Table of Contents
Introduction
Okay, we could have tested more than just four. But some companies don’t even make ammonia tests, and some companies are just so obscure that it didn’t make sense. Plus, some are just flat out expensive.
So we chose the four most commonly used ammonia test kits on the market. You can find these at Marine Depot, Amazon, or other online stores.
I had never used the Salifert or Seachem test kit before, and needless to say, well, probably not needless actually… I didn’t like them as much. I fully admit that a large part of this may just be testing bias. I like the ones I’ve used before. But I tried to separate my opinions as much as possible.
Oh, and another thing. Evidently I totally did the Seachem test kit wrong. After publishing the video below, I was responding to the comments at the MD website, and a super kind person told me how to do it correctly. So if you watch the video, please note that the Seachem test does work… I just did it wrong!
We’re going to look at and rate each test kit on the following categories:
- Price per test-
- # of tests
- Wait time
- Ease of use
- Readability
- Quality and durability
- Best characteristic
- Worst Characteristic
And at the end, we’ll continue the opine and give you our thoughts on the following:
- Least expensive
- Highest quality
- Easiest to read
- Easiest to use
Happy reading, but if you are looking for something specific, just click on the links below!
Ammonia Test Kits
API
- Price per test– $0.04 to $0.08
- # of tests– 130
- Wait time– 5 minutes
- Ease of use– Moderate
- Readability– Moderately difficult
- Quality and durability– Moderately durable
- Best characteristic– Price & volume of tests included
- Worst Characteristic– Leaky vials
Price– For anybody on a budget, I would not hesitate to recommend API. Not only is the ammonia test kit super affordable, but why not just buy the Saltwater Master Test Kit. It’s inexpensive, comes with a ton of tests and 4 vials, and the plastic packaging is surprisingly heavy duty and sturdy given the price point. It’s actually a nicer case (imo) than the much more expensive Red Sea Marine Care kit.
Ease of Use– So I own the Master Test Kit, and 2/4 vials leak. It doesn’t matter how hard I clamp down on the top, when I’m doing my thing and shaking those vials, colored liquid flies out. Putting aside the fact that it may be toxic, it is also annoying. But I’ve spoken with several other hobbyists, and about half of them have had no problems. So I really think you just roll the dice and maybe you get a leaker!
Readability– I’d say this kit falls right in the middle overall. I like that you are not just having to distinguish between shades of yellow. The kit turns yellow to red, and I find that slightly easier than other kits that just rely on shades of the same color. There are two aspects that make this slightly difficult to read. 1) Since you read through the curvature of the vial, the light refracts at all sorts of different angles. 2) If you hold the vial touching the color scale, the color comes out darker than if you hold it 1/16″ away. So which one should you do? I don’t know!
Best Characteristic– For most hobbyists, 130 tests is tantamount to a lifetime supply. Because the only time us old timers really use ammonia test kits is during the cycle, when adding livestock, or when there are sudden changes. But for stable systems, it’s just not a parameter that you need to test all that often. So it is much more likely that the test kit will expire before you can actually use it all up!
Worst Characteristic– I really do wish the vials weren’t so tippy. I mean, is it that hard to manufacture a shorter, wider vial that is more stable? It would probably mess up how the API test kits are read, but oh well.
Red Sea
- Price per test– $0.19
- # of tests– 100
- Wait time– 15 minutes
- Ease of use– Easy
- Readability– Easy
- Quality and durability– Moderately durable
- Best characteristic– Easy to read
- Worst Characteristic– Tiny scoop
Ease of Use– I think the Red Sea Marine Care Test Kit was the first I ever bought actually. So, I have a natural testing bias toward Red Sea products. I can’t even remember why I chose Red Sea. I’m thinking it was because my first tank was a Red Sea Reefer 170. It’s a lengthier process both in number of steps and wait time, but it’s manageable. The first step involves using a tiny scooper (which is the worst of it), but the rest are just droppers. The wide- base vial is almost tip-proof, so accidental spills are cut down to gross user error (of which I have committed throughout the years!)
Readability– All of these ammonia test kits rely on your ability to distinguish different colors or shades of the same color. So if you are color blind, you may need to phone a friend to read your results. Maybe I’m just used to this kit, but I find it relatively easy to decipher the results. It’s hard to get an exact number, but I usually feel confident in a reading plus/minus 0.15ppm, which is good enough for most scenarios.
Quality and Durability– If you purchase the test kit above, it comes in a simple cardboard packaging. The cardboard is thicker than all of the other options in this blog, but it’s still cardboard. The contents of the package itself are higher quality. A nice thick vial, and three heavy feeling reagent bottles. But, if you want an even more durable container, I would consider buying the Marine Care Test Kit. It comes with a plastic case, and also a whole bunch of other tests that are great for a beginner.
