Whats More Dangrous To Your Fish

[twingogeekeo]

Just trying to get some knowledge and bee thing this question.

Ammonia, Nitrite or Nitrate? And what is each?

 

[The Taffy Apple]

Ammonia and NitrIte are the most harmful..poisoning your fish and stopping their blood from collecting the Oxygen that all living things need. NitrAte CAN be harmful, but only in large quantities (and depending on the type of fish and who you ask, can vary).

Terry.

 

[DrRob]

Aye, TaffyApple has it right there. Remember that rate of change is also important. As are a number of other water parameters (e.g. pH affects toxicity as it makes ammonia present more as it's non toxic non ionised form).

 

[Curiosity101]

I agree with what Taffy Apple says, but to expand slightly. Ammonia is dangerous as it burns the gills lowering the efficiency they can take in oxygen/put out CO2. Nitrite tends to have more of an effect on the nervous system. Hence the two poisonings normally look different.

Ammonia poisoned fish tend to go quiet at first (reserving oxygen), then start gasping at the surface (air has a higher % oxygen than water so it allows them to flush a higher % oxygen over their gills which are at reduced efficiency), then death.

Nitrite poisoning often leads to twitching erratic fish that do things like barrel rolls and such. Followed by death.

 

[twingogeekeo]

Ok What are safe rates?

I know Ammonia 0 PPM

 

[The Taffy Apple]

Ok What are safe rates?

I know Ammonia 0 PPM

'0' for NitrIte and as close to your tap water as you can get it for NitrAte.

Terry.

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

ammonia and nitrite are both 0

nitrate is up for debate...I've had to keep fish with a nitrate of 80 before due to it being in my tap water

 

[CezzaXV]

Ammonia and nitrite should always be 0 in a tank with fish in it.

For nitrate, a good guideline to follow is to try to not let it go 20ppm above whatever comes out of your tap. I have heard it said that even the most sensitive fish don't start getting problems with nitrate until you reach 300ppm, but I don't think anybody here would recommend letting it get anywhere near that high.

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

It's also worth mentioning that the main reason to keep your nitrate down is to reduce algae problems. I imagine if you had nitrate of 300 you'd not be able to see anything in the tank!

 

[StandbySetting]

Ammonia and Nitrite are both quite toxic, which is more toxic depends on a number of factors such as pH, temperature etc. As for nitrate, keep it as low as you can within reason, obviously if you have plants you'll want some nitrate, then again nitrate test kits are so diabolically inaccurate that it's not even worth testing for, just do your regular water changes.