First Test: Seachem ?s

[earlybird]

I mixed a little salt tonight that I plan on testing with my Salifert assortment of tests tomorrow. Tonight I tested my tap and some RO water for nitrates using Seachem nitrate test kit. I have Seachem kits for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH. The rest are Salifert.
I had difficulties reading the tap water. There was color but it looked kind of gray which leads me to believe there is very little but not zero. The RO was very clear which I figure to be 0. Just for kicks I tried the reference sample which read where it claimed, 10.
I believe these tests are in meq/l, does anyone know for sure? If so what is the conversion formula to ppm?
Finally, what's the difference between total and free ammonia?
:notsure:

 

[imfsub12]

Ok i had the same problem.. here is the low down...
You want to use AMMONIA FREE.. This is the one that you want to use.. Don't use Total ammonia.. I called seachem... on this one...
If you need help on the seachem just ask..
Oh and on the Nitrite one MAKE SURE you use 2 little test tubes of water to the BOTTOM of the BULB.. as the directions arn't really stright forward..

 

[moneyman]

Ammonia testing is done using mg/L unit. When a liquid is water, 1 ppm = 1 mg/L.
meq/l is only used to measure alkalinity.
Ammonia level reported by test kits is ammonium (NH4+) + free ammonia (NH3). Ammonium is harmess to fish because it stay within the water. On the other hand, free ammonia is deadly for fish because it will enter the blood stream. The concentration of NH4+ and NH3 is dictated by the pH and the temperature of the water. Low pH & temperature will decrease the concentration of free ammonia.

 

[imfsub12]

Oh for got the test are in meq/l . I have been reading and this is a better standard than the PPM more acurate some books say.. but its really not that far of ppm..
As 1.00 mg/l woud would be like 0.9756 ppm so its really only a diff of 2.5 %...

 

[imfsub12]

Oh and I don't test for my Total ammonia.. not sure if i have to but seachem said dont' relly have to.. so i dont'....

 

[earlybird]

Originally Posted by MoneyMan
Ammonia testing is done using mg/L unit. When a liquid is water, 1 ppm = 1 mg/L.
meq/l is only used to measure alkalinity.
:notsure: I'm pretty sure it said meq/l but it was vague in how it was mentioned.

 

[imfsub12]

the ammonia test is MG/L.. just read it off my instructions...
what i do is take the little disks (the yellow hole punch) and place it in the dish.. but i do use 2 of them and place them in there own little dish (i marked on the 3 of the dishes.. 1 for ammonia 1 for trates and 1 for PH/alk..) so you dont' mix them up...
oh the reason for doing 2 of the ammonia test is that i had one read bad one day. so i run 2 at a time.. remember they dont' go bad... just put them back in with the little jelly things and it will replenish them..
If you need any more info ask as it took me a while to figure out...

 

[earlybird]

Thanks. I have not played with the ammonia yet so I'm not sure what the disks are but I'm sure I'll find out.
I was surprised to find that my tap doesn't contain much if any nitrate. Couldn't find a good color match, I describe it as "kind of gray" but clear.

 

[imfsub12]

what i do so i have something to match it to.. is put water in 2 of the little bowls.. side by side.. then you have something for referance.. when you see what you are looking at..
but i run my nitrite first then do my nitrates after.. in the same sample..