Aquarium Adviser

Your Best Resource for Aquarium Supplies

  • Aquarium Filter
    • Canister Filter
    • Power Filter
    • HOB Filter
    • Turtle Tank Filter
    • Betta Filter
  • Led Aquarium Light
    • LED Lighting for Reef Tanks
    • LED Lights for Planted Tank
    • Aquarium Light Timer
  • Protein Skimmer
    • HOB Protein Skimmer
    • Nano Protein Skimmer
  • Pump
  • Fish Tank
    • Betta Fish Tanks
    • Nano Reef Tank
    • 20 Gallon Aquarium Kit
    • Fish Tank Guide
  • Reviews
    • Aquarium Filter Reviews
      • Fluval FX4 Review
      • Fluval FX6 Aquarium Canister Filter Review
      • Fluval 306 Canister Filter Review
      • Fluval External Filter 406 Review
      • Penn Plax Cascade Canister Aquarium Filter Review
      • SunSun HW304B 370GPH Pro Canister Filter Kit Review
      • EHEIM Classic External Canister Filter Review
      • Hydor Professional External Canister Filter Review
      • Cascade 1000 Canister Filter Review
    • LED Aquarium Lights Review
      • Current USA Orbit Marine Aquarium LED Light Review
      • Current USA Satellite Freshwater LED Plus Light Review
      • Current USA Orbit Marine Pro LED Review
      • Finnex Planted+ 24/7 Fully Automated Aquarium LED Review
      • Finnex FugeRay Planted Aquarium LED Light Plus Moonlights Review
      • Galaxyhydro LED 55x3w Dimmable 165w Full Spectrum LED Review
      • Beamswork EA Timer FSPEC LED Aquarium Light Review
      • Koval 156 LED Aquarium Light Review
    • Protein Skimmer Reviews
      • SCA 302 Skimmer Review
    • Aquarium Heater Reviews
      • Hydor External Heater Review
    • Aquarium Air Pump Reviews
      • Tetra Whisper Air Pump Review
    • Reef Salt – Salt for Reef Tank
    • Coral Food
    • Turtle Food
    • Betta Fish Food
    • Cichlid Food
    • Tropical Fish Food
    • Aquarium Sand
    • Aquarium Water Conditioner
    • Substrate for Planted Tank
    • Substrate for Betta Tank
    • Sand for Reef Tank
    • Aquarium Gravel
    • Aquarium Plant Fertilizer
  • Equipment
    • Aquarium Heater
    • Aquarium Thermometer
    • Auto Top Off System
    • Aquarium Wave Maker
    • Aquarium Powerhead
    • Automatic Fish Feeder
    • Aquarium Chiller
    • UV Sterilizer
    • Aquarium CO2 Regulator
    • Aquarium Air Stone
    • Aquarium Filter Media
    • Aquarium Vacuum Cleaner
    • Aqueon & Python Water Changer
  • Blog
Home » Fish Tank Guide » How to Lower Ammonia Levels in a Fish Tank

How to Lower Ammonia Levels in a Fish Tank

February 23, 2021 Leave a Comment

Share this...Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on pinterest
Pinterest
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on linkedin
Linkedin
Share on reddit
Reddit
Share on tumblr
Tumblr

When you’re just starting with a new fish tank, you’ve probably heard about aquarium cycles. This is where you let nitrite and ammonia hit 0 ppm before you add the fish. It can seem somewhat confusing, but ammonia is important.

How to Lower Ammonia Levels in a Fish Tank?

All aquatic systems have it, and it must be dealt with appropriately. Most of the time, microorganisms do it. However, you may need to intervene with chemicals and water changes.

We’re going to explain what ammonia is and the right levels for a fish tank. Then, you’re going to find out how it affects the tank and how to keep it from being a problem.

Table of Contents

  • What Is Ammonia?
  • The Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle
  • What Does Ammonia Do For the Aquarium?
  • Best Ways to Lower or Remove Ammonia in Aquariums
  • How Long Might it Take to Achieve Lower Ammonia Levels?
  • How to Prevent Ammonia in the Aquarium?
  • Conclusion

What Is Ammonia?

