ammonia question

[saltyESQ]

So I have been fighting ammonia in my qt for a little bit, also fighting the flu myself, I was reading about ammonia and found some interesting info. Please tell me if this is true and if it applies to my situation.

I read in one of my books that if you have ammonia present in your tank and your temp is low (mine is at 76) and PH is below 8.3 (mine is 8.0-8.2) that the ammonia turns into ammonium and is harmless to fish.

And if the PH or temp raises, that the ammonium will turn into harmful ammonia.

my last ammonia test read .75ppm


also, I bought these filter pads that are suppose to remove ammonia and other harmful chemicals out of the water. Did I waste my money?

[Billybeau1]

How are you testing for Ammonia and what brand test? Also, I dont know of any "pads" that actually remove ammonia. :)

[saltyESQ]

The filteration pad is made by PURA
and I am using aquarium pharm test kits.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

0.75 ppm is a serious concern, if the value is accurate.

There is no normal temperature or pH at which detectable ammonia is not a concern in reef aquaria. The lower the pH, the less is present as ammonia, and more as ammonium, and ammonium is less toxic (but not nontoxic).

Just out today, this article covers everything I know about ammonia in reefs:

Ammonia and the Reef Aquarium
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-02/rhf/index.php