- Joined
- Dec 28, 2016
- Messages
- 22,897
- Reaction score
- 22,005
Yes I agree with Brandon - there cannot be a tank with 3 ppm ammonia and living thriving animals. I wasn't being clear. The disagreement I had with Brandon was why is he asking for 'examples of tanks with 3 ppm ammonia that are functioning perfectly'. Because - they are virtually non-existent. My secondary point was that just observing a tank ALONE cannot for sure say how much free ammonia is actually in the water - depending on pH and temp. I.e. - there are margins of error with every test. For example - a tank with a TRUE .25 ppm ammonia (total) reading may be functioning completely normal but on the way to a potential disaster. That is the problem IMHO - of making statements like - 'we can prove in every case that if the tank is fine the ammonia is a 'false read' - based on the observing the tank. 1) it could be a false read (test done wrong) or 2) it could be a true read but just below the 'alert/toxic levels' for the tank inhabitants - based on pH, and TempIn this example, Brandon is right. Even to my eye, that tank is healthy and thriving. NO tank, with prolonged ammonia exposure as the OP claimed, would EVER look that good. In this example, in my opinion, a picture IS worth a thousand words.
Isn't your own experiment proving that it just isn't possible to have ammonia levels sustained at that level? @Coxey81 showed pretty clearly that ammonia levels, even VERY high levels, when exposed to nitrifying bacteria, decline in a reasonable amount of time. Any tank that has been up and running for long enough to develop nitrifying bacteria, will do exactly that.
Another point that seems relevant here. There has never been a mention of what nitrate levels are. Whatever eats, poops! For ammonia levels to be that high for that long would by default show nitrate levels off the charts or, at least extremely high if given a regular water change schedule, which of course also bring ammonia down as well.. Funny how it all fits together huh?