false positive on ammonia. what do i do?

ok i have API test kits and i did a test on ammonia nitrite and nitrate with fresh RO water and salt mix. nitrite came back negative, as with nitrate but my ammonia came back at between .25 and .50. so now what do i do? my lfs that tests only uses test stripes and they always come back bad. all my corals are doing fine and my first sps isnt looking bad either (still new to them and kinda confused, thanks steve for helping me with light acclimation! i had no idea what to do!). so my question is do i trust the test kits for everything except ammonia? just a tad bit confused.

 

Bump!!!

 

I think you have a bad kit. Get another one and check the manufacturer date. If the kit is over one year old don't buy it.

 

k can i trust the nitrate and nitrite?

 

I'm not sure why you are testing for ammonia in fresh mixed water but it is common for ammonia to be present when first mixed. Aerate for a while and the ammonia disappears, bound up in other compounds.

 

so i need to aerate it before i put it into my tank?

 

I've never used fresh salt mix. Probably the soonest I might use it could be about 8 hours after mixing, although I know people have used fresh mix in emergency situations.
By putting an air line or power head, or both, into fresh mix salt water, you help to complete the chemical changes that occur when adding the salt to the water. I don't think it takes a very long time but I've not bothered to test to find out as I've never had to use it sooner.
If you do use it immediately after mixing, I can't see that it will be a big problem in your tank unless you were doing an almost complete change, as the ammonia level would reduce upon addition to the tank, as well as the water movements will help complete the mixing process. Then too, the biological filter will most likely handle anything that would be there.
While I have used in less time, I prefer to let my water sit at least for overnight times of 12 hours or more.

 

it is generally recommended you let fresh mixed saltwater sit (at a minimum) for 24 hours. If you aerate it (bubbler or powerhead) you can let it sit for 8-12 hours instead.

Not sure on the ammonia reading in fresh mixed (never tested) but I would recommend testing again after it has set for a day and see if the test comes back better. And then make a decision on what needs to be done.

 

why should i let it sit? i just mix and do a water change. does that hurt something?

 

It allows for stabilization of the mix prior to going in the tank. Most manufacturers suggest you aerate your mix at least an hour before adding to your tank. If you have the space do it for 24 hours.