Just Tested My Water And.....

[Truck]

Ok I may have worded it slightly wrong bignose, maybe I should have put levels above 0.25ppm COULD be poisonous. This level is used by many as a general rule because it tends the be the first level after 0 that most test kits recognise. I use the API master kit and the lowest level is 0, the next level up is 0.25ppm hence it is used as a geveral guideline in order to try keep levels below that amount to be on the safe side.

Andy

anything that reads above 0 could be toxic, so above 0.25ppm is a bit of a sweeping figure

 

[arobinson1984]

Yes but your dwarf puffer could be suffering long term damage that isn't showing at the moment.

Look at it in terms of smoking, nicotine is damaging your body everytime you smoke a cigarette but most of the time you dont see any effects but it will tend to show up in the long run if you are constantly subjected to nicotine on a daily basis over a substantial period of time.

That may be not the best analagy, but it gives some sort of idea what I'm getting at.

Andy

Yes truck, I agree, thats why I said the level of 0.25ppm is the level to keep the readings below, basically on most test kits, the next reading down from 0.25 is zero

Andy

 

[keeton]

just took everything out the tank cleaned the gravel as best i could, and cleaned the rocks and pedals. i washed the filters out in tank water (water from the water change) and i have put everything back and filled it up.
will test in 15-20mins

 

[Bignose]

Ok I may have worded it slightly wrong bignose, maybe I should have put levels above 0.25ppm COULD be poisonous. This level is used by many as a general rule because it tends the be the first level after 0 that most test kits recognise. I use the API master kit and the lowest level is 0, the next level up is 0.25ppm hence it is used as a geveral guideline in order to try keep levels below that amount to be on the safe side. Obviously a zero reading is what should be aimed at.

Andy

"Slightly" doesn't cut it, my friend. You suggested that a constant value -- regardless of any other variables -- was "the" concentration to worry about. And that is only right at exactly one temperature and pH. Not across the board. The actual value is a nonlinear function of temperature, pH, and salinity.

A good analogy would be two malfunctioning clocks (with hands). The first loses 1 second every 24 hours and the second clock is frozen. I think that the above is claiming that the second clock is more useful since it right twice a day whereas the other is right only once every 100,000 years or so. Which is silly, because while the first clock isn't exactly right, it is very close for a very long time.

I think that saying "0.25 ppm is the level" is similar because it is right only at one specific temperature and pH, whereas the calculations I showed probably aren't exact (the experimental error in the disassociation coefficient is going to be significant), but are going to be close for a great deal of the time.

Furthermore, while they aren't on the color chart, you can clearly see gradations between 0.25 and 0 using the liquid tests. Enough that most people could easily determine if their concentration was around 0.12 ppm (half).

Furthermore furthermore, I think maybe I wasn't super clear, but things like "general guidelines" are usually of very limited value. This example is a good one, but look at some of the others: "One inch per gallon" -- there are many, many threads that show how off that one is. "Ich is in all water" is utter rubbish. "Stunting caused bulging organs" despite my repeated requests, I've never seen any evidence for.

I just hate to see things repeated or spouted off as fact when there isn't any basis for them. I don't mean to seem like I am singling you out -- because I'm not making this personal -- I just correct things that I see posted that are either wrong, or only partially right. And saying "0.25 ppm is the critical level" is wrong because it doesn't take into account any of the other variables that are very important. Again, I firmly believe that most people can understand these things if you take the time to explain them and post as much accurate information as possible.