This chemistry video podcast looks at the reactions of basic solutions (ie ammonia solution and hydroxide solutions) with solutions of metal salts (ie Mg, Al, FeII, FeIII, Cu, Zn, Ag, and Cr). As well as displaying the appearance of the resulting products, the chemical equations representing the reactions are shown. Demonstrated are the production of the complex ions aluminate, zincate and chromate from addition of excess hydroxide to solutions of the amphoteric metal salts of Al, Zn and Cr. The complex ions produced by addition of excess ammonia with Cu, Zn and Ag are also demonstrated.