How to remove ammonia from an aquarium? If you’re worried, there’s no need to worry—you’ve come to the right place. I am experienced in this matter. I have been keeping fish in aquariums for a long time, and my experience has taught me how to remove ammonia, why ammonia occurs, and how it can be prevented.
I will share my experience here so that those who are raising fish in new aquariums can learn more about removing ammonia, and those with established aquariums can also gain valuable information that will benefit them.
What is ammonia?
Ammonia is a chemical compound with the chemical symbol NH₃. It is a gaseous compound of nitrogen and hydrogen that accumulates in aquarium water due to the decomposition of excrement from fish and other aquatic animals, or from excess food. The presence of ammonia in aquarium water can be very harmful because it is toxic to aquatic animals.
Causes of Ammonia in the Aquarium
- Fish waste: When fish eat and complete the digestion process, they excrete waste through urine and feces, which are major sources of ammonia.
- Excess food: Leftover food after a fish meal decomposes and produces ammonia.
- Other waste: Ammonia is produced when dead plants, fish, or other organic matter in the aquarium decomposes.
- Malfunction of the filtering system: If the filter is not functioning properly, it fails to remove the ammonia accumulated in the water, resulting in elevated levels.
- Aquarium population density: If there are more fish than the tank can support, they produce more waste, resulting in increased ammonia levels.
- Incomplete nitrogen cycle: If the nitrogen cycle is not complete in a newly established aquarium, beneficial bacteria cannot convert ammonia into nitrites and nitrates, leading to ammonia buildup.
- Lack of beneficial bacteria: If the tank does not have enough beneficial bacteria, ammonia will build up in the fish tank over time if it is not decomposed.
- Tap water: Some tap water may contain ammonia. When this water is used in the tank, ammonia increases in the aquarium.
What are the symptoms of ammonia?
- Smell: Ammonia has a specific smell. One of the quickest ways to check for ammonia in your tank is by taking a quick sniff. If you’re unfamiliar with the smell of ammonia, it’s often compared to the smell of cat urine.
- Increased breathing rate: Fish will breathe faster as they rise to the surface, appearing to “gasp” for air. This is a sign of high ammonia levels in the water.
- Bleaching: Ammonia poisoning causes the skin color of fish to become pale or discolored.
- Red spots on skin or body: Ammonia poisoning can cause red or blood spots on the body of the fish.
- Abnormal behavior: Fish may become restless, limp, or hide in the corners of the tank instead of behaving as usual.
- Fin or tail damage: Ammonia can cause fin rot, leading to the loss of fins and tails.
- Abnormal swimming: The fish may swim erratically, such as turning upside down or sinking downward. Swimming becomes difficult and tiring.
- Reluctance to eat: Fish often stop eating when ammonia levels rise. They swim lazily.
- Sudden death: High levels of ammonia can be fatal to fish and may cause sudden death in some cases.
Note: As soon as you notice these symptoms, test the water with test kits to confirm ammonia levels. Disinterest in food, abnormal swimming, and inconsistent behavior can also be observed in other fish diseases.
How to remove ammonia from an aquarium?
I will discuss the methods I use to reduce ammonia levels in my fish tank. These methods are simple and easy for anyone to implement, allowing beginners to easily solve this problem, while experienced fish keepers will find valuable information.
1. Change the water
The easiest and most effective way to reduce ammonia levels is through partial water changes. I perform a 25% to 50% water change in my tank, which immediately reduces ammonia levels because freshwater has more dissolved oxygen than the old tank water. Introducing new water helps improve oxygenation, which benefits the fish and supports the aerobic bacteria responsible for breaking down ammonia.
Do partial water changes daily as needed until ammonia returns to 0 ppm. When adding new water, keep the water temperature close to the tank water to avoid thermal shock to the fish.
2. Water conditioner
Water changes are the easiest way to solve high ammonia levels, but biological and chemical supplements may sometimes be necessary. One of the best products to have on hand is a water conditioner that detoxifies ammonia, nitrites, and other heavy metals. Although this won’t solve the root cause of the problem, it buys more time to find and address the issue.
3. Use biological filtration
Biofiltration systems contain nitrifying bacteria, which convert ammonia into nitrites and then nitrates. If the tank is new, beneficial bacteria may be lacking. In such cases, you can grow beneficial bacteria by using biofilters, which help keep nutrients in the ideal range.
4. Remove organic waste from the tank
Dirt, fish waste, decaying plants, and other organic matter accumulate at the bottom of the tank. Use a gravel vacuum to clean the bottom of the tank so ammonia cannot build up.
5. Avoid overfeeding
Excess food can be a major cause of ammonia increase. Feed only what the fish can eat within 2-3 minutes. Leftover food decomposes in the water, producing ammonia.
6. Increase ventilation
The gas form of ammonia dissolves in water, but increasing water aeration allows the gas to escape. Use equipment such as a water pump, air stone, air pump, and wave maker to increase ventilation.
7. General treatment
Add 1-2 gm/L of salt to the water to reduce stress on the kidneys of the fish. Increase water oxygenation by adding air stones to reduce the risk of fish suffocation.
8. Chemical treatment method
Although ammonia can often be eliminated through water changes, if ammonia levels cannot be reduced using the above methods, chemical treatment may be required. In such cases, consult an experienced aquarist before applying chemicals, as improper use can harm fish or even cause death.
Ammonia Prevention Methods in Aquariums
- Regular water changes: I schedule 20-30% water changes weekly and 25-50% monthly changes. These regular changes remove harmful elements, including ammonia.
- Clean waste quickly: Remove dead fish, fecal waste, dead plants, and other decomposing waste from the aquarium as they decompose and produce ammonia.
- Feed appropriately: Remove uneaten food after feeding. Excess food sinks into the aquarium decomposes and produces ammonia.
- Keeping live plants: Plants absorb ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate from the water and use them as nutrients, thereby reducing ammonia levels. Additionally, plants produce oxygen through photosynthesis, which helps protect the health of fish in the aquarium.”
- Use a biological filter: Beneficial bacteria in the filter convert ammonia and nitrite into nitrate.
- Avoid overstocking: Overstocking the aquarium leads to more fecal waste, excess food waste, and ammonia production.
- Increase aeration: By increasing aeration in my tank, ammonia gas is diffused out of the water into the air.
- Complete the nitrogen cycle: Avoid adding fish to a new aquarium until the nitrogen cycle is complete. Once this cycle is established, ammonia is easily purified. “Cycling” is the process of converting ammonia to nitrate, aided by beneficial bacteria.
- Maintain proper pH: Tank pH can directly affect ammonia levels. Regularly measure and maintain the ideal pH level in your aquarium.
