Total conversion of ammonia

[Silent]

Randy, would reducing bacteria and/or carbon dosing make it easier to maintain high pH or Alk?
Could using bacteria products or having more fish or more food input increase alk consumption and reduce pH?

Ammonia NH3 -> nitrate NO3 takes 4.6 parts oxygen and 7.1 parts alk to convert 1 part ammonia NH3.
Do these factors have much of an affect in our tanks?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The ammonia cycle won't impact pH and alk much unless nitrate is rapidly rising or falling. The overall effect of ammonia produced and taken back up as ammonia or nitrate is net neutral to pH and alkalinity.

Carbon dosing does tend to lower pH by producing CO2, making it somewhat less likely for there to be abiotic precipitation of calcium carbonate that makes it harder to keep high alk and calcum. So organic carbon dosing likely makes it easier to maintain higher level, if there is any effect at all.

 

[Silent]

Understood. Thank you for clarifying.