Ammonia test kit

advertisement

The most toxic of the nitrogenous wastes that can build up in aquarium water is Ammonia (NH₃). Ammonia, once it reaches a certain concentration in the water will cause the fish to become increasingly unwell, and if the presence of ammonia in the water is allowed to remain undetected for a protracted period, it will eventually cause the fish to die. Ammonia in the tank is generated constantly as the organic materials present break down. The fish in the tank also metabolically produce ammonia which they excrete through their gills. Concentrations of ammonia in the tank as they increase will gradually cause the fish’s gill to become blocked and reduce their ability to absorb and maintain the desired quantities of oxygen in their blood.

The cycle of life in the tank is very finely balanced, with bacteria in the tank’s filter utilizing ammonia as a source of energy which will cause the ammonia to become nitrite. Bacteria, in a different form, will use the nitrite to turn it into nitrate, which is harmful to the fish in the tank. The nitrate needs to be removed or at least diluted on a weekly basis, by removing around a quarter of the water in the tank and replacing it by water after dechlorination.

If the dilution of the water is not being done properly, or in too distant time frames, the ammonia levels in the water will gradually increase, and the fish in the tank will begin to display the earliest signs that things are not well with their health. The fish will begin to appear more frequently near the surface of the tank, and begin to gasp. This is a sign that they seeking oxygen intake. If the fish in tank lie motionless at the bottom of the tank, then this as sign that their natural survival instincts are telling them to conserve energy. Their breathing will be heavy and labored. These are signs of distress that any experienced aquarist will never witness as they simply will not them allow to occur.

Experienced aquarium operators, either in a domestic or a domestic application, will, as part of an overall maintenance program, will have an ammonia test kit as an integral part of their equipment, and will use them on a weekly basis to ensure that there are not traces of ammonia present in the water. This is a very important point that many less experienced aquarists fail to grasp, till it is too late.

There is no such thing as an acceptable level of ammonia present in water in an aquarium. Any measures taken such as changing water need to be a preemptive measure and not as an afterthought.

An ideal situation in an aquarium is that ammonia is not present in the water, even at the lowest concentration. When an aquarist checks ammonia levels in the tank, they are actually checking to see if ammonia is present. In the unlikely even that it is, they need to be ready to swing into immediate action to dilute the water in the tank to levels where the ammonia levels are reduced to 0.005ppm, and there are those who say that this proportion may be too high.

There are some very good ammonia test kits available on line. Here are just a few examples.

• Seachem Ammonia Alert: This simple yet effective kit contains four chemical sensitive sensors that will change color when the presence of ammonia is detected and will even provide a reading on levels.
• Nitrate Liquid Test Kit: Rapid and accurate, the Nitrate Liquid Test Kit provide a reliable test for freshwater aquariums. Contains two dropper bottles to allow accurate dispensing of test solutions, the kit comes with easy to follow instructions and color chart.

NO₂ test

After oxidation of NH₃ there is another poisonous substance in aquariums; NO₂. Man should test water each week for concentration of NO₂. Here is a step-by-step illustration of how poisonous water can change to normal after changing about 30% of water in the aquarium.





As you can see on the last picture, the water is not as poisonous as it was before (more red colour means more poisonous water).

Another useful article on the web

• pH and Ammonia at nippyfish.net!

sponsored links

The Purpose of an Ammonia Test Kit

has been viewed times since June 30, 2009.