test results

[fresh]

at what level are ammonia, nitrite, nitrate considered lethal?

I know that they are supposed to be at 0 or near 0, but how much is allowed before things go hay-wire?

thanks

fresh.

[robbyville]

You might also want to post this in the reef forum!

Ammonia is toxic at pretty much any level, I can't speak for Nitrite but I can tell you that the amount of Nitrate's that are acceptable depend to a certain extent on livestock. I have never been able to get my nitrates below around 5-10ppm. Toxic levels I am told are above 100. However most corals do not tolerate high Nitrates, whereas fish can endure (If they have to) higher amounts.

HTH,

Rob

[UnderWorldAquatics]

Ammonia gets lethal the quickest usually, and the higher your ph is, the more toxic ammonia is...
I would try to maintain ammonia at the lowest levels possible

[BCOrchidGuy]

In a reef nitrites can be more toxic than ammonia as well. Levels of toxicity will depend on your critters, some will be more suseptable than others.

Doug