Test Kits

API Ammonia Test Kit

Liquid testFreshwater & marine130 tests

The API Ammonia Test Kit measures the one thing most likely to kill fish in a new or overstocked aquarium. Ammonia enters the water from gills, urine, waste and uneaten food; the biological filter normally removes it, and when that falls behind the fish suffer gill damage long before anything is visible. This salicylate-based, mercury-free liquid test reads ammonia from 0 to 8 ppm and comes with separate colour charts for freshwater and saltwater. The kit holds 130 tests, two reagent bottles and a glass test tube.

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Technical details

Test type	Liquid reagent (salicylate, mercury-free)
Parameters	Ammonia (NH3/NH4+)
Range	0 – 8 ppm
Tests per kit	130
Suitable for	Freshwater and saltwater aquariums
In the box	2 reagent bottles, glass test tube, 2 colour charts (fresh and salt), instructions
Made by	Mars Fishcare, USA

The two reagent bottles have identical dropper tips; drops from bottle 2 look larger because the liquid is thicker. That is normal.

What do I do if the test shows ammonia?

Any reading above 0 ppm calls for action the same day. Change 25 – 50% of the water with conditioned water, stop feeding for a day or two, and dose Ammo Lock at 5 ml per 38 litres to detoxify what remains. Then find the cause: a new tank still cycling, a filter that was rinsed in tap water, too many fish added at once, a dead fish behind the decor. In a new tank add Quick Start to build the bacteria that consume ammonia. Test again every day until the reading holds at zero — the chart in the kit shows the colour for each step from 0 to 8 ppm.

Reads the number one killer of aquarium fish

Ammonia is the first toxin to appear in a new tank and the first to spike when a filter fails or a fish dies. At levels a test reads as low it is already burning gill tissue and suppressing the immune system. A reading above zero is the earliest warning you will get, and the cheapest problem to fix.

Salicylate chemistry, no mercury

The test uses a salicylate reaction rather than the older mercury-based Nessler method, so it is safer to handle and reads cleanly in both fresh and salt water. Two bottles of reagent, a measured sample and a short wait produce a colour that matches against the chart for your water type.

Fresh and salt, 130 times

The kit includes a colour chart for freshwater and one for saltwater, because the same ammonia level reads differently in each. With 130 tests it covers a new tank through its cycle with plenty left for the spot checks any keeper needs later.

Frequently asked questions

Can the Ammonia Test Kit be used in a saltwater aquarium?

Yes. The kit is for fresh and salt water and includes a separate colour chart for each, because the same level reads a different shade in marine water.

How often should I test for ammonia?

Every day or two while a tank is cycling or after adding fish, and whenever fish gasp, hide or stop eating. An established, stable tank only needs a check every week or two.

Why are the drops from the second bottle bigger?

The dropper tips are the same; the second reagent is thicker, so its drops look larger. Count drops as instructed and the result is accurate.

Is the Ammonia Test Kit included in the master kits?

Yes. Both the Freshwater and Saltwater Master Test Kits include the ammonia test. Buy this single kit if you only need ammonia, or to extend a master kit that has run out of ammonia reagent.

Is the API Ammonia Test Kit available in South Africa?

Yes — Jungle Aquatics in Fourways, Johannesburg keeps it on the shelf and ships nationwide; live pricing and stock are on jungleaquatics.com.

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South Africa's leading pet and aquarium store since 2007 — with the API range on the floor in Fourways, advice from people who test water every day, and easy ordering from anywhere in the country.

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