Results for “acid”

acid

A substance that can donate protons or accept pairs of electrons. The chemical opposite of a base. Acids have a pH of less than 7.

Used in 123 profiles

acidophile

An organism which naturally dwells in an acidic environment.

Used in 1 profile

acidophilic

Thriving in an acidic environment.

acidic

Acid; tending to form an acid; having a pH less than 7.0; having a relatively high concentration of hydrogen ions.

Used in 435 profiles

pH

Measure of the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution. Pure water is said to be neutral, with a pH around 7.0, solutions with pH of less than 7.0 acidic and greater than 7.0 basic or alkaline. Measured on a logarithmic scale of 0.0-14.0 whereby a change of a single unit represents a ten-fold increase in acidity or basicity/alkalinity, i.e., a solution with a pH of 4.0 is ten times more acidic than one of 5.0., and 100 times more acidic than one of 6.0. Some fishes require a relatively specific pH in aquaria, while others are more generalised, with the former requirement often-reduced in captive-bred examples.

Used in 397 profiles

buffer

A substance that reduces change in the acidity of a solution when an acid or base is added.

Used in 8 profiles

tannin

Any of various yellowish or brownish solid compounds found in many plants and used for various commercial purposes. Derived from gallic acid and also known as tannic acid. Often present in water bodies with large amounts of decaying vegetation or where the underlying or surrounding soil contains peat and responsible for the typically brownish (tea-coloured) water in such environments and aquaria containing certain types of wood.

Used in 317 profiles

alkali

A substance which neutralises an acid.

Used in 2 profiles

alkaline

Relating to or containing an alkali; having a pH greater than 7.0; having a relatively low concentration of hydrogen ions; able to neutralise an acid.

Used in 94 profiles

alkalinity

Measure of the buffering capacity of a given water body, i.e. its capacity to neutralize acids and bases thereby maintaining a fairly stable pH. Water containing compounds, such as bicarbonates, carbonates, and hydroxides has a stronger such capacity and is referred to as hard water, while water lacking or deficient in them is termed soft water. Soft water aquaria tend to be susceptible to pH crashes if not maintained correctly.

Used in 6 profiles

base

The bottom or lowest part of something. Biology. The point of attachment of a part or organ, e.g., a fin. Chemistry. A substance that can accept protons or donate pairs of electrons. The chemical opposite of an acid. Bases have a pH greater than 7.0 and a solution containing one or more bases is often referred to as an alkali.

Used in 1,187 profiles

blackwater

In ichthyological and aquarium literature typically refers to water rich in humic acids and poor in nutrients such as that associated with ancient peat swamps or parts of the Amazon river drainage, and thus differs from clearwater and whitewater. Fish species inhabiting such environments typically require similar conditions in captivity, especially if wild caught.

Used in 169 profiles

DNA

Abbreviation for deoxyribonucleic acid, a double-stranded, self-replicating genetic material comprised of a chain of nucleotides. Present in nearly all living organisms and is the main constituent of chromosomes. DNA segments containing genetic instructions are called genes and normally direct production and activity of RNA.

Used in 11 profiles

neutral

Neither acidic nor alkaline.

Used in 179 profiles

nitrates

Any salt or ester of nitric acid, and the end product of the portion of the nitrogen cycle taking place in most closed aquarium systems (the conversion of nitrates to nitrogen gas in natural systems is carried out by anaerobic microorganisms not normally present in sufficient numbers in aquaria, though this process can be induced by installation of a nitrate reactor). While nitrates are less toxic than ammonia or nitrites, they are still potentially harmful to fishes and other aquatic organisms if allowed to accumulate unchecked, and must therefore be diluted via regular water changes. Aquatic plants also help since they are able to metabolise nitrates to an extent.

Used in 20 profiles

nitrites

A salt or ester of nitrous acid. Produced in aquaria via metabolisation of ammonia by nitrifying bacteria of the genus Nitrosomonas, and toxic to fishes if present in sufficient concentrations, but in a mature system is further converted into less-harmful nitrates by other bacteria of the genus Nitrospira.

Used in 1 profile

peat

A compressed accumulation of partially-decomposed, chiefly vegetable matter typically found in certain marshes, bogs, and peat swamp forests throughout the world. It forms via breakdown of various plants and other organic materials in water when full decomposition is prevented due to localised acidic, anaerobic conditions. As a result of this somewhat specific nature the organisms inhabiting peaty environments are often stenotypic and found nowhere else. Peat can be used as a fuel when dried and thus has industrial importance in some countries. Also used in aquaria, especially in order to simulate blackwater habitats, either in pure, artificially-granulated or liquid extract form.

Used in 268 profiles

peat swamp forest

Type of tropical moist forest lying over a thick bed of acidic peat, over 60% of which occur in Indonesia and Malaysia. Typically contain water with very low pH (<4.0) that is stained brown due to the release of various organic compounds from the decaying peat and thus often referred to as blackwater swamps. Usually contain some permanent water but also flood seasonally. Highly biodiverse when in pristine condition, with many species found nowhere else on earth, though increasingly subjected to intensive drainage, burning and subsequent conversion to agriculture in recent decades.

Used in 89 profiles

phosphates

Any salt or ester of phosphoric acid. The presence or addition of excessive phosphates in aquatic ecosystems can have significant ecological effects such as eutrophication, and they are one of the primary contributors to algal growth in aquaria if allowed to accumulate. Conversely, they may be actively added to heavily-planted set-ups in the form of liquid or other supplements in order to encourage plant growth.

RNA

Abbreviation for ribonucleic acid, a single-stranded, self-replicating genetic material comprised of a chain of nucleotides. Present in nearly all living organisms, and replaces and performs the role of DNA in some viruses. Particularly important in protein synthesis and sometimes in transmission of genetic information.