NT LABS Aquarium Lab Ammonia Test

NT LABS Aquarium Lab Ammonia Test Description

NT LABS Aquarium Lab Ammonia Test - Ammonia - the main waste product produced by fish as a result of feeding. It can also generate by the decay of uneaten food or decaying organic matter, such as plant leaves. Invisible to the naked eye and its presence or absence cannot be determined by looking at the water alone. Extremely toxic to the fish but broken down into less toxic nitrite by the beneficial bacteria found in the filter. There is no occasion where any ammonia is tolerable. You should maintain a level of zero mg/l (ppm) at all times.

How to use?: 

• Ensure the test tube is clean

• Take a 5 ml sample of water into the test tube

• Add 5 drops of the reagent Ammonia 1, 5 drops of Ammonia 2 and 5 drops of Ammonia 3

• Replace the test tube cap and shake it thoroughly. Wait 10 minutes, then compare the colour of the sample to the colour scale provided. Zero ammonia represented by a yellow colour. Any hint of green in the sample indicates the presence of ammonia in the water

Contents: 40 freshwater tests

Ammonia is a poison - a waste product produced by fish during normal metabolism. Like any waste product, you must remove through excretion to avoid poisoning the body. All living organisms on this planet perform excretion in fact, it's one of the defining characteristics of life. Fish are no different. In most natural habitats, any ammonia produced by fish is immediately diluted by the large volume of water surrounding the fish, but in an aquarium, things are slightly different.

Over time, ammonia levels can rise and become toxic - firstly affecting the fish's gills, then the fins, and finally their organs. It creates a burning sensation and the fish exhibit clear signs of distress. Effects of ammonia poisoning can be long-lasting, but if caught early enough, some effects readily resolve once water quality improves.