Ammonia For Tank Cycling

[curryfishhead]

Hi

Anyone knows where to get Ammonia to cycle a new tank? Went to a few LFS and also coldstorage but cannot find.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Stormz]

If you have a new tank maybe you could just take out some of the old media to place into the new set of media, or else you could just throw in some feeders or just throw a piece of market prawn, that should be able to do the trick. But i do the first method of using the medias, better and safer.

[benlauhh]

I dont think you can find this readily available anywhere. There has been some discussion on trying to break down the compounds of a mixed form sold in bakery shop but for pure ammonia, i dont think so since they have to be stored in high pressure/low temp circumstance.
I think there are places selling some household ammonia but these are very low in ammonium content.

As always, prawn, fish food, livestock or even urine are your easiest obtained method for cycling.

[eviltrain]

you don't need to add ammonia to cycle your canister. most soil already has ammonia presence.

you might have to deal with excessive nitrate at the end of the cycle.

[curryfishhead]

I just started the new tank with ADA II soil on Monday and since then had done three 100% WC. Yestersday morning, it put in BT9 and last night, I started putting the plants in.

I measured the Ammonia level to be 1ppm this morning. Should I increase the Ammonia just to bring it down later? Since Ammonia is not available, I will likely use fish food.

Thanks for the advice.

[avex30]

ADA 2 no ammonia?? Even at 100% changes there is still ammonia and pretty much unless you are using used soil if brand new soil should have alot for ADA 2. That what i encounter even i did 4 80% changes than 50% changes i still have 5 mg/l of ammonia present until 3 days ago it drops to very light green in colour on the test kits. Weird that 3 100% changes can reduce to 1ppm

[curryfishhead]

Hi Avex30

It is a brand new soil because I cut it open from a sealed package.

I tested the ammonia again with my API test kit. The result still show 1 mg/l.....

[eviltrain]

actually no ammonia also good ah. you can add shrimps earlier and let the bb establish from the shrimps poo poo also.

[avex30]

Er bro just a suggestion I advise get another brand test kit I have API too I trusted it alot until 1 day I spotted mysterious death decided to get another brand n it show me there ammonia ligth green in colour however my API show zero yellow in colour

[zonkkie]

Don't think it's the brand. More of the shelf life since a lot of the test kits sit in the store for a while.

[curryfishhead]

I bought them from seaview. Saw that their business quite good and turnover quite high....checked the box...problem is that there is no manufacturing nor expiry date...

[zonkkie]

This should help:


In response to your question, each reagent bottle has a Lot # printed on
the bottle. The last four digits are the month and year of manufacture.
Example: Lot # 28A0102. This is a pH reagent manufactured in January of
2002. Pond Care Wide Range pH, Ammonia, High Range pH, Nitrate,
Phosphate, Copper, Calcium and GH all last for three years. Nitrite and
KH will last for four years. Freshwater pH(low range) and Pond Care Salt
Level will last for five years. I would not trust these kits after they
have expired.

[gryphon]

This should help:


In response to your question, each reagent bottle has a Lot # printed on
the bottle. The last four digits are the month and year of manufacture.
Example: Lot # 28A0102. This is a pH reagent manufactured in January of
2002. Pond Care Wide Range pH, Ammonia, High Range pH, Nitrate,
Phosphate, Copper, Calcium and GH all last for three years. Nitrite and
KH will last for four years. Freshwater pH(low range) and Pond Care Salt
Level will last for five years. I would not trust these kits after they
have expired.

This is excellent info. Thanks

[eviltrain]

woot. very great info.

[cheetf]

Hi

Anyone knows where to get Ammonia to cycle a new tank? Went to a few LFS and also coldstorage but cannot find.

Thanks in advance for your help.

What's the hurry bro?

[curryfishhead]

Wow... thanks for the expiry date info....helps a lot of the fellow forumers who spent a considerable amount of money buying test kits....

As to why the hurry, no ammonia, then how to kickstart the cycle process?

[cheetf]

I just started the new tank with ADA II soil on Monday and since then had done three 100% WC. Yestersday morning, it put in BT9 and last night, I started putting the plants in.

I measured the Ammonia level to be 1ppm this morning. Should I increase the Ammonia just to bring it down later? Since Ammonia is not available, I will likely use fish food.

There is your ammonia. How many ppm are you looking for? If everytime you need to go look around to buy ammonia to cycle our tanks. Don't you think it should be more readily available?

[zonkkie]

Bros.. Just to clarify.. The above info posted applies to API test kits.. Not sure about the other brands. Glad you guys find it useful. I threw away a number of kits (given for free by fellow forummer) after I read it.

[avex30]

Hi thanks for the great info wonderful

This should help:


In response to your question, each reagent bottle has a Lot # printed on
the bottle. The last four digits are the month and year of manufacture.
Example: Lot # 28A0102. This is a pH reagent manufactured in January of
2002. Pond Care Wide Range pH, Ammonia, High Range pH, Nitrate,
Phosphate, Copper, Calcium and GH all last for three years. Nitrite and
KH will last for four years. Freshwater pH(low range) and Pond Care Salt
Level will last for five years. I would not trust these kits after they
have expired.