Ammonia (NH3) is a chemical compound that often happens because of fish waste and decayed organic matter in the aquarium. There’s bound to be some ammonia at times. However, at high levels, ammonia poisoning happens and affects everything in the tank.

This means you’ve got to fully cycle in a new fish. You’ve also got to establish the biological filter. In fact, ammonia’s the first step for facilitating a nitrogen cycle in your aquarium.

The Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle

Ammonia gets turned into nitrite because of the beneficial bacteria inside the aquarium. A source of ammonia is necessary to jumpstart the process, and it often gets created from fish waste.

Other options can include putting in pure ammonia. Ghost feeding is also a possibility. This is where you put in too much food, and it is left to decay so that it releases ammonia.

Nitrifying bacteria perform the nitrification process to convert ammonia to nitrates. They are then transformed into different nitrifying bacteria called nitrates.

Organisms and plants can take in nitrates more easily. Once you detect them (through a test kit), a large water change is necessary. Then, you can start adding your fish.

This process takes about three to six weeks to complete. However, there are varying circumstances involved.

What Does Ammonia Do For the Aquarium?

Effects of ammonia on aquatic life

Ammonia can seem like a bad thing for the aquarium, but it’s food for some of the plants and microorganisms. Once your tank has been thoroughly cycled, ammonia enters into the tank from fish waste. Fish excrete the ammonia as waste, and then it’s converted to good things in the tank.

The uneaten food and all the organic matter in the tank are consumed by something. That way, it gets integrated back into the nitrogen and food cycle.

In return, the bacteria feed on the ammonia to reduce levels in the tank and keep your fish from developing ammonia poisoning. Plus, aquarium plants also take up nitrites, ammonia, and nitrates to grow. This helps to maintain and lower the ammonia levels within the tank.

Best Ways to Lower or Remove Ammonia in Aquariums

You don’t necessarily want to lower ammonia levels if you’re starting a new tank unless they get unmanageable. However, if you’ve already got an established ecosystem, it’s important to keep it at the right level. Typically, 1-2 ppm is suitable for the beginning stages of your cycle.

If the ammonia levels are higher, the cycle could stall. That means your beneficial bacteria can’t keep up with ammonia amounts produced in the tank. You may need to get rid of or reduce ammonia manually, and there are many ways to do it.

Water Changes

One of the most efficient and easiest ways to lower the ammonia levels is by performing a water change (or multiple water changes). They immediately remove all the ammonia from the tank and introduce safe water. This helps dilute any remaining ammonia traces in the system.

Consider spacing water changes out over a few days. That way, fish and invertebrates don’t become more stressed than necessary.

Once you’ve tested the water quality and know that ammonia is a problem, consider performing a large water change of 50 percent. You should allow the system to realign itself and then test again the next day. If there’s still ammonia present, perform a 20 to 30 percent partial water change.

Wait one more day and then test again. You can continue performing partial water changes as necessary until ammonia levels read 0 ppm. However, you should also be looking into why there was a high ammonia spike.

Ammonia is going to continue being introduced into your water if the tank is overcrowded. Another option is that something died in the tank and must be removed.

Chemical Supplements

Water changes are the easiest option to remove high ammonia levels. However, a chemical supplement might also be necessary. It can also speed up the process of cycling a new tank, and there are many products on the market.

Beneficial Bacteria

You can also introduce beneficial bacteria products into the aquarium. These are going to keep all the nutrients at the right range.

However, they aren’t going to immediately reduce the level of ammonia. Instead, good bacteria gets added to help the nitrogen cycles process faster.

Conditioners

It’s a good idea to keep conditioner products on hand. They’re a great way to remove chlorine, detoxify nitrites, ammonia, and other metals.

Aquarium Water Conditioner

This isn’t going to solve your ammonia problem directly, though. However, the fish and other living things aren’t going to be affected less and less over time. Plus, you can work to figure out the problem’s origin and correct it.

Filter Media

The last resort for lowering ammonia levels in the aquarium is to get a filter media. Though filters can remove a lot, they aren’t specific to ammonia. You can find them, though, and use them in a pinch until you can perform a water change or use some of the other tips.

