![]() ![]() from time to time make a partial water change (as per manufacturers' instructions) to remove some of the ammonia accumulated X Research source AND.as long as the useful bacteria is not yet established AND,.That's why these products should be used: However, after 24 to 48 hours, they will release the ammonia. Most of the detoxifier products convert toxic ammonia into the form that isn't so harmful to fish. In a tank, toxic ammonia (gas NH3) is in reversible equilibrium with not-so-toxic ionized ammonia (NH4+). X Research source This may be due to a misunderstanding of the process of detoxifying. Some people believe that ammonia removers can be harmful in the long-run. ![]() Though these can be useful if the ammonia level becomes so high that it begins to harm the fish, they are more useful in starting a new tank as they permit to skip some water changes, shortening the time needed to cycle a new tank. Most pet shops and aquarium stores will sell chemicals specifically designed to neutralize ammonia in aquariums. There are two kinds: remover and detoxifier. ![]() Most will offer cheap testing services (some even do it for free!) X Research sourceĬonsider ammonia neutralizers if you run into toxicity problems. As an alternative, you can take water samples to the pet store where you bought your fish or aquarium.For practical purposes, this is often referred to as "zero," though this isn't technically accurate. The cycling process is complete when both ammonia and nitrite levels drop so low that they are undetectable.You will want to keep ammonia levels below 0.5 mg/L and nitrite below 1 mg/L throughout the cycling process (ideally, they should be less than half of these values.) If these chemicals start to approach unsafe levels, increase the frequency of your water changes.Testing daily is ideal, but you can sometimes get away with testing every few days. To monitor these chemicals, you can use commercially-available test kits, which are usually sold at the same places fish and aquariums are. As beneficial bacteria begin to grow in response to these chemicals, their levels will gradually drop to near-zero, at which point it's safe to add more fish. When you add fish to your tank, the levels of toxic chemicals known as ammonia and nitrites will quickly rise as the fish release waste into the water. Be ready to perform water changes much more frequently if you start to see signs of serious ammonia stress in your fish (more information below in the "Solving Common Problems" section.) However, try to avoid stressing the fish by exposing them to big changes in water chemistry or temperature.If using bottled water, make sure to buy distilled water, as "purified" or "drinking" water may have minerals added for taste that may be harmful to fish. If using tap water, make sure to treat it with an appropriate dechlorinator or water conditioner before adding it to your aquarium. ![]()
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