responded, I would take that as a no, even though inquiring, and concerning, minds would like to know.  I also have wondered why the easy-peasy strip was showing a totally different test result against an API test.   I am sure he is busy, but it would be nice to get an answer - so do we believe our eyes using the strip knowing that there is a range of uncertainty due to pH, or stick with a wet chemical test.  For me, until I see an explanation/response from company, I will continue to use the API even though I know it tests TA and that the NH4 can alter the color change from non-emergent to emergent.   The life and health of my fish depend on me to make decisions that are in their best interest.

[Pepere]

On 6/14/2024 at 5:22 AM, Becky412 said:

For me, until I see an explanation/response from company, I will continue to use the API even though I know it tests TA

I rely on the API ammonia test for that very reason.  I know what it is testing.., Total ammonia… and the test results correlate very well with known ammonia dosing.  Ie if I dose a sample to 4 ppm ammonia using ammonia drops, the API reliably reports consistent results.

 

I had initially questioned the co op strips ammonia reporting when I tested ammonia using the strip after having dosed my tank to2 ppm for a fishless cycling and it didnt register at all.  A sample dosed to 4 ppm  did not change the color on the test strip anywhere near 4 ppm reporting.  My water was under 7 ph and that might very well be the reason if these strips do not test for total ammonia.  
 

Since I dont “know” what these strips are actually testing for I dont have the confidence to use them.

[quikv6]

Is it possible to know what the Co-op strips are testing for? I am sure most that have them purchased them, and I think it would be helpful given the purchases.

I had cloudy water which appeared like a bacterial bloom in a very mature tank. I used the co-op strips, which showed 0 ammonia. (I didn't have a API kit to compare to.) To be honest, I was not confident whatsoever in the result. I have lower than 7 PH as well, and now I am wondering if that was related to the test result being 0.

[Galabar]

My understanding is that at a PH of 8, ammonia (NH3) is only at 10%.  So, the Co-Op test strips won't show much of anything at lower pH.  Of course, at those lower pHs, the ammonium isn't nearly as harmful to fish.  However, it can still be consumed by bacteria (possibly causing a bloom).

[Cory]

My apologies for taking so long to get back on this. The ammonia test strips test for NH3 and NH4+.  Behind the scenes we've been working with the manufacture to try and get an easier product for everyone. Some might have noticed the color chart changed a bit if you've been using multiple bottles over the last year or so. Often times I'm involved in so many projects that reporting back gets lost and my apologies for that.

[Nemo]

On 6/20/2024 at 2:20 AM, Cory said:

The ammonia test strips test for NH3 and NH4+.  

So, to clarify the ammonia test strips test for the Total Ammonia Nitrogen, Ammonia (NH3) plus Ammonium (NH4+)?