The API Ammonia test and others test for total ammonia which I believe is NH3+NH4. However, my understanding is that this value is misleading as what is poisonous is the NH3/toxic ammonia, and measuring that requires that you use a conversion table with your PH and temperature readings. There are tables that estimate what total ammonia is acceptable given specific PH and temp readings where the toxic ammonia is estimated as a percentage of total ammonia. My question is in regards to the Hanna Checker Ammonia tester that measures NH3-N. Is this a direct reading of toxic ammonia, and if so does the electronic/light based kit in the Hanna Checker check PH? But not temperature? I have asked Hanna and others and have not had any responses. Does anyone know how NH3-N relates to either total ammonia or toxic ammonia, and how would it test for that later without a PH or temp reading?
Ammonia readings
- Thread starter NYCMAN
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If received an answer from Hanna...
| The concentrations of unionized ammonia (NH3) and ionized ammonia (NH4+) do fluctuate based on water's pH and to a lesser extent, temperature. Up to pH ~8, only a very negligible percentage of ammonia is in the unionized form, meaning in most natural waters, ionized ammonia is most prevalent. As the pH increases, the percentage of ionized ammonia begins to decrease and unionized ammonia, increase; they are about equal at a pH ~9.3. The unionized form, NH3, is the toxic form that affects aquatic life. Total ammonia is unionized + ionized. Chemical tests for ammonia are either reported as 1) ammonia, NH3 aka total ammonia or 2) ammonia-nitrogen (NH3-N) aka total ammonia nitrogen (TAN). Results as 'ammonia' consider the entire molecule of ammonia (1 nitrogen, N, and 3 hydrogen, H), whereas 'ammonia-nitrogen' reports only the amount of nitrogen present in the ammonia molecule (1 nitrogen, N). The HI700 Checker is based on the Nessler method and reports results as ammonia-nitrogen (NH3-N), or TAN. To convert the reading to NH3, multiply the result on the checker by 1.21589. For example; The result from checker: 0.05 PPM NH3-N Convert to NH3: 0.05 * 1.21589 = 0.061 PPM NH3 If you are detecting any amount of NH3-N aka TAN then, per my research, it looks like you should then utilize the charts you speak of to determine at a pH 8.2 and temperature of 79 degrees F what percentage would be unionized ammonia. When I did this, the correction factor was 0.0880. 0.05 PPM NH3-N x 0.0880 = 0.004 PPM unionized ammonia. I hope this has been helpful. Best, Hanna Instruments |
Randy has a great article on this topic if you want.
I've also gone by other suggestions he's made in the past to look at total ammonia in these cases. For example, https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/free-vs-total-ammonia-in-a-qt.684838/post-6998765
I've also gone by other suggestions he's made in the past to look at total ammonia in these cases. For example, https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/free-vs-total-ammonia-in-a-qt.684838/post-6998765
While I do have a reef tank, this question pertained to a 7000 gallon pond that I started 6 weeks ago. This Hanna Checker is for freshwater. For ponds that are stocked heavily there is often a trace of ammonia as Koi expel a lot of ammonia. I designed the pond like a reef tank - it has skimmer that overflows down about 6 feet, and then drops into a 1000 gallon buried cistern (for outhouses). At this point the water is as deep as 14 feet below pond surface. Water then gets drawn from cistern by pump which pushes it through filter/UV and then up the hill into a waterfall back to pond. I do auto water changes from the cistern. Have floatvalve for autofill. Just like a sump, the relavant water level is in cistern and pond level never changes.
Ah, I see- what a cool project! Seems like a fair bit of engineering- if you have any photos of the pond, I think the community would love to see them!
took about 5 weeks from ground break to pond filled and filter on. Started adding Koi a few days later. Up to 26 Koi today. Likely will add very few more. Last pic is cistern. You can see it buried in first pic, with 18 inch risers added to it so that I can plant over and around the port holes. Pond at 6 weeks now. Water is crystal clear. Can see bottom this week perfectly 6.5 feet down. Trace of ammonia, zero nitrates (which is strange). May not be cycled yet.
Amazing work! My wife and I have been wanting to get into koi- we will make a koi pond eventually, but I'll certainly be pulling your ear when we finally break ground in a few years. Just spectacular!
I live in CT near NYC so very expensive. I was thinking doing Gunite pond for years but prices were just too high. This one is deep at 6.5 feet but and has liner. It is 20% the cost of a gunite pond, plus more flexible in terms of where you can place it (set back) and need for permits. Next step is to get the water change drain hooked up to my irrigation for veggie garden. That will be by end of month. Ponds require about 10-15% weekly water change. So maybe do 150 to 200 gallons 5 nights a week. Am using irrigation system timer/controller for both extract and refill/ATO, and have electronic water level meter on top of cistern so can monitor/tweak to get the balance of water extracts and adds right.
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