# Ammonia Meter



## danifacetastic

I just bought a meter at Petsmart that you put in your tank and it turns colors like a test strip would according to the levels of ammonia in your water. It says it lasts for up to a year. Any good or no?


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## iamgray

What brand is it? I have one by Mardel. I find it's somewhat accurate, however I've done tests on it and it takes awhile to register a change - it was showing ammonia in my tank and wasn't fading back to yellow after significant water changes. So I took it out and put it in a glass of water just after lunch, and by the time I went home from work it still hadn't changed (so, at least 4 hours later). When i got back in the morning, it had gone back to yellow. Then when I put it back in, it took all day to register that there was ammonia in the tank. So I went and got a liquid test kit. I find the monitor is great to have in the long term, because if you don't test your water it will prompt you to do so, but if you're looking for instant results, stick with a liquid kit and find out what your ammonia level is in 5 minutes instead of 4+ hours.


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## danifacetastic

I'm just trying to use it like...as soon as it shows the slightest bit of ammonia change my water that day or the next day so should it be okay for that?


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## Romad

What size tank? Once your tank is cycled, depending on the size, a weekly water change of 25 - 30% is sufficient. For small tanks you'd have to do them more often. I'd stick with the liquid test kit to see where you're at each week.


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## danifacetastic

It's a ten gallon. I planned on doing a 50% water change once a week.


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## MukiTheFish

Any chance you're talking about AmmoniaAlert by Seachem ?

That one works great for me. I cycled with it, along with liquid tests and the resaults were very similar.
For that one, it takes almost no time at all (under a minute) to change the colour if there is ammonia present, but it does take a few hours to go back to yellow once the ammonia is gone.


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## danifacetastic

Do you keep it in your tank all the time?


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## MukiTheFish

danifacetastic said:


> Do you keep it in your tank all the time?


Yep. It's been in there for 3 months now. No issues. Although it is recommended to change it every 6 month rather then a year to play safe.


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## Tomsk

I do a 50% w/c on my cycled 10 gallon once a week and thats a healthy tank.

Tomsk


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## small fry

Perhaps the product varies from tank to tank, but it (AmmoniaAlert) wasn't accurate in Tony's tank. It was always yellow, even when the ammonia rose to .3ppm (I thought it was lower because of the meter.

I gave it to my brother for his goldfish tank. The ammonia was over 1ppm, but the meter showed it was at 0ppm.

This product never changed for me, whether the ammonia was at 0ppm or 1ppm, always bright yellow.:-?


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## MukiTheFish

It could be that yours was simply not working. 
I suggest you try holding the indicator above a bottle of ammonia, it should turn purple right away.

You do have to keep in mind that liquid tests show sum of NH3 + NH4 and the AmmoniaAlert only shows NH3, which is the toxic one. Nevertheless, when I was cycling with AmmoniaAlert and liquid tests the indicator was green on 0,5 ammonia test.


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## small fry

That is a very good point. I use Prime in the tanks, and Prime only gets rid of the harmful ammonia, and my test shows both.


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## LasColinasCichlids

I use the AmmoniaAlert by Seachem in my tanks. For me it works great!! Been using it for about 5-6 months now and it still accuratly reports and it also quickly registers for me after the ammonia has been changed to nitrite/nitrate as 0ppm. 

I find it to be a great product. I also have the pH one, not thrilled with it. Stopped registering after like 2 weeks. The pH one is suppose to last 6 months, and the ammonia one is suppose to last 12 months. I would invest in the ammonia one again when time comes as it has been very beneficial for me in many different circumstances.


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## SeaHorse

Good Thread!! Thank you! I did not know this type of item existed. I think there is a great application to use such an item !! Since there is a constant danger of our Municipallities dumping chlorine in the spring/summer to combat things in the city water system. After thinking you are doing the right thing by doing a water change and you have quick death shortly after!! You would be alerted and can use extra dechlor. I'm going to go get me one!!!!!!


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## LasColinasCichlids

Jakiebabie said:


> Good Thread!! Thank you! I did not know this type of item existed. I think there is a great application to use such an item !! Since there is a constant danger of our Municipallities dumping chlorine in the spring/summer to combat things in the city water system. After thinking you are doing the right thing by doing a water change and you have quick death shortly after!! You would be alerted and can use extra dechlor. I'm going to go get me one!!!!!!


A solo pack of just the ammonia reader is like $6 USD at Petsmart, or you can buy the duel pack of the ammonia and pH alert for $12 USD at Petsmart. 

Good Luck, and I hope you can reep the benefits of it!!!


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## SeaHorse

Actually lets hope I never have to use it!!! LOL


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## SinCrisis

my snails started to eat that dot in the middle that shows colors, just fyi for all, its apparently edible.


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## Mikaila31

I've had one before and the behavior of the fish will alert you about ammonia long before the dot changes color. There is also the reason of why do you need it? Unless your majorly messing with a tank a mature balance tank should never have an ammonia problem....


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## redchigh

I agree... I don't think I would use it. I'd be afraid of trusting it..

Fish gasping at the surface, glance at the ammonia reader.. Green... Can't be the ammonia, so its the last thing I would test.

I don't really see the point of it either, because of what Mikaila said. Ammonia should never be an issue, unless your tank is seriously overstocked or you mess up your filter bacteria..


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## LasColinasCichlids

For me it is something I used a lot when I re-aquascaped and changed substrate, and had the fish in a small temp set up with the plants and wanted a quick way to keep tabs for the needs of a water change while I was busy dealing with their tank. 

I also used it when I set up my 15g for the first time...even though it was highly seeded and fully planted, I wanted to make sure it was enough. Twice in the first couple of days the ammonia did spike to .02 ppm but quickly went down in like 15mins. It worked great for what I need it for. 

