3ppm Ammonia

[jepuskar]

Hello,

My Biocube 29 is about at the point where it can turn 3ppm Ammonia into 0 Ammonia/0 Nitrites in less than 24 hours. Knowing this is great and all...however, I don't have a reference to what 3ppm NH3 means in the world of fish poop. Something tells me I shouldn't concern myself with this and just stock slowly regardless.

I'm looking to stock a Royal Gramma, redlip blenny, CUC, and maybe a Blue Reef Chromis. Down the road I will go into easy to keep hardy Carribean based corals.

I don't see any wise reefer telling me to dump everything in because my bacteria load can handle it...so maybe I just answered my question.. :bounce1:

J

[thegrun]

You should be able to put two of the listed fish in at one time (after they have cleared quarantine), although one at a time would be best. Wait 10 days between additions. I would start with the Gramma as they tend to be the shiest of the listed fish.

[wooden_reefer]

The basic science is as follows:

Usually, the ppm in ammonia test kits refers to the nitrogen atoms in the ammonia molecule. It is best written as ppm-N. This is true also for nitrite and nitrate ppm, so 1 ppm ammonia will yield 1 ppm nitrite and then 1 ppm nitrate. This is far easier than to use the actual weights of molecules.

about 10 grams of moist leanest meat of any kind has about 80% water and 20% protein. Animal protein has about 16% nitrogen. 10 grams of lean moist shrimp meat, from one small shrimp, has about 2 grams of protein so about 0.3 gram nitrogen. In 25 gals of water, 100L, 10 grams of moist meat will thus yield about 3 ppm ammonia.

Practically, you can eyeball the poop or uneaten food, but this never matters much.

3 ppm ammonia is very good level to be at during cycling.