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Ammonia/ammonium



>From: Allen Sandifer <ibi007 at mail_connect.more.net>
>
>From my understanding if the pH is below 7.0 ammonium is produced and if it
>is above 7.0 ammonia is produced. If the pH of the tank is say 7.2 and
>ammonia is produced will the plants still use it?

It's actually an equilibrium (like the carbonate equilibrium where the aqueous
ammonia is prevalent in an alkaline pH and ammonium is prevalent in an acidic
pH.  

I'm not sure about this, but I think that plants and bacteria alike intake
primarily the ammonium ion.  In slightly alkaline water, the ammonium ion is
still in ready supply, and when the plants/bacteria/whatever remove ammonium
ions, the equilibrium re-balances as ammonia molecules convert to ammonium.

From what I understand, this type of equilibrium is best described like a
square-dance, where the molecules/ions are continously changing states
(partners, if you carry forward the analogy).  The measurements are taken as a
snap-shot, where at any given time, Y percentage of the NHx is ammonia and the
rest is ammonium.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

David W. Webb in Plano TX, where the weather is really nice (for the moment).