Acceptable Ammonia Levels

 Ammonia will be present during initial system start‐up

 After a few weeks should be as close to 0 as possible
 Ammonia buildup in the system after it is established indicates that solids are not being removed
adequately
 If ammonia is not removed from the system, it can lead to fish death

Acceptable Nitrite Levels

 Ammonia will transform into Nitrite, and will be present during initial system start‐up
 After a few weeks should be as close to 0 as possible
 High nitrite levels can also cause fish death

Acceptable Nitrate Levels

 An indicator that a system has fully cycled is when ammonia and nitrite are no longer present
 Nitrate is important because this is the usable product that plants remove from the system to
grow
 Acceptable nitrate levels 5‐100ppm depending on fish species and number of plants in the
system
 Some fish are more tolerant of high nitrates and poor water quality than others
 Low nitrate levels can indicate not enough food going into system to support plants
 High nitrate levels can indicate too few plants in the system, or poor filtration‐ solids not being
removed
 If nitrates are too high, plants will not make fruit, can also cause fish death

Dissolved Oxygen
 Fish require oxygen to breathe
 Plant roots require oxygen to grow, will not tolerate stagnant water for long periods
 Dissolved oxygen level read in Percentage or Milligrams/Liter
 Acceptable dissolved oxygen can range from 30‐100% or 5‐8Mg/L depending on fish species
tolerance

Dissolved Oxygen Variables

 Readings will vary throughout the day
 Normally highest in the morning
 May decrease dramatically after feeding
 It is possible for D.O. to be too high‐ over 150% can burn fish gills and cause other problems
 Important to monitor D.O. level multiple times a day
 Regulate D.O. levels with air pumps and diffusers, blowers, oxygen cone
 Higher stocking densities require increased oxygen level

Temperature
 Temperature effects fish respiration rates, pH, and dissolved oxygen
 Lower air and water temperatures = higher dissolved oxygen levels
 Higher air and water temperatures = lower dissolved oxygen levels
 Desired temperatures vary by fish species
 Warmer climates create lower D.O., must compensate for this

pH
 pH measures acidity or basicity of water • Below 7 is acidic
 Above 7 is basic
 In general plants like slightly lower pH, fish like slightly higher pH
 Ideal pH to strive for to have happy fish and plant is about 6.7
Stabilizing pH
 pH tends to decrease over time due to biofiltration and alkalinity comsuption
 Low pH can lead to decreased nitrification
 Must add chemical components to raise pH
i) Calcium carbonate
ii) Potassium carbonate
iii)Liquid or powder forms

 pH changes throughout the day, should be checked one to two times a day after cycling
 High pH combined with high temperature can lead to high ammonia levels

Alkalinity
 The buffering capacity of water to neutralize acid
 Ideal alkalinity level 100‐200 ppm
 Low alkalinity or non‐buffered water causes pH swings

Calcium
 Calcium additives help stabilize pH and are also taken up by plants
 Calcium deficiency can be associated with low pH
 Usually added to the system either daily with a doser, or 1‐3 times a week depending on system
readings
 Ideal calcium level 80‐150ppm

Iron
 Iron is beneficial for the plants
 Keeps plant leaves a healthy green color
 Yellow leaves indicate iron deficiency
 Some plants show deficiencies earlier than others
 Ideal Iron level 2‐3.5ppm

Potassium
 Indicators of potassium deficiency:
i) Brown or curled leaf edges
ii) Yellowing between veins
iii)Purple spots under leaf
 Ideal potassium 50‐100ppm depending on plant type

How often to Check

 During initial setup, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, pH should be monitored daily
i) After, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate 1‐2x per week
ii) pH daily
 Calcium and Iron weekly