Aquarium Co Op Amonia test strips

[Ryan1988]

Hey Everyone,

I bought the aquarium co op test strips but it seems like there is never a color change. This is a new aquarium which has been running for about a week and it was pre seeded (very little) from my smaller older tank. I was expecting some ammonia to show up or some color change on the test strip? Are these strips accurate? Below is the current status of the tank, all plants were planted today. The cloudy ness could be from the crushed coral but i'm not entirely sure on that. 

[AllFishNoBrakes]

Have you added an ammonia source?

[Ryan1988]

@AllFishNoBrakes No, not really. just squeezed the old tanks pre filter sponge out into it and added some easy green for the plants. 

[AllFishNoBrakes]

Test strips can’t detect ammonia if there is no ammonia. 
 

Based on the bacteria from the filters you squeezed in there, you should add an ammonia source, and then see how long the bacteria takes to fully convert that ammonia. Also, that bacteria will need to eat (ammonia and nitrite), so you’ll need some form of ammonia. Either from fish, adding ammonia from a bottle, ammonia from rotting fish food, etc. 

[Myrium]

@Ryan1988 A quick test you can do to see if the strips are working is to dilute some household ammonia into a glass (i.e., NOT your aquarium) and dip a new test strip in that.  If you get a color change, you know the strips are working.  

If you want to be fancy, you can dilute the ammonia precisely to a known concentration (by doing 1 part ammonia and ___ parts water) and check if the strip turns to the correct color, but that's overkill.  

[USCG CWO]

I had a batch of Co Op test strips that wouldn't change color either. Like NO color change at all. I know the tank had ammonia as it had been running for about 3 weeks. I also used a competitors test to confirm when I couldn't get any color change. I contacted the Co Op and they are sending me a new batch of test strips. I'll try the new ones and see if they work. Maybe a bad batch???

[Ladette]

I honestly can’t figure them out lol I’m sure it’s user error but I never have any change in color so I went back to the api test kit and that showed that there was ammonia in the tank. I know that nothing is exactly accurate but I’m gonna keep trying the strips because I love their multi test strips

[Eno]

I have cycled a few tanks testing with the co-op test strips. Seems to always pick up ammonia.

[Ryan1988]

@AllFishNoBrakes Honestly I think its a bad batch since I just tried it on the smaller 20gal that i've had for 3 years and no color change there. the 0 (safe) on the bottle is a slight green from the base yellow pad. 

[Pepere]

Try reading this thread.

 

https://forum.aquariumcoop.com/topic/26604-finding-the-problem-with-aco-ammonia-test-strips/#comment-244204

[AllFishNoBrakes]

Do you have an API liquid test kit to test it against? Honestly, I prefer the liquid test and I personally believe it to be more accurate. The strips are a nice way to get a quick reading, but the liquid test takes more effort and time. 
 

Totally could be a bad batch, or could be that you don’t have any ammonia (in a tank that you haven’t added an ammonia source to, and one that’s been established for 3 years that shouldn’t have any ammonia) 🤷‍♂️