Aquarium Water Quality Spikes – 10 Step Correction Plan

Below is a list of steps to take at home when you notice water quality spikes in ammonia and nitrite. Not only can spikes in ammonia and nitrite kill fish rapidly but when moderate levels go undetected for extended periods of time, then chronic exposure will open your fish up to disease such as ulcers or parasite infections. Quick action is imperative to ensure your fish stay healthy and disease free.

• 1. Water changes

  As taught at university “The solution to pollution is dilution”. Start with 20-30% initially, repeat daily (between 10-20%) until values have dropped.

  Performing a big water change in one sitting will exert excess stress on your fish, it is much safer to adjust water quality gradually.

• 2. Stop or reduce feeding ration

  For mild to moderate spikes reducing the food ration or switching onto a lower protein diet can help reduce values. For major spikes in water quality stop feeding all together. Fish will do just fine without food for a couple of weeks if necessary.

• 3. Assess the plumbing and mechanics of the filter

  Assess whether anything is stopping the filtration system from working at the optimal level.

• 4. Assess the biological filter media

  Does the media look normal? Is there a build-up in sludge? Have you got enough media?

• 5. Assess recent tank medications

  Some antibiotics, antibacterials and anti-parasitic medications have the potential to kill the biofilter. Have you used anything recently?

  Remove excess chemicals via water changes, activated carbon or Zeolite or bind excess medications using detoxifying/chelating agents.

• 6. Bind and detoxify

  Several liquid products are available that when added to the pond, bind and detoxify waste products like ammonia (handily they often bind nitrite, nitrates and various heavy metals). Examples include SeaChem ‘Prime’ and API ‘Essentials’.

• 7. Check and correct other water quality parameters

  Temperature, pH, KH and nitrates will all have a negative impact on the nitrogen cycle if outside of the normal parameters. Correct accordingly.

• 8. Add ‘Good Bacteria’

  Add live cultures of nitrifying bacteria to your filter to enhance the action of the nitrogen cycle and increase the rate of waste product break down.

• 9. Add more filtration

  For aquariums where spikes in water quality are a regular occurrence, consider whether you can add an additional filter to the system to aid waste product breakdown.

• 10. Reduce the bio-load in the aquarium

  In some cases where water quality can’t be controlled using the steps above, it may be necessary to reduce the stocking density of the aquarium. Less fish will mean less waste and ultimately happier and healthier resident fish.

The solution to pollution is dilution!