Guest Posted April 18, 2015 Posted April 18, 2015 I'm looking at the nitrification process.the last phase of which produces NO3 + H2O + 2H+can anyone tell me what effect 2H+ has on water?its decades since i did chemistry Quote
soll Posted April 18, 2015 Posted April 18, 2015 oxidation occurs based on a brief google search... Quote
Mr Fro Posted April 18, 2015 Posted April 18, 2015 Not much I think. It'll dissolve in it up to a point but won't react with pure water.** I'm a biologist, not a chemist so don't 100% take my word for it! Quote
Guest Posted April 18, 2015 Posted April 18, 2015 the reason Im asking is because the so called experts on the practical fish keeping forum don't seem to have a clue. I've a fairly high brow book.. so high brow it takes some of these things for granted.it says that 'acid' is produced.. I'm guessing this is the 2H+ part.. i want to understand the process that makes the 'acid' and what sort of acid it is? Quote
Mr Fro Posted April 18, 2015 Posted April 18, 2015 You didn't mention a tank full of fish turds!H+ could bond with Cl- or F- to form an acid. Are your fish dissolving or something? Quote
Guest Posted April 18, 2015 Posted April 18, 2015 You didn't mention a tank full of fish turds!H+ could bond with Cl- or F- to form an acid. Are your fish dissolving or something? not at all.and my tank isn't full of fish turds thank you very much.. i have a massive population of heterotrophic bacteria that are merrily processing them and turning them into prime plant food. so ner.plant food that means I'm rather good at growing plants.. much to the displeasure of the 'experts' - who seem to hate my guts. http://i.imgur.com/NHwzwoYl.jpgsomebody on the forum said something particularly dumb.. and like the pedantic fool that i am i wanted to understand why he was so wrong.I do now. but my head hurts.the acid.. by a very convoluted set of processes is NITRIC. obviously very weak but it lowers the ph and that was the root of the question. Quote
MarkW Posted April 18, 2015 Posted April 18, 2015 If there are fish in the tank there will be ammonia in the water, which bacteria will transform first to nitrite/nitrate, and from there to nitric acid. Is that at all helpful? Quote
Guest Posted April 18, 2015 Posted April 18, 2015 If there are fish in the tank there will be ammonia in the water, which bacteria will transform first to nitrite/nitrate, and from there to nitric acid. Is that at all helpful? yes.. in as much that i knew acid was produced.. but not what acid and what was the exact process that produced it.. I've found out now and my head hurts.one so called expert said the acid (that was lowering the ph) was the nitrate. I laughed. but.. i like to find out the actual answer and its a very convoluted one. the actual acid produced in the first instance is Nitrous acid. but in warm water this rapidly breaks down 3 HNO2 → HNO3 + 2 NO + H2O Quote
cockercas Posted April 19, 2015 Posted April 19, 2015 Dont you have a water quality testing kit? There should be a nitrate test in there. Quote
Guest Posted April 19, 2015 Posted April 19, 2015 Dont you have a water quality testing kit? There should be a nitrate test in there. Yes.. but knowing that nitrate is present or its level, doesn't answer the question about the acidity. but its sorted now.. my head aches a little less this morning. Quote
MarkW Posted April 19, 2015 Posted April 19, 2015 yes.. in as much that i knew acid was produced.. but not what acid and what was the exact process that produced it.. I've found out now and my head hurts. I'm glad you said that, because I had exhausted the sum total of my knowledge on aquarium chemistry Quote
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