It also is great to have on a tank to keep check after you add a few additional fish to an established tank, as it never hurts to be safe since I already have the alert I might as well feel like I have a reason to get my money's worth out of it. 

I currently have it in my 29g tank as at the moment I dont have anything I need it for, but its there just in case and if I ever re-aquascape or change substrates in the next few months...which I have NO plans on doing!! LOL

Its a good product if you have the need for it. But no, on an established tank that is not having stock added then there isnt a total for it, unless you want it, or like jakiebabie is concerned about additives in her city water that could cause ammonia, or those who have ammonia out of the tap who just want to be extra safe.


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## SinCrisis

I think its more of a "peace of mind" thing to have.


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## LasColinasCichlids

That too.


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## 1077

Mikaila31 said:


> I've had one before and the behavior of the fish will alert you about ammonia long before the dot changes color. There is also the reason of why do you need it? Unless your majorly messing with a tank a mature balance tank should never have an ammonia problem....


+one


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## Mikaila31

SinCrisis said:


> I think its more of a "peace of mind" thing to have.


But the time lag is insufficient to be of any help.... by the time it registers a stick your fish will be showing signs hours before. So IMO it doesn't do anything. A ammonia test takes 5 minuets and fish will be showing signs within minuets of an ammonia spike. That dot never changed for me in the advertized 15 minuets it was suppose to. IMO it more of a risk then anything, more likely to give you a false negative in the event of an ammonia spike. Someone also mentioned how it only detected NH3 and not NH4+. NH4+ is less-toxic but NOT non-toxic and either should never be present in a balanced mature tank. If you use something like Prime with the Ammonia alert its not likely that you will ever see it change color even during a long ammonia spike because Prime coverts NH3 to NH4+. So your back to relying entirely on test kits. The only thing the ammonia alert will tell you is a true or false negative, its up to you to decide with it is;-). For the $8 it costs I would of rather bought some buckets....


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## SinCrisis

Peace of mind doesnt have to do with actual efficiency, regardless of if it works or not it just makes you feel better. Like I have seen people ask ridiculous questions about planes to flight attendants because they're nervous and the answers calm then down, but in the air, regardless of what they know, if the plane is falling theres nothing you can do about it...


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## LasColinasCichlids

Not all of the alerts are as quick to register, but some are. They usually are slower to go back to 0ppm than they are to register a spike. 

For me its a good product that I have found useful for me in the past. Would I buy it again? I sure would. Why? Because it works for what I want it for. 

Everyone has their opinions on the pros and cons of a product and different reasons they would or wouldnt use it. This is a product review, meaning how the product performs, its uses, its drawbacks... if you dont use it because of whatever reason, thats fine, but I still feel others are entitled to not feel like an ignorant or bad fish keeper by not having the time or experience to sit and watch their fish for signs of an ammonia spike. I know I personally dont always sit and watch my fish on a regular basis like I wish I could. I manage to feed them twice a day and turn their lights on and off every day and thats about it for daily stuff. So, I like the idea that while I am watching my 14 month old nephew I know that if I glance across the room at my ammonia alert I can feel better knowing that things are okay in the tank for the time being... has it ever had to register ammonia on my 29g that it is usually in? No, it hasnt. Its an established tank and I do keep up with my routine water changes and other upkeeps, so there isnt a reason I should have an ammonia spike, but as others have pointed out, I like knowing its there just in case, and I *dont* feel like I am wasting my money.


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## Mikaila31

SinCrisis said:


> Peace of mind doesnt have to do with actual efficiency, regardless of if it works or not it just makes you feel better. Like I have seen people ask ridiculous questions about planes to flight attendants because they're nervous and the answers calm then down, but in the air, regardless of what they know, if the plane is falling theres nothing you can do about it...


Yes but what I was trying to get at is that 'peace of mind' can dig you down into a hole where things end up worse because of it... 

I'm an extremely laid-back mellow individual, its rare for me to get nervous or worry about things. I don't do any testing or monitoring of any of my tanks on even a semi-regular basis. I have not done an ammonia test this year yet. Usually just compare levels between tanks a few times a year. Even my filterless 'el natural' tank is not monitored for anything regularly. If something was off the fish would show it right away. If you find it helpful then thats all that matters I guess. Just be aware all it may give you is a false sense of security.


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## SeaHorse

I just want to thank you everyone for giving your valid opiinions of this item. I don't know if I will buy one, I certainly wish to see what it looks like. 
Lots of pro's and con's, and I see that there are many types of fish keepers with very different habits. 
I think it would make more sense if it had an alarm like the one on the sump pump when the water level gets too high. A screamer! So if I do a water change in the morning and go off to do stuff around the house...or office, often I don't get back to the living room/tank until after dinner.


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## redchigh

that would be a good invention!
Or, even better, it sends you a text message.


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## SinCrisis

Or how about it just changes your water for you...  that would be the greatest ammonia meter ever...


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## redchigh

Someone built something like that... Not triggered by ammonia, but they set up an IV bag of dechlorinator, tubing to drain, and tubing leading to a faucet.. Averaged out to about a 40% water change a week.


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## SinCrisis

a faucet dedicated to the aquarium? thats pretty dedicated of them...


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## Mikaila31

SinCrisis said:


> a faucet dedicated to the aquarium? thats pretty dedicated of them...


Just wait till you see a private fish room... one room with 20+ tanks. A semi-automated water system with PVC pipes from water line to each tank for filling then a pipe from each tank to drain. Turn some knobs and you have a water change.


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## Ruffers99

This was an interesting thread, I looked around and found this seneye device. Has anyone seen this or had any experience with it?


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