Ammonia in new saltwater?

[Koop]

Is it possible for newly made saltwater to have ammonia in it?

I use RO/DI water with 0 TDS

I use Reef crystals.

I tested my quarantine tank and showed .25 ammonia. My blue tang was looking stressed. I did a 40% water change and retested with the same result. So I tested the new water and....... it showed .25 ammonia. Can the test go bad after a while?

Thanks

 

[tinfoilsoldier]

Test kits definitely have expiration dates, did yours expire?

The date is on the cardboard box for Red Sea tests, but I also write it on the plastic storage box so I remember.

I should be good until 2018, but I'm not sure if I'll use every test by then.

Did it test 0.25 both times? Or one 0.25 and one 25?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Tapatalk

 

[mcgyvr]

API test? They are notorious for reading ammonia when its not there..
and yes.. test kits most certainly have an expiration date..

 

[dallen2233]

I would suspect your test kit. Was your test tube or tray cleaned thoroughly?

 

[joeybemate]

Your avatar got me good haha I tried to wipe it off! And yeah as others are saying - what test kit are you using and how old is it?

If your RO water had no ammonia, it isn't possible to get any ammonia in your newly made water (unless you contaminated your salt with it somehow, which I'm guessing you didn't).

 

[snorvich]

API test? They are notorious for reading ammonia when its not there..
and yes.. test kits most certainly have an expiration date..

This.

 

[Ztous]

I have two API ammonia tests, both not expired and they both do this. They will always read .25 or so weather it's tank water or fresh RODI.

 

[scooter31707]

I agree, probably the false reading from API test kit. Once the cycle is complete, I like to start using Salifert and Red Sea for testing. IMO, API is only good for cycling.