For that posted ammonia chart the posted ammonia concentration at various pH/Temps is way off and ass backwards. The ammonia numbers should be highest for the higher pH and/or temps. It is the reverse on that hart. Moreover, pH is way more of a factor than temperature.
Finally, ammonia is usually measure at Total Ammonia (TA). This is the sum of both forms ammonia takes in water- ammonia (NH3) and amminium (NH4). Most of the TA in water is NH4. Here is a link to a page where you can input total ammonia concentration, temp. salinity and pH and it will tell you how much of the TA is in each form. http://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/FreeAmmonia.php
NH3 is considered to be as much as 100 times as toxic as NH4. Knowing inly TA and not how much is in the NH3 form will not tell you when you have an ammonia problem that needs action on your part. Just as an FYI- the level at which NH3 starts to be a problem is 0.05 ppm.
If you keep SA cichlids the same level of TA as rifties, ammonia is was less harmful than if you were keeping rift lake cichlids instead. I was able initially to bring altum angels into an uncycled tank at 4.1 pH. Ammonia was pretty much irrelevant. The tank did did cycle itself and I had no issues from the start.
Finally, ammonia is usually measure at Total Ammonia (TA). This is the sum of both forms ammonia takes in water- ammonia (NH3) and amminium (NH4). Most of the TA in water is NH4. Here is a link to a page where you can input total ammonia concentration, temp. salinity and pH and it will tell you how much of the TA is in each form. http://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/FreeAmmonia.php
NH3 is considered to be as much as 100 times as toxic as NH4. Knowing inly TA and not how much is in the NH3 form will not tell you when you have an ammonia problem that needs action on your part. Just as an FYI- the level at which NH3 starts to be a problem is 0.05 ppm.
If you keep SA cichlids the same level of TA as rifties, ammonia is was less harmful than if you were keeping rift lake cichlids instead. I was able initially to bring altum angels into an uncycled tank at 4.1 pH. Ammonia was pretty much irrelevant. The tank did did cycle itself and I had no issues from the start.
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