What is ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? Will they kill my fish?

What is ammonia, nitrite and nitrate?

Organic Waste produces Ammonia, through nitrification process, being converted into Nitrite, then into Nitrate.

Photo from: https://www.tankarium.com/lower-nitrates-in-aquarium/

(A) Ammonia

Ammonia is an element that has a very strong smell, same as those in our urine. When present in aquarium tanks, it is TOXIC to the fish.

• Ammonia present in an aquarium due to decomposition of organic matter such as plants, fish waste due to overfeeding;

• Insufficient beneficial bacteria in the aquarium during New Setup or Insufficient Bio-filtration;

• Overstock (too many fish) causes ammonia spikes due to high bio-load level which the filtration system cannot support;

• Improper or irregular fish tank maintenance;

Q: How do I know if the ammonia level is high?

Look for signs: cloudy water, fish inactive or gasping for air on water surface, white slime on fish body etc. To be accurate, use test kit to check your ammonia level: API Master Test Kit, Sera Ammonia Tester, Seachem Ammonia Alert.

Q: What should I do to remove ammonia in my fish tank?

The fastest way is to do large amount of water change and use Seachem AmGuard to bind the remaining ammonia. Add bio media and beneficial bacteria to promote growth of nitrifying bacteria.

(B) Nitrite

Nitrites (NO2–) are a form nitrogenous compounds. It is the intermediate product of the nitrification process when organic waste are being converted from ammonia. There are nitrite when there is insufficient nitrifying bacteria to breakdown the Nitrite (highly toxic) into Nitrate (less toxic). Nitrite is highly toxic and its presence will cause immediate fish death. Do immediate water change when this happens!

(C) Nitrate

Nitrates (NO3) are a form of dissolved nitrogen that occur naturally in the water column. It is a by-product of biological waste and the end of nitrification process. Nitrate is considered less toxic when there is just a less amount of it (not more than 40ppm). However, when a large amount of nitrate is presence in the water column, it will causes stress to fish, where the fish are prone to get infected with disease and decreases it lifespan. To avoid high level of nitrate it is recommended to do regular water change. Alternatively, adding plants to the aquarium will help to absorb nitrate or use denitrifying products such as Seachem DeNitrate, Domin8 All-in-One Bacteria.