• BKKS Show Information

OATA CRITERIA FOR SAFE LEVELS OF AMMONIA

Levels of TOTAL AMMONIA (mg/l or ppm) that maintain FREE AMMONIA at or below 0.02 mg/l (ppm) at a range of pH and temperatures.

 

Temp 0C

pH

 

     6

 

     6.5

 

      7

 

    7.5

 

      8

 

    8.5

 

      9

         0

    250

     77

     24

    7.7

     2.4

    0.78

     0.1

       5

    154

     50

     16

    5

     1.6

    0.52

     0.07

      10

    105

     34

     11

    3.4

     1.1

    0.36

     0.05

      15

      74

     23

       7.5

    2.3

     0.75

    0.25

     0.04

      20

      50

     16

       5

    1.6

     0.52

    0.18

     0.04

      25

      35

     11

       3.5

    1.1

     0.37

    0.13

     0.03

      30

      25

       8

       2.5

    0.8

     0.27

    0.1

     0.03

 

These figures apply to freshwater.  To meet criteria for marine fish these figures should be halved.

 

The toxicity of any level of TOTAL AMMONIA increases

by a factor of 10 for each increase of 1 unit of pH

and

 Doubles for each 100C rise in temperature.

 

IDEALLY 'TOTAL AMMONIA' SHOULD BE ZERO

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OATA WATER QUALITY CRITERIA

 Cold Water Species

 

Dissolved Oxygen  - minimum   6mg/litre

        Free Ammonia  - maximum  0.02mg/litre

              Nitrite      - maximum  0.2mg/litre

                                                       Nitrate - maximum  50mg/litre above ambient tap water