# pH, Ammonia and Nitrite Levels



## stacey (Nov 16, 2010)

Hi,

I have a new 10-gallon aquarium as of October 31st. I have three black phantom tetras, two serpae tetras and two dalmatian mollies. The nitrite and ammonia levels are slightly elevated, but not too bad. The test kit book says that in four to six weeks these levels will increase and then decrease as the biological filter is established. However, the book also says that elevated levels can harm the fish. My question is, is this four-to-six week process going to harm my fish? Or do I need to do what I can to bring the levels back down to 0 ppm?

Also, my pH keeps going up, even after I get it down to 7.0 with buffer. Why is this? Does this also happen when new fish are added?

Thanks for your help.

-Stacey


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## cgskipper (Nov 15, 2010)

You might have started off with a slightly heavy bioload for a new setup. However, it's not bad enough where you can't work around it. Keep up with regular water changes if the levels get too high. You might also consider a starter chemical...I used Seachem Stability. It helps to boost your good bacteria levels in a new setup.


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## carpus (Oct 16, 2010)

*I agree with the quoted post...*

Make sure you test _daily_ to see what is going on. Try to keep ammonia and nitrites close to ZERO by doing partial water changes.

I now use *Tetra SafeStart* as a bio-filter inoculant/starter chemical. I once used *Stability*, but I did a test, and only the *Tetra* product actually worked, taking ammonia all the way to nitrates. In either case this could take a while, and with that many fish in a small tank your margin for error, and humane care, is slim. Be diligent and the fishes will thank you.




cgskipper said:


> You might have started off with a slightly heavy bioload for a new setup. However, it's not bad enough where you can't work around it. Keep up with *regular water changes* if the levels get too high. You might also consider a *starter chemical*...I used Seachem Stability. It helps to boost your good bacteria levels in a new setup.


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## PolymerTim (Sep 22, 2009)

Stacey,

I'm glad you asked as this is a common problem for beginner aquarists and new tanks. What you are experiencing is known as the nitrogen cycle. I highly recommend you read a bit about it so that you can better understand what is happening in your tank right now. Here is a good summary:
The Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle

The short version is this: Your fish will produce ammonia, which is highly toxic to them if the levels get too high. Eventually, the presence of ammonia in your aquarium will entice a type of bacteria (known as nitrosomonas) to colonize your tank. They will eat the ammonia and convert it to nitrites. Nitrites are also fairly toxic to your fish. Eventually, the presence of nitrites will entice another bacteria (known as nitrospira) to colonize your tank which will eat the nitrites and produce nitrates. Nitrates are much less toxic to your fish, although they must periodically be removed by either partial water changes or a lot of plants per fish to keep the levels healthy.

Eventually, your aquarium will reach a balance where there are enough bacteria to process the ammonia produced by your fish. Until that point, your ammonia and nitrite levels can increase somewhat rapidly. Any detectable levels of ammonia and nitrites are unhealthy for your fish, but some fish can handle it better than others. There are ways to "cycle" your tank before you put in fish, but now that you have fish, your primary tool is the partial water change. As carpus suggested, you should check your water chemistry often with a liquid chemical kit and perform water changes as frequently as needed to keep the ammonia and nitrites near zero. Eventually, the bacteria will take over this job for you, but you won't know if you aren't testing regularly.

The good news is that if you are seeing any nitrites at all, then you likely have at least some of the first (nitrosomonas) bacteria already. They will likely soon grow to the size needed to process the ammonia in your tank.

As a note, there are many "starter" cultures sold out there for adding bacteria to your tank, but reviews I've read seem to show mixed results. Also, there are absorbing pellets available that can absorb ammonia, but these will likely disrupt or slow the formation of the natural biological filter and I would only recommend them if you can't control ammonia by partial water changes or have a large spike in levels.

Stay vigilant during this break in period and you shold have healthier fish as a reward. Once your tank is cycled and stable, maintenance becomes much easier.


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## PolymerTim (Sep 22, 2009)

stacey said:


> Hi,
> Also, my pH keeps going up, even after I get it down to 7.0 with buffer. Why is this? Does this also happen when new fish are added?
> -Stacey


Forgot to address your second question. I'm not very experienced with adjusting pH, so I hope someone else can chime in here, but you may want to check the hardness of your water. There are liquid test kits for GH (general or total hardness) and KH (carbonate hardness). I think if you can test your water hardness, let us know the source of your water (tap, well, bottle), as well as the method/chemicals you are using to adjust your pH, we will be able to help you more quickly.

pH adjustment can be rather tricky and it is generally recommended that it not be adjusted unless necessary. Most fish can adapt to reasonable pH levels (although there are preferred levels for each fish), but frequent swings in pH are usually harder on fish than a constant pH slightly outside the ideal range.

How high is the pH of your source water? Do you know the recommended pH range for your fish (we can look that up if you don't)? Some kinds of rocks can raise your pH and hardness levels.


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

Don't mess with the ph, you'll just make things worse.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

If your levels in ammonia and nitrite get above 1, then do at least a 25% water change daily until it gets back to 1 or below. Watch your fish for signs of stress. You can change as much as 50% if necessary, but don't go any higher than that.

What is your ph out of your tap that makes you think your fish can't tolerate it? Mine is 8.2 out of my tap and my fish do just fine in it. Stop using ph chemicals. What happens is the value raises or lowers (depending on the chemical) and then a few hours later the natural buffers in your water bring the ph right back to where it was. This swing in ph is stressful to your fish and can wipe them all out pretty easily. Don't worry about a set value....be more concerned with a steady value.


