What is ammonia, and how will it affect my aquarium?
Ammonia is a chemical which is rapidly taken up by phytoplankton and other aquatic plants for growth. Despite its rapid uptake by algae ammonia persists in small quantities because it is also the major waste product of aquatic animals. As it comes in contact with water, ammonia dissociates into something called ammonium hydroxide, which cause pH levels to rise, if the pH rises too high, then that the ammonium hydroxide becomes toxic to both plants and animals. When testing for ammonia you should have an ideal reading of 0. If you have a question about ammonia click here.
