Seachem Ammonia Alert

Ammonia Alert™

Ammonia Alert™ is an innovative colour device for continuously detecting and monitoring toxic free ammonia.
A sensor changes colour reversibly from yellow to green to blue, relative to the ammonia concentration.
No test kits, chemicals, or procedures are needed. The device detects less than 0.05 mg/L (ppm) free ammonia
and alerts you to the number one killer before any sign of stress. It lasts over a year. Suitable for marine or freshwater use.

In the absence of free ammonia, the unit will assume a yellow or faint yellow-green colour.
It is normal for the dry sensor to have a greenish hue. It may take up to a few days for a dry sensor to equilibrate with the water.
No sampling of water, chemicals, or test procedures are required.
The presence of free ammonia is detectable continuously, with a response time of about 15 minutes.
Response to decreasing ammonia is slower, requiring about 4 hours to go from TOXIC to SAFE after ammonia is removed.

Why It’s Different

Ammonia Alert™ lasts over 9 times as long as competing products (over a year compared to 4–6 weeks).
It is also almost half the size of competing products.
It’s small, clear, and unobtrusive, so it won’t detract from the view of your aquarium.

Interpretation

As little as 0.02 mg/L of free ammonia will produce a greenish hue on the detector surface.
This corresponds to a total ammonia (both ionised and free ammonia) of 0.25 mg/L in marine water at pH 8.3.
In freshwater at pH 7.0, this corresponds to 3.6 mg/L total ammonia.

Free ammonia is much more toxic than ionised ammonia. As free ammonia:

• ALERT colour corresponds to about 0.05 mg/L
• ALARM to about 0.2 mg/L
• TOXIC to about 0.5 mg/L

The ALERT concentration is tolerated for several days, ALARM for a few days, and TOXIC is rapidly harmful.
This product is not recommended for use at acidic pH.

Care

No care is required beyond removing algae with a clean, soft material.
Avoid touching the sensor with fingers, as skin oils can damage it.
Do not use bleach, soap, detergents, or hard objects to clean the sensor.
Some dye medications may discolour the sensor.

Sensitivity improves with age, provided the unit is not allowed to dry out; however, drying does not permanently impair the unit.
For maximum sensitivity, the unit should be read under natural daylight or daylight-simulating light.
Red-enhancing light minimises green and blue hues, decreasing the apparent sensitivity of the unit.

The response of the unit may be checked by holding it briefly over the mouth of an ammonia bottle:
colour should develop rapidly.