ammonia results/test kits

[jackdp]

I have a 20L FO tank with cc on an UG filter and a tetratec external filter. The tank has been going for almost 2 weeks with 2 damsel fish in it that are doing fine. Now for the question, I bought one of those nifty seachem ammonia alert badges that sits inside the tank...do they really work? I've been testing the water daily since intro of fish and the tetra testkit I use shows ammonia approaching 1-1.5mg/l however the ammonia alert shows very little ammonia (like .2mg/l). It has been this way since the get go. The nitrites are low in the .3mg/l range and the pH is about 8.0. Water temp is 78F What am I missing?

 

[almarktool]

well with a 20 gal tank it looks like your amonia is on it's way up and u are about ready to start the cycle, i would not have put any fish in could have done the same with raw shrimp , not familar with the amonia alert gadget i would trust your test kit

 

[almarktool]

also when did u start your tank 2 weeks ago ? or sometime before that, would help if we knew your set up filter set up LR and LS etc,
Ps welcome to the board u will find lot's of great info and advice here

 

[jackdp]

The tank is a 20gal long, right now I have an undergravel filter running with about 1-2" crushed coral. I am also using a tetra-tec hang on power filter. Right now there is now live rock, will it hurt to add the rock now, or should I wait until ammonia and nitrites start to fall? Ya, I'm wishing I hadn't put the fish in there first, I had a book and that was the only way it said to get the cycle started, using any other organic waste never occurred to me. I should've checked here 1st.

 

[almarktool]

well u should try to take the fish back to the fish store u say there is LR right now u mean in the tank ? that is fine your bacteria / biological filter will build on that so yes keep / or put the LR in the tank