AMMONIA
Probably the worst enemy of the beginning hobbyist is colorless, relatively odorless and extremely deadly to fish. This enemy is ammonia. How deadly is ammonia you ask. Well I will break it down by parts per million in your tank. At O (ppm) your fish are happy, their fins are spread and generally look healthy. At .5 to 1 (ppm) at this stage you will notice signs that your fish are stressed. Their fins will become clamped and you will notice rapid breathing. At 2 to 3 (ppm) the stress will become very evident the rapid breathing will increase. Your fish will be so stressed that the immune system will break down. Outbreaks of bacterial infections and parasites will occur and finally your fish will start to die. At 4 to 5 (ppm) your fish's death rate will increase significantly to at least 50%. At 6 to 7 (ppm) you will experience total loss. As you can see ammonia is extremely deadly even in the smallest amount.
What can be done to help the beginner in this constant war against this deadly foe? Well first off, as I stressed earlier, weekly water changes are a big help. There are also products available that remove ammonia chemically. These come in forms as liquids, solids and resins, also mixes with carbon (for inserts of filters). These products will give you the tools to win this battle, but remember that the best remedy is prevention. KEEP UP WITH THOSE WATER CHANGES!!! One final thought a good test kit is invaluable to a hobbyist. Some shops may test your water for you. However I believe that doing it yourself will give you the skill and knowledge to become a first rate aquarist.
I have found the following definitions:
Ammonia (NH3): A dissolved gas that even in low concentrations is toxic to fish. It is produced by the breakdown of organic waste products.
Ammonia (NH4): There is no MCL established for ammonia. Ammonia is very toxic to fish and aquatic life. Ammonia concentrations of 0.06 mg/L can cause gill damage in fish and 0.2 mg/L is lethal to trout. Concentrations in excess of 0.1 mg/L suggest domestic or agricultural sources of waste.
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