Weird water result in 55g

[renadia]

I had my water tested by BigDaddy on Sunday. The ammonia was not very high.  So finally the water was starting to get better. I bought a testing kit and Monday I tested the ammonia before a 25%water change and there was not much ammonia.After the water change, I added a double dose of Prime and some bacteria I bought at BA. I tested for ammonia after and water was brown. Like a lot darker than the last option on the chart  . I had another ammonia testing kit in the garage for my pond and did a test with that one and it was the same colour. Tuesday, did a 50% water change and tested for ammonia and it was just a little lighter but still darker than the last option on chart. At BA last night when I bought the meds for my fish, I asked about the colour of the test, the guy didn't know why it would do that, I didn't,t have a sample of the water with me. He said that with low PH the ammonia changes into another product it's amo something and adding Prime in those conditions would not do anything and he said the ammonia would not be toxic with a low level PH. Did a 40 % WC last night, tested the PH and it's at 6.8, Ammonia is still brown, Nitrate and Nitrite were both at the second level on the colour chart. Fish look ok. Any idea what is going on? 

(I added another kind water conditioner after WC instead of Prime)

[dan2x38]

What likely happened is that Prime breaks down chlormine. Chlormine is composed of Ammonia & Chlorine. Some test kits give false readings, ones that have nester in it; I think that is what it is called. SeaChem makes a test kit without that compound but it is costly. I have an API test kit and it does the same thing when over dosing with Prime hagen kits do the same, my water was like yours when I test while setting up a QT just the other day. Ask BigDaddy what kit he used?

This info. comes from experienced members here...!

[renadia]

Glad to hear that! So I guess it's not an overload of ammonia 
My kit is a Hagen and I did double dose on Prime Sunday and Monday. Do you think the water is now clear of ammonia?

[BigDaddy]

Close dan... the kits in question use the Nessler method which provides the total free ammonia, including any ammonia that has been "detoxified" by water conditioners like Prime until the biofilter can break them down.

And yes, if you are overdosing Prime, a Nessler kit will give a muddy brown result if you are testing the water immediately after using Prime, and probably a good few hours after that.

Linda, if you do your water change in the morning.. the test should probably work properly around supper time.

[dan2x38]

Well BD I tried so she did not panic... after all I am old and my grey matter barely works... LOL