Ammonia

Where does the ammonia originate from?

Pond fish produce waste in the form of ammonia, which is released into the water through the gills.  Ammonia can also originate from the dead and decaying plant material in the pond or from uneaten food, which is left in the water.

In an established pond with a functioning filtration system the ammonia is broken down by Nitrosomonas species of bacteria to a secondary product, known as nitrite.

Ammonia can exist in two forms when dissolved in water, the first is the free ammonia and this is very poisonous to fish, the second form is known as ionized ammonia which is not quite as harmful as the free form.

The ammonia can have a number of detrimental effects on the pond fish such as disrupting the ability to regular water and salts, or, damaging the delicate fill structure, causing swelling to the filaments so the pond fish cannot absorb oxygen from the water.

If the water becomes polluted with ammonia, regular partial water changes need to be undertaken to reduce the concentration of the pollutant.

In the early stages of establishing a filtration system on the pond, it may take several weeks before the ammonia level in the water begins to drop.