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

^ +1


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## probe1957 (Jul 2, 2010)

I am absolutely going to go along with what everyone is saying about your pH. Leave it alone. You will be chasing a number forever and will do far more harm than good.

My pH out of the tap is 8.0. After a week in my tank it is 8.4. My fish are fine.


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## stacey (Nov 16, 2010)

I wanted to quickly write and say thanks to everyone who responded to me last month. I will write more later to answer the questions asked, but I did want to say that after some partial water changes I got the ammonia and nitrite levels down to zero again.

I really appreciate all the information that has been given to me!

-Stacey


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## mfgann (Oct 21, 2010)

stacey said:


> ... I did want to say that after some partial water changes I got the ammonia and nitrite levels down to zero again.


I just wanted to clarify something. Eventually you will get 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, and a nitrate level you want to keep below about 20-40ppm by weekly water changes. Until then, you only need to change 25%-50% of your water a day. I don't think it would be a good idea to change any more than that, even if you're getting readings on ammonia and nitrite. There has to be some level in there for the bacteria to consume. I think the aim of keeping them each below 1ppm is probably a good idea.

As mentioned, fish can acclimate to different pHs. You can post the pH of your tank, and someone will happily let you know if it is at some sort of a danger level, but for most fish, they adjust pretty well to whatever pH your water is at.. pH changes are what cause more problems.

Good luck!


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Stacey - I hope you mean you got there by doing water changes along with letting things occur on their own. No just water changes alone.


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## stacey (Nov 16, 2010)

Hi everyone,

Thanks again for all the info on pH, etc. After reading your responses I've decided that I'll give up on trying to get the pH at a perfect 7.0. The pH straight from tap is 7.8. Currently in my tank it is 7.6.

I was having a problem with high nitrite but after doing some partial water changes over the past couple days and a gravel vacuum today I now have it down to 0.25ppm. I was told by the guy at the pet store that I should only vacuum the gravel on half the aquarium each time I do it instead of the whole aquarium in order to keep some of the beneficial bacteria.

I do not have any kind of filter under the gravel - just gravel is all I have on the bottom of my tank. I do have a Cascade Power Filter 80 that circulates water in the tank. Is this sufficient to allow a natural biological filter to develop that will aid in the stabilization of nitrite?

As for the rest of the chemical levels, like Nitrate and Ammonia, they are -
Ammonia - 0.25ppm
Nitrate - 5.0ppm

Some other info that might help in figuring this out:

I have a 10 gallon aquarium which I've had since October 31, 2010. (Is that sufficient time for the bio filter to develop?)

I have these critters:

2 serpae tetras
2 black phantom tetras
2 dalmatian mollies
2 guppies (one with orange tail one with blue tail)
2 dwarf gouramis (neon blue and flame red)
2 mystery snails (one ivory one blue)
2 corydoras
1 clown pleco

I was told by the pet store people that I could have one fish per gallon and that the corydora bottom feeders and clown pleco algae eater wouldn't count against that number. Is this true or might I have too many fish?

I have the generic florescent light that comes with my aquarium hood. Will this be sufficient to grow a live plant, which I've heard will help keep the nitrite down?

One more question and I think that's all for now... may have more later. Sometimes there are particles floating around in the water. How do I get rid of those?

Thanks for all your help!


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

That filter may suffice, but you're overstocked. One fish per gallon is rediculous, although his recommendation on gravel vacuum is good advice.


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## Vince (Dec 10, 2010)

Thanks for asking this question. I started about same time you did , and having same problem with ammonia & nitrite & nitrate levels .. Spent few bucks on different chemicals etc. Now starting out all over again................ Did 50% water change after vacuuming and reading all replies to your question..... think I am on the right road to recovery.
Thank you all.

Vince


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

stacey said:


> I was told by the guy at the pet store that I should only vacuum the gravel on half the aquarium each time I do it instead of the whole aquarium in order to keep some of the beneficial bacteria.


I don't think that is bad advice but personally I would vac the whole tank each time. The bacteria glue themselves down quite firmly so they don't get sucked up. Perhaps they will get a bit disturbed or if the tank gets too clean the bacteria starve but with that stock level I think you will constantly be fighting ammonia and nitrite levels so I'd go for cleaning as much waste as you can.

As your fish grow you are going to have more and more problems with overstocking so consider re-homing some of your fish or getting a bigger tank. In the long term your tank just isn't going to work. I hate to be so blunt but some people struggle on for ages with constant problems until they give up, thinking that the hobby is too hard for them. A well balanced tank is really quite easy to maintain. You have made a good start by asking questions here, you'll get lots of help to sort things out.


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## NeonShark666 (Dec 13, 2010)

Don't worry about you fish during the cycling process. The ones you have are pretty tough. Nitrites and ammonium aways go up intially. The usual number of fish to use to start cycling is three as this keeps the initial organic load load low for the bacteria you are trying to start in your tank. After about a month your nitrites and ammounium levels should be near zero and it would be safe to add new fish. Two reasons they might not drop is over crowding and over feeding. Nitrate levels will slowly increase over time in your tank without water changes but this is very natural. One of the reasons that periodic water changes are recommended in fish tanks is to remove these nitrates.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Aside from everything it appears your cycle is nearly complete although you could end up with persistent spikes, if you don't stay on top of things.


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## missmanatee (Dec 25, 2010)

hey! just so you know if you ever decide that you do want to change your pH levels (though i agree with just letting them be). You can always try distilled water! it has a natural pH of like 6.5-7 and if you just put a little in gradually it should bring your pH down perfectly! it can be a pain to buy though but its only like a dollar per gallon so if you have a small tank it can be worth it. I had this same problem when i first started my tank and this really helped me. good luck on your tank!!:fish10:


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