{"product_id":"seachem-ammonia-alert-1-year","title":"Seachem Ammonia Alert (1 Year)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eToxic ammonia visible on the glass before a single fish shows stress.\u003c\/strong\u003e Seachem Ammonia Alert is a small in-tank sensor that monitors free ammonia continuously — no test kits, no reagents, no water samples, no procedure. The sensor disc changes colour reversibly from yellow through green to blue as free ammonia rises, and it detects concentrations below 0.05 mg\/L (ppm). One unit lasts over a year in freshwater or marine, and it is small enough to sit in a display tank without becoming part of the scenery.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eHow to read it\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eColour\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eFree ammonia\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eAction\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSafe\u003c\/strong\u003e (yellow)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBelow 0.02 mg\/L\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNo action needed\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlert\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout 0.05 mg\/L\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTolerated 3–5 days — monitor and plan a water change\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlarm\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout 0.2 mg\/L\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTolerated 1–3 days — water change soon\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eToxic\u003c\/strong\u003e (blue)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout 0.5 mg\/L\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eImmediate water change, or dose \u003ca href=\"\/products\/seachem-amguard\"\u003eSeachem AmGuard\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\u003cp\u003eResponse to rising ammonia takes about 15 minutes. Coming back down is slower — roughly four hours from Toxic to Safe once the ammonia has actually gone.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWhat the colour means in test-kit terms\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eAt 0.02 mg\/L free ammonia — the top of the Safe band — the equivalent \u003cem\u003etotal\u003c\/em\u003e ammonia reading is roughly 0.25 mg\/L in marine water at pH 8.3, or 3.6 mg\/L in freshwater at pH 7.0.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThose two numbers differ that much because pH decides how much of the total sits in the free, dangerous form. It is the single most useful thing to understand about ammonia in an aquarium.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWhy it may disagree with your test kit\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eLiquid test kits usually measure \u003cem\u003etotal\u003c\/em\u003e ammonia — both the free (NH3) and ionised (NH4+) forms. Ammonia Alert responds only to free ammonia, which is the form that actually harms fish.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBelow pH 7.0 virtually all ammonia exists as harmless ammonium, so the sensor can correctly stay yellow while a total-ammonia kit shows a reading. It also will not react to ammonia already detoxified by a conditioner such as Prime or AmGuard, because bound ammonia is no longer dangerous. That is the sensor working, not failing.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eType\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eContinuous free-ammonia sensor\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eMeasures\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFree ammonia (NH3) only\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDetection limit\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBelow 0.05 mg\/L\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eBands\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSafe, Alert, Alarm, Toxic\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eResponse, rising\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout 15 minutes\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eResponse, falling\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbout 4 hours, Toxic to Safe\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eService life\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOver 1 year of continuous use\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eReagents or samples\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNone — reads in the tank\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWater type\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFreshwater and marine\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eNot recommended\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAcidic pH\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\u003ch3\u003eFitting and care\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA dry sensor can look greenish out of the packet and may take a few days to equilibrate once submerged\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWipe algae off with a clean soft cloth only — never bleach, soap, detergent or anything abrasive\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDo not touch the sensor surface; skin oils clog it. Some dye-based medications may discolour it\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSensitivity improves with age as long as it is kept wet — store it in a little RO water between uses rather than dry\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRead it under natural or daylight-spectrum lighting; strongly blue or pink tank lighting will fight you\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eQuick function check: hold the card over an open bottle of ammonia-based household cleaner and it should turn blue rapidly\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch3\u003eSuitable for, and not suitable for\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSuitable for:\u003c\/strong\u003e freshwater and marine display tanks · tanks part way through cycling · quarantine and hospital tanks · anyone who will not test daily but wants to know when something has gone wrong · a second opinion when a liquid kit reads high after dosing a conditioner.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNot suitable for:\u003c\/strong\u003e acidic tanks, where Seachem does not recommend it · measuring total ammonia, which it does not do · producing an exact figure when a number is what you need — \u003ca href=\"\/products\/seachem-multitest-ammonia-75-tests\"\u003eSeachem MultiTest: Ammonia\u003c\/a\u003e is that tool · substituting for cycling a new tank properly.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eGoes well with\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/seachem-amguard\"\u003eSeachem AmGuard\u003c\/a\u003e — the emergency response when the sensor reads Alarm or Toxic, with a dosing table written around these exact bands\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/seachem-ph-alert-6-month\"\u003eSeachem pH Alert\u003c\/a\u003e — the same idea for pH, and pH is what decides how much of your ammonia is in the dangerous form\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/seachem-alerts-combo-pack\"\u003eSeachem Alerts Combo Pack\u003c\/a\u003e — the ammonia and pH sensors together\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/seachem-multitest-ammonia-75-tests\"\u003eSeachem MultiTest: Ammonia\u003c\/a\u003e — for when you need a figure rather than a band\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/seachem-prime\"\u003eSeachem Prime\u003c\/a\u003e — the routine conditioner that detoxifies ammonia at water changes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/seachem-stability\"\u003eSeachem Stability\u003c\/a\u003e — builds the biofilter that stops the sensor changing colour at all\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/seachem\"\u003eThe full Seachem range\u003c\/a\u003e — water care, media and test kits\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWarranty and delivery\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eRated by Seachem for over a year of continuous use; there is no separate warranty term published for a consumable sensor. Your rights under the Australian Consumer Law apply regardless and cannot be excluded. Ships as a standard parcel.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003ch4\u003eHow long does Seachem Ammonia Alert last?\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003eOver a year of continuous use in the tank. Sensitivity actually improves with age provided the sensor stays wet, so store it in a little RO water rather than dry if it ever comes out.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch4\u003eWhy is my Ammonia Alert yellow when my test kit shows ammonia?\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003eLiquid kits usually measure total ammonia — free NH3 plus ionised NH4+. Ammonia Alert responds only to free ammonia, the form that harms fish. Below pH 7.0 almost all ammonia is the harmless ionised form, so both readings can be correct at the same time.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch4\u003eDoes it still work after dosing Prime or AmGuard?\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003eYes, and this is where it earns its place. It will not react to ammonia that has already been bound and made non-toxic, so it shows the state the fish are actually in rather than the false positive a liquid kit gives.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch4\u003eCan I use it in a saltwater tank?\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003eYes, in marine and freshwater both. The equivalent total-ammonia figure differs between the two because marine tanks run at a higher pH.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch4\u003eHow do I check the sensor still works?\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003eHold the card over the open bottle of an ammonia-based household cleaner. It should turn blue quickly, then return to its previous colour once it is back in the tank.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch4\u003eCan I clean algae off it?\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003eWipe it with a clean soft cloth only. No bleach, no soap, no detergent, nothing abrasive, and keep bare fingers off the sensor pad — skin oils clog it permanently.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Seachem","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54773851423011,"sku":"725032-10","price":28.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0972\/7236\/5347\/files\/seachem-ammonia-alert-1-year-280803.webp?v=1790230840","url":"https:\/\/nicksaquariumoceanariumterrarium.com.au\/products\/seachem-ammonia-alert-1-year","provider":"Nicks AOT","version":"1.0","type":"link"}