My server is on a reseller server or something. I don't have root access. Is there a way I can manipulate php.ini by putting a second php.ini file in my public_html folder?

Thanks!!!!

No there isn't. If your host runs apache and you can create .htaccess files you might be able to add configuration directives
using the php_value and php_flag keywords in there.
You can also change configuration values in the php script itself using the ini_set()-function.