Tropical Fish Forum
Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => General Fishkeeping advice => Topic started by: barneyadi on February 21, 2018, 02:47:48 PM
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Just a quick question. I appreciate the 0ppm is the ideal level for ammonia, but wanted to check what an ok level was. Having just added fish to my tank my ammonia level is around 0.20ppm and had read somewhere that up to 0.25ppm was ok, but just wanted peoples views.
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Ammonia exists in 2 forms in water, ammonia and ammonium. The amount in each form depends on the pH and temperature. Ammonium is a lot less toxic than ammonia. Our test kits test for both combined, but we can use a calculator to work out how much is in the toxic ammonia form.
https://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/FreeAmmonia.php
Set salinity to zero, and enter your ammonia reading, pH and temp on the left, then click calculate. The number you want is in the lower box on the right - NH3 concentration.
If that number is below 0.02, the fish are safe. If it is between 0.02 and 0.05, you will need to do a water change soon. If it is above 0.05, do a water change now.
The main reason for saying it is safe up to 0.25 with our test kits is just that 0.25 is the lowest reading above zero with most testers.
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Thanks Sue
That calculates to 0.0012ppm so perfectly safe, but will keep checking just in case.