Detailed qestion about NH4, NO2,NO3.
- Thread starter mckaax
- Start date
scopus tang
Active Member
Toxicity of ammonia is related to both pH and temperature; generally a "safe" level is considered to be below 0.18ppm. toxic ammonia (NH3) as opposed to ionized ammonium (NH4)which is non toxic to fish. I don't believe that bacteria converting ammonia are adversely affected by lethal concentrations of ammonia themselves (although I will try to double check for you tomorrow). However, the toxic levels of ammonia may have a lethal effect on your nitrite and nitrate converting bacteria (assuming that you have sufficient anaerobic conditions to support a population of the nitrate-fixing bacteria) and thereby halt your experiment (again, don't know for sure ~ but could be an issue).
scopus tang
Active Member
Ok mckaax, you've stumped an entire biology department. You've got us all scratching our heads. Everyone generally agrees that at some point it is logical that even ammonia fixing bacteria would succumb to the lethal effects of ammonia, but no one has any idea what that level would be, nor does anyone know for sure if they truly would. I've got a call into the head biologist at the local community college, but I'm thinking that you may have to find someone specialized in soil bacteria or waste reduction to get an answer to your question. If I find anything for sure, I'll let you know. Sorry.
perfectdark
Active Member
Originally Posted by Scopus Tang
http:///forum/post/2576405
Ok mckaax, you've stumped an entire biology department. You've got us all scratching our heads. Everyone generally agrees that at some point it is logical that even ammonia fixing bacteria would succumb to the lethal effects of ammonia, but no one has any idea what that level would be, nor does anyone know for sure if they truly would. I've got a call into the head biologist at the local community college, but I'm thinking that you may have to find someone specialized in soil bacteria or waste reduction to get an answer to your question. If I find anything for sure, I'll let you know. Sorry.
I cannot elaborate on specifics because I am not a biologist but I did read and was told that high amonia readings are harmful to even your nitritfing bacteria. Ammonia becomes more toxic at higher pH because it becomes more highly ionized and it is the ionized form that is most toxic. Apparently you never want your ammonia to go above 1.0 this is where you could hurt your benifical bacteria. Just from what I have read.
http:///forum/post/2576405
Ok mckaax, you've stumped an entire biology department. You've got us all scratching our heads. Everyone generally agrees that at some point it is logical that even ammonia fixing bacteria would succumb to the lethal effects of ammonia, but no one has any idea what that level would be, nor does anyone know for sure if they truly would. I've got a call into the head biologist at the local community college, but I'm thinking that you may have to find someone specialized in soil bacteria or waste reduction to get an answer to your question. If I find anything for sure, I'll let you know. Sorry.
I cannot elaborate on specifics because I am not a biologist but I did read and was told that high amonia readings are harmful to even your nitritfing bacteria. Ammonia becomes more toxic at higher pH because it becomes more highly ionized and it is the ionized form that is most toxic. Apparently you never want your ammonia to go above 1.0 this is where you could hurt your benifical bacteria. Just from what I have read.