Pure Ammonia for Fishless Cycle

[TomCool]

Hey guys I just came back from walmart where I was looking for ammonia for a fishless cycle. The only thing I could find was the "Great Value, Clear Ammonia" and when I looked at its' ingredients it had "softened water, ammonia, chelating agent"
Will this work and if not where can I find one that will? I was looking in the cleaning isle.
Thanks.

[SpongeBob]

If the water had to be soften, then it's normal to find in the ingredients list a chelating agent as it is such agent (compound) that does the softening. EDTA is an example of a popular chelating agent.

To cycle your tank, I don't see any problem using what you got at walmart. The goal is to get ammonia that is not mixed with surfactants ( bubbling agent if you will ) and/or perfume. Oh, and by the way, ammonia is a gas. You can find it in 2 other forms (or state) : liquid or crystals. Ammonia is very toxic at high concentration and will burn your skin/tissues if exposed to it. Domestic ammonia is not highly concentrated but still use caution when "playing" with it.

Sponge

[TomCool]

Thanks again Sponge, you've been very helpful . One last thing, I've read to add a few drops per 10 gallons, what's the easiest way to measure the drops?

[ron v]

Tom, the stuff you have is EXACTLY what I use. The amount of ammonia needs to be tested. You need to add enough ammonia to get 3ppm per your test kit. Don't do the # of drops per gallon. You will need a test kit to track the progress of your cycle anyway, so you may as well start out right.

[SpongeBob]

Tom,

What Ron said is absolutely correct and you should proceed as he directed you. Now, what test to buy you might ask. I'd say, save yourself the trouble and get a master kit right off the bat. It's more economical and you will have all the test that you need for all freshwater tanks you may/might have. I personnaly use the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals kit. It served me well, easy to use, easy instructions to follow. Cost = Around $20

Having a test kit will provide you with valuable information on how your tank is progressing. As you know, ammonia is transformed to nitrites and then nitrites to nitrates. Once you reach 0 ammo and 0 nitrites, your tank is cycled and you may SLOWLY add fish in there.

Good luck!

Sponge

[ron v]

Originally Posted by SpongeBob

may SLOWLY add fish in there.

Sponge

Actually Sponge you can fully stock your tank immediately after a "fishless" cycle. That's one of the beauties of fishless cycling. Mbuna, for example need to be added all at once, so they have equal footing when establishing territories. The 3ppm ammonia that you cycle with is far more ammonia than a fully stocked tank full of fish can produce. So you have a massive reserve of bacteria.

[SpongeBob]

Originally Posted by ron v

Actually Sponge you can fully stock your tank immediately after a "fishless" cycle. That's one of the beauties of fishless cycling. Mbuna, for example need to be added all at once, so they have equal footing when establishing territories. The 3ppm ammonia that you cycle with is far more ammonia than a fully stocked tank full of fish can produce. So you have a massive reserve of bacteria.

Really? I agree that 3ppm of ammo is above whatever you might get in a tank... unless you have dead fish in there! LOL But I thought it would be better to start slowly. But come to think of it, if you start to slowly, your bacteria count will ajust to the new bioload, which in this case is reduced, and therefore deplete. Makes sense.

Thanks for setting me straight Ron!

Sponge
PS : I'm an old fart and I never did fishless cycle. I always cycle with fish. All my fish have bicycles you know... so we cycle together... Gawd, now, where are my pills for delirium?

[ron v]

Originally Posted by SpongeBob

Sponge
PS : I'm an old fart

Nah, you're still a young-un. LOL...

[TomCool]

Thanks ron and sponge, I already have a master test kit. So as just keep adding ammonia until I get 3ppm? It's for a 55 gallon any ideas what I should start with (like a capful and then test?). Thanks.

[Matt201985]

Ive never used ammonia to cycle, always used danios, always works for me, 2-3 weeks with danios to cycle and then slowly add fish, havent lost a fish doing this in my 6 months of fish keeping

[TheOldSalt]

Tom, there is a sticky thread called "Fishless Cycling" or something like that which has some very good instructions in it which make it easy.

[mousey]

well I am glad someone has finally said that ammonia is ok to cycle with! I have been searching for pure ammonia and have turned that stuff down as it had the chelating chemical in it. None of the lfs sell ammonia for cycling, so i have been leary of using the stuff found in the hardware dept
mousey

[ron v]

Maybe we need to find a place to "sticky" info like that with brand names, etc.

[TomCool]

I've ready the sticky I just wanted to know how to get 3ppm of ammonia each time I add? I have a test kit but arent sure how to go about initially adding the ammonia.

[mousey]

Info I have says to add 20-24 drops of ammonia daily until you see nitrites. then add only 12-16 drops of ammonia until you have 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite readings.
2 hrs after you add the dose is when you do the readings. raise temp to high 80's to speed up the process. Do a large water change before adding fish.
The other question is what are people using for the dropper?

[TomCool]

exactly, I have also read about the drops method but how do you measure a drop and where do you get a dropper?

[ron v]

Tom, can you get a one gal. container of some type. Put a teaspoon of ammonia in the container and test it. Just play with the one gal. untill you figure out how much is needed to get 3 ppm. Multiple that X the no. of gal. in your tank. There is nothing magic about drops. Don't get hung up on that.

[TomCool]

ah thanks

[mousey]

I think we could probably get a dropper in a drug store. they probably come in kids medicine and if I remember back a few years or more you could buy plain droppers by themselves.

[TomCool]

I'm just using an old visine dropper that i washed out good.