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What can I do to make the High levels of ammonia and nitrite go down?
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
When there are ammonia & nitrites in your tank, it means that your tank is not fully cycled. When it is fully cycled, you will begin to see some nitrates, but this also needs to stay under 10ppm.
While your tank is cycling, make sure that you do a 50% water change every week, more if your tank is over-stocked, too small, or not enough filtration.
Also, when you add new water to the tank, make sure that you add the recommended dosage of water conditioner such as Prime or Amquel+
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
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What compound is most toxic to freshwater fish?
Fish waste includes ammonia (NH3), which breaks down into nitrites, then nitrates. Both in your store and at customers' homes, freshwater fish aquariums should be closely monitored for levels of these three waste products. Ammonia should test at zero in established tanks with sufficient nitrifying bacteria. However, ammonia can rise to very high concentrations in new tanks or when too many fish are added. Levels should be carefully monitored in new tanks and after adding fish, particularly in smaller tanks where waste can concentrate faster. Nitrite (NO2) and nitrate (NO3) should be monitored closely. Ammonia is broken down into nitrite, which is less toxic but still dangerous to fish at high levels. Nitrite is then broken down into nitrate by another type of bacteria, completing the nitrogen cycle. Nitrite generally is detected in only new tanks (during the initial phases of establishing nitrifying bacteria colonies) and when new fish are added. In established tanks, nitrite levels should test at zero as it breaks down into nitrate. Nitrate will accumulate in the aquarium over time but can be kept at safe levels by frequent partial water changes.
Your Betta fish goes crazy whenever you look at him in his tank swims up down around fins get big what does this mean?
Panic type jerky behaviour is often indicative of high ammonia and/or nitrite levels in the fishes water. It could also be that something else is wrong. I would start off by doing a few large water changes and see if he settles down.
What cycle occurs in the aquarium?
Nitrogen Cycle occurs in the aquarium.Fish produce ammonia which is toxic. In a well established aquarium, Some beneficial bacteria will break down the ammonia into nitrite, and a second species of bacteria will break down nitrite into less harmful nitrate. The whole process of converting ammonia into nitrite and then into nitrate is called nitrogen cycle.Although, only well established fish tanks have this nitrogen cycle going normally.For new aquariums, fish keepers must do fishless nitrogen cycle before they add any fish at all, or the fish will risk dying to ammonia poisoning due to insufficient amount of good bacteria. The whole fishless nitrogen cycle process can take 6~8 weeks.
How many fish can fit in a gallon?
I wouldn't put any fish in a tank that small, but if you can keep it really clean and the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate down, a Betta is a pretty good choice
Hi what acid does fish flake food give off when you leav it in the tank thanks?
It doesn't give off any kind of acid. What happens to the flakes is bacteria start to form on them to break them down (This is called going rotten or decomposing) It is when these bacteria are working that ammonia is formed. Ammonia is a deadly poison not an acid. A filter is used to house aerobic (good) bacteria that will break down the Ammonia into NitrIte (which is still poisonous) and then it breaks the NitrIte down into NitrAte which is relatively harmless. This Nitrate can then be used up by the plants living and growing in the fish tank. When this is all working correctly in an aquarium it is refered to as a "Balanced Aquarium".
Can ammonia be broken down by a chemical reaction?
Yes, ammonia can be broken down by a chemical reaction. One common method is the Haber process, where ammonia is produced by combining nitrogen and hydrogen gas under high pressure and temperature with the help of an iron catalyst. Reverse reactions can be used to break down ammonia into nitrogen and hydrogen gas.
How does fish poop help photosynthesis?
It doesn't do so directly. The poop breaks down and creates ammonia and mulm. This ammonia is deadly poisonous but nature has contrived to fix it by converting it into Nitrite and then to Nitrate by using naturally occurring bacteria in the environment and the 'cycled' filter. The plants can then use up the nitrate and mulm as they photosynthesise and grow.
What is a normal ammonia level?
Ammonia, which is a nitrogen based compound, is typically broken down in the liver, and may be elevated in any kind of liver dysfunction. Normal levels are from 0 to 40 micromol/L.
How do you lower nitrite and nitrate levels for a newly set-up African cichlid tank also what are the optimum hardness and alkilinity levels for said tank?
The only safe way to lower Nitrite levels is to have a properly cycled filter doing the job bacteriologically for you. As far as keeping the resultant Nitrates down that can only be achieved by either using them up by growing plants or changing heaps of water every week. Recommended levels. pH around 8.5 to 9. GH more than 20 ppm
What is ammonia in the blood?
Ammonia is a waste product produced by the body when proteins are broken down. It is normally converted into urea by the liver and eliminated from the body through urine. Elevated levels of ammonia in the blood can indicate liver or kidney dysfunction.
Would there be bacteria in a aquarium?
There should and probably will be bacteria on EVERY hard surface in the tank such as the Decorations, Substrate and Glass. Also there is bacteria in the Filter as it breaks down the toxic bacteria in the water. these bacteria remove toxins for fish that can kill them ammonia, nitrite and nitrate
What is the relationship between an organism's ability to reduce nitrate past the nitrite stage and that organism's proteolitic activity?
Organisms that can reduce nitrate past the nitrite stage typically have high proteolytic activity because nitrate reduction requires the use of enzymes that are also involved in protein degradation. Both processes require energy and resources, so organisms that can efficiently carry out nitrate reduction are often equipped to break down proteins as well.
