ammonia in wastewater and aquariumss

Nitrification in a waterbody is a complex phenomenon. Ammonia is converted to nitrite by nitrosonomas and nitrates oxidizes to nitrate by nitrobacteria.

Nitrosonomas are toxic to a number of things. Heavy metals, quaternary amines are two majors ones. They are also strict aerobes but use alkalinity as there primary food source. They do not use BOD as a food source, if the BOD is too high it may interfer with there ability to resperate.