API Ammonia Test Kit

 

The Ammonia Test Kit contains two reagents, the two reagents contain:

https://www.apifishcare.com/pdf/API_LIQUID_AMMONIA_TEST_SOLUTION_1-2.pdf polyethylene glycol, sodium nitroprusside, sodium salicylate

https://www.apifishcare.com/pdf/API_LIQUID_AMMONIA_TEST_SOLUTION_2-2.pdf sodium hydroxide, sodium hypochlorite

Ammonia compounds (total ammonia is the sum of ammonia (NH3) and the ammonium ion (NH4+)   combine with the sodium hypochlorite to form monochloramine. Monochloramine reacts with salicylate to form 5-aminosalicylate. The 5-aminosalicylate is oxidized in the presence of a sodium nitroprusside catalyst to form a blue-colored compound (salicylic acid analog of indophenol blue). The blue color is masked by the yellow color from the excess reagent present to give a final green-colored solution. The resulting color is directly proportional to the concentration of ammonia present.

You are able to calculate the proportion of the unionized ammonia (toxic) vs. ionized ammonia using the result for total ammonia, but this is a complicated equation because temperature and salinity are also factors. I would recommend, as a begineer, using online tools/calculators instead to make sure the math is correct.

This would be a good example of one: https://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/FreeAmmonia.php

Choose Total Ammonia Type as NH (NH3 + NH4) and adjust salinity (can use TDS or conductivity).

The NH3 result would be your toxic ammonia and the sublethal about of this compound is 0.05 ppm, so do try to keep it under this amount for optimum health of the fish.

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