How Long Might it Take to Achieve Lower Ammonia Levels?

The problem with ammonia in the tank is that it has to be removed quickly without stressing your fish more. Therefore, the speed at which ammonia leaves the tank depends on why it was happening initially. However, you can lower ammonia levels in a few days so that it’s safer for the marine environment.

Remember, ammonia is going to be present when cycling the fish tank. Ammonia is going to show up on the test kits for about one to three weeks. After that, though, nitrates and nitrites should appear.

How to Prevent Ammonia in the Aquarium?

Fish tanks don’t reach maturity levels until a few years. During that first year, the tank is prone to bacteria and algae outbreaks. Some mature tanks do experience high ammonia because of changing conditions.

There are ways to prevent ammonia spikes from occurring. These can include:

Test Kits

You’ve got to know the chemistry of your fish tank to find out what’s happening on a biological level. Regularly test your water parameters the first year to make sure things are going well. Find out the base reading and then figure out where the tank operates at maximum performance.

Test the Source Water

Ammonia can’t just appear in the tank. Usually, it happens because of overfeeding, overcrowding, organic die-off, and poor tank maintenance. Still, it could be the water source you’re using, so test that first.

Conclusion

There could be many reasons why your ammonia levels are higher than normal, such as poor maintenance practices, overcrowding, overfeeding, and more. Luckily, it is easy to fix the problem.

You can perform water changes, use chemical supplements, and test for ammonia to prevent it from getting worse. That way, your fish are going to be healthy, and you can enjoy them for many years to come.

More From Aquarium Adviser:
  • How to Lower Phosphate in Reef Tank
    How to Lower Phosphate in Reef Tank
  • Cycling Fish Tank - All You Need to Know
    Cycling Fish Tank - All You Need to Know
  • How to Read a Fish Tank Thermometer
    How to Read a Fish Tank Thermometer
  • How to Get Rid of White Fungus in Fish Tank
    How to Get Rid of White Fungus in Fish Tank
  • Can You Use Spring Water in a Fish Tank?
    Can You Use Spring Water in a Fish Tank?
  • How to Correctly Take Care of a Saltwater Fish Tank
    How to Correctly Take Care of a Saltwater Fish Tank
  • How Often to Change Carbon Filter in Fish Tank?
    How Often to Change Carbon Filter in Fish Tank?
  • How Long Should You Wait to Put Betta Fish in a New Tank?
    How Long Should You Wait to Put Betta Fish in a New Tank?
  • Discus Fish - Step by Step Starting a Discus Tank
    Discus Fish - Step by Step Starting a Discus Tank

Fish Tank Guide

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Popular Articles

What Fish Can Live With Goldfish? – 8 Goldfish Tank Mates List

62 Comments

How Often Should You Feed a Betta Fish?

60 Comments

How Often Should You Feed Goldfish? How Much?

40 Comments

10 Best Nano Saltwater Fish For Your Nano Reef Tank

39 Comments

The 10 Best Plants for Freshwater Aquarium

34 Comments

Recent Posts

  • How Often to Change Carbon Filter in Fish Tank?
  • Preparing RO Water for Freshwater Aquarium
  • Where to Place Wavemaker in Freshwater Aquarium
  • How Long Should You Wait to Put Betta Fish in a New Tank?
  • Where to Place Air Stone in an Aquarium?

Recent Comments

  • Praveen Ghoshal on How Often Should You Feed a Betta Fish?
  • P.KARTHIKEYAN on How to Tell if Guppies are Pregnant?
  • P.KARTHIKEYAN on How to Tell if Guppies are Pregnant?
  • Andy on 15 Best Plants for Terrarium – Easy to Grow Terrarium Plants
  • Kevin Mills on How Often to Change Carbon Filter in Fish Tank?

Aquariumadviser.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca and any other website that may be affiliated with Amazon Service LLC Associates Program.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates.
We do not specifically market to children under 13.

About | Contact | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer | Terms | Amazon Affiliate Disclosure

DMCA.com Protection Status

© Copyright 2016-2023, Aquarium Adviser · All Rights Reserved