# ammona tests results are FunkY



## vinnycaz (Jul 22, 2003)

yo, i know my tank is cycled, but i did a water change and moved some stuff around in the tank yesterday, when i checked the ammonia today, itwas very high, then a brown gunk precipitated out of the solution and seteld o nthe bottome, any idea as to what that is? p's seem to be happy.


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## mmmike247 (Jul 22, 2003)

contamination.....


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## vinnycaz (Jul 22, 2003)

solution????


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## Death in #'s (Apr 29, 2003)

do u do gravel vac's :rock:


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## vinnycaz (Jul 22, 2003)

ya, once a week, i dont know whats goin on, the ammonia level looks real bad after i add test drops, then 10 mins later, the sample looks clear except there is a gunk tha setled on bottom of cuvette


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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

Any chunks of left-over food that got stuck under rocks/wood/plants?


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## vinnycaz (Jul 22, 2003)

the water is clear (no solids) and colorless when i take it from the tank...when i add my ammonia test drops, a high level of ammonia is detected (indicated by clear, yellow color) but quickly precipitates (solid formed) a brown sludge. dontknow whats up, i checked my nitrites and their 0 ppm...i am clueless!














props to anyone who can clearify this one...


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## DonH (Jan 25, 2003)

What do you use to condition your water? AmQuel or Ammo-Lock? Using the wrong type of ammonia test kit with these products will yield false high readings and might also have cloudiness or precipitate in the test.


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## vinnycaz (Jul 22, 2003)

i was using amquel to remove the ammonia in the tank. do u think that could be the porblem?//? whatever- my biggest worry is whether the fish aer safe or not, if there is a 0 ppm nitrite level, is it safe to assume ammonia levels are safe? thanks


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## DonH (Jan 25, 2003)

> i was using amquel to remove the ammonia in the tank. do u think that could be the porblem?


Yes, buy an ammonia test kit that uses salicylate reagents if you use 
AmQuel.



> if there is a 0 ppm nitrite level, is it safe to assume ammonia levels are safe?


No, that's not a safe assumption... Overfeeding, suddenly adding a large number of fish, or killing/removing your nitrifiers will cause an ammonia spike even if initial nitrite readings are zero.


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