Best Characteristic– Again, this might be testing bias because I’ve used this kit the most, but I just find it easy to read. Rather than having to hold up a vial and deal with shaky hands and light refraction, you place in on a sturdy surface and look down through the bottom.
Worst Characteristic– The first reagent you add has to be precisely measured using this 0.15 mL scoop. It’s almost impossible to get exact without using some sort of knife or paper to get it level.
Salifert
- Price per test– $0.28
- # of tests– 50
- Wait time– 3 minutes
- Ease of use– Easy
- Readability– Moderately difficult
- Quality and durability– Flimsy
- Best characteristic– Wide base vial
- Worst Characteristic– Not easy to read
Ease of Use– The easiest part about this kit is there is only one reagent. You have to add it in a couple steps, but still, just one thing to add. You don’t even need to put the top on the vial to shake it. It mixes well enough with just a gentle twirl.
Readability– I found this one difficult(ish) to read. You have to hold it up like the API kit, but the bottom has square shape so it sort of matches the top-down view of the Red Sea kit. I just don’t think it does either of these that well. For whatever reason, I find it more difficult to read the color in this test kit. I also found it challenging because the water was slightly murky (not clear), and that made distinguishing the colors more difficult.
Quality and Durability– Just feels cheap. The vial itself is super thin, and I feel like I could pretend to be superman and crush it with two fingers! The cardboard packaging has a bit of a waxy feel, but is also thin. Just make sure you keep the packaging dry, or you’ll be finding a new box.
Best Characteristic– Like the Red Sea kit, the vial is shorter and wider, equaling more stability.
Worst Characteristic– I found it hard to read. Maybe you’ll have a different experience, but I felt like what I was seeing was plus/minus 0.5 ppm.
Seachem
- Price per test– $0.20
- # of tests– 75
- Wait time– 15 minutes
- Ease of use– Moderately difficult
- Readability– Moderately difficult
- Quality and durability– Flimsy
- Best characteristic– Tests for total and free ammonia
- Worst Characteristic– Small sensors
Ease of Use– Not a huge fan of this test kit to be frank. It’s methodology is totally different than all other test kits. On the pro side, you can test for both harmful and non-harmful ammonia. But to be honest, most hobbyists won’t need that feature. This test kit uses these itsy bitsy teeny weenie pieces of paper that change color when they react with ammonia. You have to pick them up with the included tweezers, and add a drop of reagent.
Readability– I tried this kit twice. The first time I did it wrong. The second time it told me that my ammonia was above 3ppm, which was clearly wrong. So maybe I’m just not that bright, but I couldn’t even get it to give me an accurate reading.
Quality and Durability– Flimsy all around. The paper sensors are tiny. The plastic test container is super thin and breakable. The cardboard packaging is on par with other kits.
Best Characteristic– If you can get this to work (and I know some people like this kit), you can test up to six different tanks at a time. So that’s awesome for some of you!
Worst Characteristic– The itsy bitsy paper sensors. If you sneeze, they might blow away and be lost forever!
Winner by Category
Least Expensive
- Price per test– $0.04 to $0.08
- # of tests– 130
- Wait time– 5 minutes
- Ease of use– Moderate
- Readability– Moderately difficult
- Quality and durability– Moderately durable
- Best characteristic– Price & volume to tests included
- Worst Characteristic– Leaky vials
Highest Quality
- Price per test– $0.19
- # of tests– 100
- Wait time– 15 minutes
- Ease of use– Easy
- Readability– Easy
- Quality and durability– Moderately durable
- Best characteristic– Easy to read
- Worst Characteristic– Tiny scoop
Easiest to Read
- Price per test– $0.19
- # of tests– 100
- Wait time– 15 minutes
- Ease of use– Easy
- Readability– Easy
- Quality and durability– Moderately durable
- Best characteristic– Easy to read
- Worst Characteristic– Tiny scoop
Easiest to Use
- Price per test– $0.28
- # of tests– 50
- Wait time– 3 minutes
- Ease of use– Easy
- Readability– Moderately difficult
- Quality and durability– Flimsy
- Best characteristic– Wide base vial
- Worst Characteristic– Not easy to read
My Overall Choice
Red Sea
- Price per test– $0.19
- # of tests– 100
- Wait time– 15 minutes
- Ease of use– Easy
- Readability– Easy
- Quality and durability– Moderately durable
- Best characteristic– Easy to read
- Worst Characteristic– Tiny scoop
Links to Other Reviews
Just in case you want to get a few other opinions, check out these articles/videos about ammonia test kits!
- My First Fish Tank Blog- Top Five Saltwater Test Kits
- YouTube- API Saltwater & Reef Master Test Kits
- YouTube- Can You Trust Your Saltwater Test Kit?
- Blog- Best Aquarium Test Kits
- Blog- The 10 Best Aquarium Water Test Kits
