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Is NH4+ toxic to fish ?

eminor

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Joined
5 Feb 2021
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Location
France
Hello, i read that urea in water with ph lower than 7 "release" NH4+, and above 7 release NH3. I use RO water which if i remember right can't go above 7, Is there any ammonia released even with ph of 7 or lower ? Is NH4+ safe for fish ? thx
 
Hello, i read that urea in water with ph lower than 7 "release" NH4+, and above 7 release NH3. I use RO water which if i remember right can't go above 7, Is there any ammonia released even with ph of 7 or lower ? Is NH4+ safe for fish ? thx
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Below pH 7 it's almost 100% nh4. It is much safer than nh3 and you can have a lot before it becomes toxic to fishes
 
I use RO water which if i remember right can't go above 7
Just going to add in here just in case, but be mindful of certain things that raise dKH such as limestone based rocks (i.e Seiryu stone) - they will dissolve when the pH drops below 7 and can then raise the dKH, and subsequently the pH. This will be problematic if dosing ammonium.

If there are no sources that can raise dKH, and the pH stays well below 7, then yes, ammonium dosing is safer.
 
If your adding high amounts of urea with a ph below 7 you may not have a problem with NH4 but if the plants don’t use it all up wouldn’t the nitrite become an issue depending on biological filtration capacity?
 
If your adding high amounts of urea with a ph below 7 you may not have a problem with NH4 but if the plants don’t use it all up wouldn’t the nitrite become an issue depending on biological filtration capacity?
Filter is kind of oversized, tetra ex 1200 plus for 30 gallons tank, lots of oxygen for bacteria. No2 should be easily coverted to NO3. Need expert to be more precise
 
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