How do I control ammonia and hp in my tank?

Answer 1

If you're still cycling, this is normal. Consider daily 20% water changes and adding a product like Ammo-Lock to the water (it detoxifies ammonia, but doesn't remove it. You don't want to remove the ammonia, otherwise your nitrogen cycle cannot advance). PH swings are normal with your cycle, too. See if your local pet store stocks Seachem's Neutral Regulator, as this keeps the pH at around 7.0 (if this is what you want your pH to be). If you need higher or lower pH, your pet store should also carry buffers to either lower or raise the pH as well. A big concern right now is large swings of the pH, as this could do some damage to your fish.

You want your ammonia and nitrites at 0ppm, and your nitrates ideally at less than 20ppm (though less than 40ppm is ok).

If your tank is established, you are overstocked and/or overfeeding. Cut back on how much you feed, feed only every other day (instead of every day), do weekly 20-30% water changes. If this doesn't help, consider adding a product like Prime with every water change.

Good luck!

EDIT: Do not strip the tank down and start from scratch. You will lose all bacteria you've grown at this point (and without the bacteria, your ammonia will never turn into nitrites then to nitrates - thus, your nitrogen cycle never completes).

Answer 2

I. Reduce feedings. High-protein foods or even decaying biological matter (i.e. like a dead fish) will severely increase you ammonia.

Ii. Lower your pH. At 7.0, your Ammonia level is half ammonia NH3 and ammonium ion NH4+. When your pH starts to decrease your ammonia gets converted into ammonium ion which is a less toxic form of ammonia. Still toxic though.

Iii. Use zeolite. Most chemical filters have it and you can buy zeolite at any aquarium store...they look like white, powdery rocks that have been crushed up. Zeolite naturally absorbs ammonia and can be recharged with aquarium salt.

Iv. The most effective method is doing a water change. Conduct a daily water change until the ammonia level begins to drop. While the ammonia level is high try a combination of 3 and 1.

V. You can control your pH but adding more buffering agents...or making sure you have a high level of alkinality. There are alot of products out on the market that can help you in stabilizing your pH. Conducting more water changes will most likely keep your water chemistry stable since water over time begins to lose its buffering.
I would say a 10-20% water change each week should do.

Answer 3

I just went thru this with my tank. At some point in time it got so way out of whack. I have a pirahana and the feeders were starting to die as soon as I put them in the tank. I tested my water and my ammonia got as high as 8.0 at one point and ph was extremely low. I bought all kinds of over the counter stuff to raise ph, to elimanate ammonia and no such luck. I knew something in my tank was counteracting it. I drained the water down to about nothing, and cleaned everything, filter, gravel, and glass. I took out his rock and dumb decorations and did not put them back in. His Ph is back up to neutral range and ammonia is gone. Ph jumped up immediately and ammonia was at a low level but gone within a week after tank cycled. I do have one tough Pirahana cause that ammonia should have killed him but I suppose he was immuned. Hope this helps, nothing is better than stripping tank and starting over and cheaper.

Answer 4

I agree with jesterx626. Do water changes. If it's a problem right now go ahead and do a large water change, like 60%. Get your biological filter going. The filter will convert the ammonia into nitrate, then nitrite. You could use filtered water to do your water changes if your worried about pH. Then add a buffer if it's too low.

Answer 5

I would suggest the following JUNGLE Products to help you with your tank:

Fungus Clear
Ick Clear
Ammonia Clear
No More Algae
Water Clear
Water Safe Plus
Correct pH

Answer 6

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Answer 7

30 % water change weekly would be fine. Don't overfeed the fish, just twice a day as much as they can eat.

Answer 8

try 25-30 percent waterchanges weekly, and dont overfeed the fish. i suggest you dont mess with ph up or ph down products, it creates more hassle than benefits.