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Your cart is empty. This kit measures total (NH3 and NH4+) and free ammonia (NH3 only) down to less than 0.05 mg/L and is virtually interference free in marine and fresh water. Free ammonia is the toxic form of ammonia (vs. ionized Ammonia NH4+ which is non-toxic) and thus it is much more important to keep an eye on the level of free ammonia in your system.
This kit is based on the same gas exchange technology that is used in the Ammonia Alert® and thus is the only kit on the market that can read levels of free ammonia while using ammonia removal products such as Prime®, Safe™, AmGuard™ and any similar competing products. The other kits (salicylate or Nessler based) determine the total ammonia by raising the pH of the test solution to 12 or greater. At this high pH all ammonia removal products will breakdown and rerelease the ammonia, thus giving you a false ammonia reading.
Kilman
Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2024
This is a ridiculously complicated test kit. I have a PhD in chemical engineering and worked in research labs for years and still found it way too complicated. I was looking for something more sensitive than test strips and was expecting this to be a solution based test where you add some drops of a reagent to a vial of water and compare the color change to a calibrated scale. Instead, the test uses "sensors", which are tiny round discs the size of a paper hole punch. You get six sensors, which are packed in a screw top vial of some slimy substance that regenerates them from one test to the next. You have to pick them up with included tweezers, which isn't easy to do without damaging them. You place them in a little chamber with several drops of aquarium water and wait 15-30 minutes for a color change. But I never achieved consistent results, even with the included standard ammonia verification sample. The color change of the discs was splotchy, not uniform and difficult to compare against the color scale. I tested the standard ammonia sample several times and got different results each time. If I can't confidently test a known sample, I sure can't trust the test for my unknown aquarium samples. I've been pleased with other Seachem tests, but I can't recommend this one. I sent it back to Amazon and am using a different test kit now.
Bruna Yumi Ongaro
Reviewed in Sweden on May 19, 2023
Ok, does its job
SldgXXDz
Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2020
I’ve gotten pretty solid results testing free ammonia with this kit. It has proven to be more sensitive than my Seachem Ammonia Alert disk, and I’ve seen changes in free ammonia results after using Prime and doing water changes. However the total ammonia color reading is totally off. I’ve tested this both on tap and tank water. My disks turn shades of purple which don’t correspond with the color chart at all. I’ve been relying on my API test kit for total ammonia readings, which seem accurate with tap and tank water. For reference, the pictures attached are for total ammonia readings. This same water reads .25 ppm to .5 ppm on my API test kit, which seems much more accurate. Not sure if I got faulty disks or not.Two confusing notes on the instructions. First, it says to “rinse the disks” when you are done. It doesn’t specify what type of water to rinse with. I just use water from my fridge filter, which is not distilled, but better than tap. After emailing Seachem, they said that distilled is ideal, but tap will do if that's all you have. Secondly, when testing for total ammonia it says to add a drop to the water being tested. It doesn’t specify whether to do this before or after you drop in the disk, on the disk, or if the disk should be submerged or not, etc. Playing it safe I add the drop after the disk, but not on it, and let the disk float naturally. I wish the instructions would be more specific. Edit: After emailing with Seachem, they said to add the drop after the disk, not on the disk, and to "swirl" the disk around to submerge it. The submerging and swirling is not on the instructions, so I wanted to share.Overall I’m grateful to have a free ammonia test on hand, but I wish my kit would be accurate for total ammonia as well.
Cliente
Reviewed in Spain on June 5, 2020
Bueno
gc
Reviewed in Italy on October 6, 2019
Testato più volte anche con acqua comprata, ma segnala sempre presenza di ammonio! Non sembra affidabile.
Pisces51
Reviewed in the United States on October 6, 2018
I bought this test kit from SEACHEM because I wanted to quantitate the amount of free ammonia in my tank. It is to my knowledge the only test kit on the market that will determine this accurately. I had been using SEACHEM's AMMONIA ALERT in my 37 gallon tank for some time and it was consistently showing us that the PRIME was doing it's job. But there is something to be said for reassurance. I have read criticisms about this test, particularly it being inaccurate or not user friendly. Well, it is accurate, but it does take patience, reading the directions, and carrying out each step as directed. I was not disappointed in the test kit and it gave me peace of mind that I likely did not really need per se, but made me feel better emotionally knowing that everything was as it was expected to be. SEACHEM stands head and shoulders above their competitors in our opinion. I might add that their CUSTOMER SUPPORT is unparalleled. That is a superlative that I do not toss around lightly, and it is the honest truth. They are a company that you can trust and depend upon explicitly for instructions on their products but also in providing necessary technical advice. In our case, without them I honestly do not know where we would we today, certainly not with live, thriving fish in a healthy tank. KUDOS to SEACHEM.
Customer
Reviewed in India on March 13, 2016
very good product and recommended for aquarium lover
Rebecca Raufuss
Reviewed in Canada on April 10, 2016
great test kit for an awesome price!!
wz25
Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2012
This is a must-have complement to an all-in-one kit, such as API's master test kit. Much easier to use than it may first appear-- the most challenging part is handling the sensors, which tend to stick to the metal forceps (static-- wetting the forceps helps). The free ammonia assay is as simple as pipetting 1 mL of sample into a well (label the dish with a permanent Sharpie) and dropping in a sensor. Total ammonia involves one additional step before adding the sensor (add the total ammonia reagent).A properly controlled assay for free and total ammonia requires at least four wells, since you want to control for your conditioned tap water (or whatever source you use). Since each run takes at least 15 minutes, you might as well use wells 5-6 for additional tests (the positive total ammonia control and perhaps a straight/unconditioned tap water test).Once finished, get a small bowl/cup full of clean water and drop the sensors in to rinse them. Then, pick them out and put them back in the container to dry, and they should return to their original yellow color overnight, even if you close the container lid.A few other tips:1. Keep a cup/bowl of clean water close by to rinse your forceps.2. The sensors can be tricky to handle, so place them by the side of the well(s) and use a wooden toothpick to push them in; this ensures the reactions start at essentially the same time.3. Take a picture with the scale, all on a white background with homogeneous lighting. You can then use Image J or Photoshop/similar program to semi-quantitate values, rather than eyeballing them.4. Get a pair of quality forceps. Wiha has many offerings-- makes a huge difference in handling the sensors.
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