fluval filter foam - cause an ammonia reading?

[KLKelly]

I know wierd question but I'm grasping at straws.  I set up a new 10 gallon qt tank yesterday. I used a brand new penguin 100 and chunks of filter foam from my ac110 to seed the tank.  I also cut a piece of new fluval foam to tie under the outflow for my sick fish.  I used water from my 90 gallon - 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, ph 8.2.  Added my fish (a 4" fancy goldfish) the ammonia alert card on the tank was showing a clear stress colour after a few hours of the tank being set up.  I should also note that at the same time of adding water I double dosed prime.

Would the fluval filter foam (bought on sale at superpet) cause the ammonia? It smelled strongly of chemicals but I rinsed it well.

Drop kits were reading .65ish of ammonia (even though I double dosed Prime).  I thought it would take a day or two for ammonia to get that high.  Also I was planning on a 50% water change each day.

I'm very frustrated and very stressed about it.  I had to put my fish back in the 90 Gallon. 

I will reattempt setting up the tank again this afternoon.  Would using ceramic bioballs and no filter foam work better at seeding the qt tank?

(My fish is bloated and I'm planning on treating with metronidazole).

Thank you to everyone who reads this!

Karrie

[MikeM]

My Seachem alert card in my QT tank always discolours after a water change.  It shows the alert colour, but a little washed out.  I'm pretty sure it's the Prime, as it's back to safe within 12 hours or so.  I believe only the Seachem test kit (the one that measures Free Ammonia) reads properly when there is Prime in the water.

It's definitely a little disconcerting though, when you just did a water change and suddenly it looks like there's ammonia in the water.

[KLKelly]

Thanks for the reply.  I tore down the tank and I'm starting from scratch - so far no ammonia.  I am using Amquel this time.  I totally forgot to use it - I normally use amquel with QT tanks because of my high ph.  It's been set up about four hours - no fluval foam.  We'll see what happens when I add the fish back in. 

[Nerine]

on the back of the bottle of prime it warns you that ammonia test kits will not give you true readings
I've used fluval foam for awhile now with out any ill side effects! but if you're using prime - you will for sure get false positive ammonia readings!!

[KLKelly]

I thought that the alert card still read the toxic ammonia in the water regardless of Prime or Amquel?

I've used Prime for 2 years and notice that with the 2 drop test kit and the powder kit that ammonia readings drop after prime - not rise.

Good to know about the fluval.  It seems that the fish is causing the ammonia or so it seems.  Short of putting an ac110 on the 10 gallon I have no idea how I'm going to get through a week to ten days of QT.  A penguin 100 loaded with ceramic balls and a cycled filter sponge under the outflow and the alert card is reading Alert already this morning.  I really thought the cycled filter media would keep up with the ammonia.