Thanks, Andrew. Yes, actually, the laugh did help... my mood, at least. :-)
Cheers, you silly person you.
Julie <'><
>From: Andrew Boyd <andrew at friendlymanual.com>
>Reply-To: r_m_l at yahoogroups.com
>To: r_m_l at yahoogroups.com
>Subject: Re: [RML] pH and fish physiology
>Date: Fri, 25 Nov 2005 16:37:06 +1100
>
>Julie Zeppieri wrote:
>
> >Hi All,
> >
> >I have a question to pose to the list. I asked Unmack, but for once he
> >couldn't come through. So, I am putting it out there in hopes one other
>of
> >y'all might have the answer.
> >
> >A friend asked me why it is -- metabolically/physiologically speaking --
> >that it is more dangerous to
> >fish to experience a sudden drop in pH than for them to experience a
>sudden
> >rise in pH.
> >
> >While I know that this IS true (and have seen it in action MANY times), I
>am
> >at a loss to explain WHY it is so.
> >
> >Can you give me the basics of this so that I may pass it on?
> >
> >TIA!
> >Julie <'><
> >
> >
> >
>Hi Julie,
>
>here is an explanation that doesn't work, but might be fun to try out :)
>
>pH stands for pondus Hydrogenii, the weight of the hydrogen. When pH
>drops, the remaining hydrogen in the water isn't heavy enough to hold
>the fish down any more, so they float to the surface of the tank
>(sometimes belly up). Because they are not adapted to life at the
>surface, their gills get damaged, and they die.
>
>Of course, this falls down on a couple of points.
>1. Hydrogen doesn't hold fish down - it is actually lighter than water.
>2. More to the point, this explanation is complete BS. :)
>
>Hope this helps,
>
>Best regards, Andrew
>
>--
>-----------------------------------------
>Andrew Boyd andrew at friendlymanual.com
>Web Development/ePublishing Solutions
>http://www.friendlymanual.com
>http://www.successadvances.com
>-----------------------------------------
>