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1ppm Ammonia --> 1ppm Nitrite? Seeking chemistry expert

7K views 13 replies 6 participants last post by  zachshap 
#1 ·
If I have 1ppm of ammonia out of my tap that's going into my tank does that mean I will have 1ppm of nitrite then 1 ppm of nitrate as the nitrification reaction proceeds? Say if I'm doing a 50% water change that will immediately be cut in half- so 0.5ppm of ammonia turns to 0.5ppm nitrite (scary!) and hopefully QUICKLY turns to 0.5ppm nitrate (safe). I don't have any idea what the rate of reaction is but this seems sketchy for my fish at any rate.

It looks like the nitrogen is conserved throughout the reaction from looking at the equations on this page: https://study.com/academy/lesson/nitrification-definition-cycle-equation.html

Best I can tell is the nitrogen is conserved during the nitrification process and oxygen is consumed, or are the oxygen molecules coming from CO2 fixation? Is there someone with a bit more chemistry background or solid understanding of the process that can comment?

I think they are also photophobic so any light coming into the filter will impede their growth? Particularly a UV sterilizer leaking light into the rest of the filter perhaps?
 
Discussion starter · #4 ·
I am saying my tap water has 1ppm of amonia and concerned every water change is degrading the water quality rather than improving it.

If I don't dose nitrogen fertilizer the nitrate will be taken up by the plants as long as I balance the fish and plant load.

But if ever week I'm adding ammonia with a water change it's like I'm effectively overstocked with weekly spikes and the tank may never be stable.
..this is my concern.
 
Discussion starter · #6 ·
Got it. Thanks.
That makes sense (I think)..

Ammonia: 17 g/mol
Nitrite: 46 g/mol
Nitrate: 62 g/mol

46/17 = 2.7 mg/L nitrite from 1 mg/L of ammonia

62/46 x 2.7 = 3.6 mg/L [ppm] nitrate from 1ppm ammonia
 
Discussion starter · #8 ·
Both. Ppm could be mg/L or moles/L. It's just a ratio to define the concentration. I think we most directly measure ppm as mg/L with our test kits. Multiplying that by the molecular weight gives how many molecules and so on.

It's not rounding error. NH4 turns to NO2. Oxygen is 16x heavier than hydrogen. Then the nitrogen picks up another oxygen to become NO3.

I think this is a big deal in smaller tanks where we're doing larger percent water changes if the tap has ammonia in it.

I'm sticking with Crystal geyser for now.

Ammonia in tap water would also explain algae troubles since the algae readily takes up ammonia directly without requiring conversion to nitrate first.
 
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