Ammonia Tests - Confused!?

[TwoTankAmin]

I would suggest folks Google "Murphy's Law" it will provide the answer to daizeuk's experience.

 

[daizeUK]

Haha we've got another name for that law in the UK, it's a bit shorter and sweeter
 
I do wonder whether there are a fair few people unwittingly using Salifert kits and thinking they've got perfect water when actually the kit just isn't working.

 

[fm1978]

I trust that you know far more about this subject than I do, but, I can't help thinking there must be a difference in both the tests since the Salifert has only 1 reagent compared to the 2 of the API kit. That point alone cries out that they must be slightly different.
 
Anyway, I think what I might do is buy a few more different tests and see what results I get. I need to know what's going on especially since I'm doing a fish-in cycle!
 
Thank you everyone for the help and advice so far!

Haha we've got another name for that law in the UK, it's a bit shorter and sweeter

 
I do wonder whether there are a fair few people unwittingly using Salifert kits and thinking they've got perfect water when actually the kit just isn't working.

 
Hehe, that's true!
 
Should there not be some way of finding out if the kit is faulty? A self calibrating test? A test for the test, so to speak?

 

[daizeUK]

Hmm you're right, I thought I remembered my Salifert tests using 2 reagents but it just uses the same one twice.  I'm guessing it has somehow mixed the two reagents into the same bottle.
 
A calibrating test would simply be a known concentration of ammonia solution, it is possible to make or buy them.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Salifert makes more than one ammonia kit.
 

 
 

 
I think there is a third but I can't find it fast now. Their site has been under construction since the first time I went there in the past year.
 
Bur I assume somewhere in the directions it will tell you if its Nessler or Salicylate based.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I copied this from a thread in the scientific section:
 

Low ammonium levels can be determined in FIA by using the salicylate method. The salicylate method is a variation of the Berthelot-Phenate method but does not require the use and disposal of toxic phenol. The salicylate method involves a three-step reaction sequence. The first reaction step involves the conversion of ammonia to monochloroamine by the addition of chlorine. The monochloroamine then reacts with salicylate to form 5-aminosalicylate. Finally, the 5-aminosalicylate is oxidized in the presence of sodium nitroferricyanide to form a blue-green colored dye that absorbs light at 650nm.

From http/www.flowinjec...ds/ammonia.aspx