# Will ammonia still register on an API test kit if using Prime?



## ridethespiral (Aug 5, 2010)

Prime doesn't effect the reading of API ammonia test


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

If the API test kit is salicylate based (which I believe it is), it should still be able to detect the ammonia, despite it being bound by Prime.


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## ReefkprZ (Aug 21, 2010)

ridethespiral said:


> Prime doesn't effect the reading of API ammonia test


yes and no. API test kits will show ammonia even if it is bound by prime being salicylate based it wont show only dangerous ammonia but will show all ammonia even if Prime has detoxified it. so yes the kit will read ammonia if it is present even if the ammonia is currently non-toxic. so it can be misleadng in the fact that you wont know how much ammonia is toxic and how much is effectively neutralized, so yes it will show ammonia levels if you have dosed with prime what it wont show is how much of it is toxic. 

but pill as long as you've got a zero reading your fine. you just cant rely on the kit to tell you how much toxic ammonia you have if your dosing prime. so you cant base a dose for detox on any reading you get from that kit. and I also want to point out that API test kits are notorious for giving a 0.05 false positive on ammonia.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

Are you sure?

I believe salicylate test kits only show free ammonia, whereas Nessler test kits show both ammonia and bound ammonium ions (total ammonia).

As such, wouldn't the API salicylate based ammonia test kit only test for free ammonia? In addition, if Prime binds the ammonia, one would imagine that the salicylate test kit would still be able to detect (free) ammonia, but not the molecules bound by Prime.


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## ReefkprZ (Aug 21, 2010)

API make both types. the freshwater/salt water test kit is salycilate and the plain freswater kit is nessler. I should have explained that damn painkiller makibng my head foggy. and yes the salicylate is the one that only shows safe ammonia. the nessler shows both types. sorry. I half stupid from the painkillers I hate these damn things.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

Salicylate tests read in shades of yellow and orange, not green, if I remember. One bottle of reagent. 

Nessler reads in shades of yellow into green, and is the two-bottle test. 

For best results use the test kit made by the same company as Prime. That way they should clear up any problems on the label. 

Anyway. reading of 0 ppm ammonia is good. 
Whether there is no ammonia (the tear out produced so little that the plants and bacteria removed it before you got out the test kit)
or the ammonia is locked up (Prime is doing its job)
either is good. 
Keep testing for a few days to be sure.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

I am pretty sure Nessler test kits measure in shades of brown, and not yellow/green.

Salicylate test kits measure from yellow to green.


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