ARTEMIA SALINA - WATER QUALITY MEASUREMENTS, O2, NO2-, NH3/NH4+
Over the next months I will closely monitor some water parameters of my Artemia tanks.
Oxygen (O2), nitrite NO2 and ammonia (NH3 / NH4).
The oxygen level monitored over some weeks will tell if providing oxygen by adding bottled
water with a pipette (aqua leash) is enough or if the level is in critical ranges.
Nitrite and ammonia is produced by excrement and decay - usually there are two types
of bacteria, occuring virtually everywhere (air, water etc.), which will convert the
ammonia into nitrite (Nitrosomonas sp. bacteria) and the nitrite into nitrate
(Nitrobacter sp. bacteria), where nitrate is non-toxic to the Artemia.
Nitrite blocks oxygen transport in the blood, so death is caused by inner asphyxia.
Ammonia is oxidised by Nitrosomonas to form nitrite:
NH4+ (ammonia) + 2 H2O (water) => NO2- (nitrite) + 8 H+ (hydrogen ions)
Nitrite is oxidised by Nitrobacter to form nitrate:
NO2- (nitrite) + H2O (water) => NO3- (nitrate) + 2 H+ (hydrogen ions)
Tank #1
DATE
TIME
O2[mg/l]
NO2[mg/l]
NH3/NH4[mg/l]
21-JUL-2006
20:00
4
>>5
>>5
A oxygen level of 4mg/l two days after two aqua leash of shaked bottled water is really OK. The critical point is
about 2mg/l - the oxygen level must not fall below that point, otherwise vital functions are seriously disturbed.
Surface sea water has typically 5 mg/l dissolved oxygen O2.
The really alarming values are nitrite and ammonia. I could not measure the real value, because the color of
the chemical reaction in the test kit was off scale. At the time of measurement, the tank was 49 days old with
a population of about 10 rather mature Artemia. There was a little algae growth at the bottom of the tank and
on the pottery shard - the Artemia actually like to "scrape" algae off the pottery shard and the bottom.
So I bought some "Bactozym" tablets in the local aquarium shop. Those tablets have a soluble hull and inside
those contain chemicals to support and enhance growth of good bacteria, which will convert the ammonia into
nitrite and the nitrite to nitrate. Ammonia and nitrite are toxic, while the nitrate is non-toxic.
Let's see how adding a minimal amount of one tablet (actually one tablet is for 100 liters of water, so I
opened one and just added a tiny amount of the powder) will change nitrite and ammonia levels.
More details in a few days.
UPDATE 27 JUL 2006:
Another nitrite test resulted in a still very high level. I added more Bactozym - let's see if the first
amount of Bactozym was just not enough or if it doesn't work at all.
UPDATE 07 OCT 2006:
After more than 2 months I tested the nitrite level again and the level is still way off scale, so
most likely Bactozym didn't work.
So I got some inactive bacteria in liquid form from my favorite aquarium store. This liquid is usually
used to condition fresh aquariums, so that the nitrite and ammonium recycling starts right off and the
fish can be set into the aquarium without letting the water sit for weeks or months.
A small bottle of this bacteria liquid (10ml) was just a few bucks.
I've put 4 drops into my 3/4 liter tank with the extreme high levels of nitrite and ammonia.
After a few hours the bacteria will come to live again, and start to "eat" nitrite, ammonia and other
poisonous compounds caused by degradation of biological matter (algae and dead Artemia).
UPDATE 09 OCT 2006:
Added another 4 drops of liquid bacteria, since todays water test didn't show any change
in nitrite levels.
UPDATE 11 OCT 2006:
I spotted one nauplius - either the improving water
quality caused it to hatch, or the slightly higher water level due adding bottled water covered one previously
unhatched egg with water.
UPDATE 31 OCT 2006:
Still no change in nitrite level.
