https://www.chewy.com/education/fish/general/the-role-of-ph-in-the-aquarium-nitrogen-cycle
Understanding the nitrogen cycle is crucial for maintaining a healthy aquarium. One key factor in this process is pH, which plays an important role in keeping everything balanced.
The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14. Water with a pH of 7.0 is considered neutral, meaning it has an equal amount of hydrogen ions (H+) and hydroxide ions (OH-). If there are more hydrogen ions, the water becomes acidic, with a lower pH. If there are more hydroxide ions, the water becomes basic (or alkaline), with a higher pH.
The pH level of your aquarium water affects how easily substances can dissolve in it and how accessible nutrients are to your fish. Fish waste and leftover food break down into ammonium (NH4) or ammonia (NH3). Ammonium is harmless to fish, but ammonia is toxic.
The pH level of your aquarium water plays a key role in determining whether fish waste and uneaten food break down into harmless ammonium or toxic ammonia. At lower pH levels, more of the waste is converted into ammonium, which is safe for fish. However, as the pH increases, especially above 9, more of that ammonium turns into toxic ammonia (NH3).
This rise in ammonia concentration is directly linked to the pH - higher pH means more harmful ammonia. Elevated ammonia levels can seriously harm your fish by damaging their gills and kidneys, stunting growth, and weakening their immune systems, making them more vulnerable to disease. Keeping pH in check is crucial for a healthy aquarium.
With guidance from the Chewy editorial team, learning how pH interacts with the nitrogen cycle can help you maintain a more balanced and healthy environment for your fish.
