How to Remove Water From Ammonia
Ammonia (NH3) is a gas under standard conditions and is highly soluble in water. It's also excreted as a waste product by fish and other aquatic animals. Three-fourths of the excreted ammonia leaves the body respiration and the remaining fourth is excreted in urine. Ammonia is highly toxic in very small quantities and a concentration of 0.25 parts per million (ppm) is sufficient to compromise the immune system of some species of fish. Aquarium and pond water should ideally contain no measurable amount of water.
Instructions
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1
Change the water frequently. This is the quickest and most effective method of reducing the ammonia in water. A fish hobbyist should change out part of the aquarium's water on a regular basis. A partial change-out eliminates the need to transfer the fish to another tank.
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2
Break in a new filter carefully. Filters can remove ammonia from water by using a type of bacteria called nitrosomonas that feed on ammonia. However, a nitrosomonas colony requires up to six weeks to grow large enough to remove ammonia effectively.
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3
Keep the ammonia production below the filtering capacity. You will need to keep your fish population in check and you should also ensure that you do not over feed them. Fish pellets should not remain on the surface for more than a few minutes.
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4
Maintain an adequate water turnover. The water in a pond or aquarium should be completely filtered every two hours or less. This may require the purchase of a larger filtration system.
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5
Monitor the ammonia level in the aquarium aggressively. Ammonia can rise to dangerous levels quickly and kill the fish before you can take corrective action.
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