Searchem Ammonia Alert

[Izzyf]

Just wondering if anyone has used this product and if it is any good at warning you if ammonia levels get too high? 

[Lennie]

On 6/15/2023 at 12:39 AM, Izzyf said:

Just wondering if anyone has used this product and if it is any good at warning you if ammonia levels get too high? 

I searched soooo many comments before about this. Sadly most people were not satisfied with the results.

Ammonia readings are not something you can risk based on a couple good experience when there is so many comments that don't suggest it. I would suggest going by a test kit. I use Sera's one, it readsboth  ammonia and ammonium

[Pepere]

On 6/14/2023 at 6:24 PM, Lennie said:

Sadly most people were not satisfied with the results.

I have read many comments by people regarding this alert card.  I think most of the comments are driven by peoples misunderstanding as to what this is alerting for.

It alerts for free ammonia, not total ammonia which consists of free ammonia and non toxic Ammonium.  Liquid ammonia tests such as API ammonia tests register total Ammonia which is free ammonia and ammonium.  The ammonia, ammonium ratio varies with temp and ph.

The alert card is a decent tag to keep in the water as an alert.  It would not be my sole testing method.  I would still check total ammonia levels with liquid test kit as an early warning…

I use a CO2 drop checker in every tank in a similar manner to monitor CO2 levels.  I dont rely on it to dial in CO2 levels, but I glance at it as a failsafe.  
 

A grandson must have bumped my CO2 regulator while playing and the yellowing drop checker gave me the heads up to check bubble counter and dial it back…

 

And generally a deep blue bubble counter usually alerts me that the CO2 tank needs to be changed.  My track record at changing the tank before running out has not been that great.

[Guppysnail]

On 6/15/2023 at 7:52 AM, Pepere said:

 I think most of the comments are driven by peoples misunderstanding as to what this is alerting for.

It alerts for free ammonia, not total ammonia which consists of free ammonia and non toxic Ammonium.  Liquid ammonia tests such as API ammonia tests register total Ammonia which is free ammonia and ammonium

Yes I use these especially on fry tanks that are fed heavy or new tanks that were a rush together tank that has not seasoned. 
I am very satisfied with them but do not rely on them as my sole method of testing. 
I agree most folks are unhappy with them because they do not understand what they are testing. 
The free ammonia is the really bad one and that’s what these test. But folks try to verify with a reagent test that tests total ammonia and those readings are much higher so they think the alert cards do not work.