aquarium cycling.

[Blazinfire]

does anyone know of any place to get this "pure" ammonia online by just 1 bottle. our local stores even stores 30 mins to 1 hour away i cant find it anywhere. so i figured i'd ask if anyone knows of places i can get it online.

its weird how so many people has used the fishless ammonia cycling and i cant find it anywhere. lol

thanx

 

[jsoong]

Do you have an ACE hardware close by? That's where most people get their ammonia.

I have also seen "pure ammonia for cycling" at one of my lfs ... although that was marked way up to pet store price.

If you can't fine pure ammonia, your next best thing would be to add a pinch of fish food to the tank, it will decompose & make ammonia. <Or you can use a raw shrimp for the same effect ... more smelly ...>

 

[Blazinfire]

well the only bad thing is. i don't wanna do fish food, or shrimp due to the aftermath clean up. it seems much easier with ammonia.

the only problem i have is i don't have a local ace hardware store. the closest is a few hours away I'm sure. which i live in a small town anyways =). and the neighboring towns are also small. so i'm actually very limited to places i can go in a hurry. biggest store we have in town is walmart. haha

but i guess this would be the proper thread for this question as well. even if it takes me a couple days to find. it would be alright for me to have water and the systems running for a few day's without doing anything to it? which i was in a rush to set up this new 38 gallon tank thinking i could find the ammonia right away. lol

i'm actually new to this hobby. only been at it for a few months. i've got a 10 gallon that i did a fish cycle. and i didn't care for it. cuz that could of been the cause of a couple deaths to the fish i had.

thanx for your suggestion though. i'm gonna call around tomorrow to a few places in town which is local hardware stores. i've only checked grocery stores atm. so hopefully i will have some luck tomorrow.

 

[jonnythan]

Put a raw shrimp in a Ziploc bag.

Poke a few holes in the bag, then toss it in the tank.

Cleanup is easy - just remove the shrimp.

 

[betta4me]

Do a search for online Janitorial Supply places. I had this same issue and finally found it at Ace Hardware, I'm not sure if they sell smaller bottles online.

 

[Blazinfire]

yea. i've looked everywhere for it. and no matter how i still dont feel comfortable by letting something rot in my tank

so i'm gonna keep searching for ammonia. if i cant find it. is there any suggestions on what type of fish is great for starting the cycle?

 

[GhostKnife]

It is still the same conversion. Only this way it is broken down... Before it starts the cycle... Same thing man if you cant find the ammonia... I would say less chemicals but whatever to each his own. However dont rush anything the pure ammonia isnt going to do anything any faster.

 

[Blazinfire]

yea thats understandable. i just actually decided to get 6 red tetra's after doing some research. as i said in a new post. which other people has agreed that would probably work alright. and go from the process that way. all this means less worrying about trying to try ammonia, or having to use shrimp and stuff. i say it will probably be fine

 

[jonnythan]

How big is your tank?

Keep track of your ammonia levels daily. If it gets above 2 ppm or so, do frequent PWCs.

 

[GhostKnife]

You will be fine ... six might have been a little to much of a jump start however I feel you will be fine. Ill tell you this cycle is one chemical that will aid in filtration i dont use it now that my tank is done with the initial cycle however it will aid in your bacteria build up. As of before you put your first fish in there was no ammonia. The second you put your first fish in and it expelled waist ,ammonia greeted your water with no breakdown. Slowly over time your nitrites will rise and then nitrate. Good luck.

 

[Blazinfire]

How big is your tank?

Keep track of your ammonia levels daily. If it gets above 2 ppm or so, do frequent PWCs.

jonny the tank is 38 gallons.

and GhostKnife i'm sure it will. but u think 6 red tetra's would be to much? if so i haven't added them yet. i haven't even got them will be getting the fish tomorrow to start this tank. and as far as cycle goes. isn't it like 40 bucks a bottle? at walmart? i've also read that "cycle" doesn't do much at all actually. to anyone is this true. if not then it probably will help in the long run

 

[GhostKnife]

No I got mine at Aquarium Adventure in Columbus Ohio usually fair to medium high prices I suppose and it was 19.99 and that is the big bottle. I havent even used it all. You could add just a couple or three I am not sure just be sure not to overload the ammonia as your fish will suffocate. I learned the hard way and had two gourami die due to this. Cycle I believe helped me as it helps rid the tank of ammonia and nitrite and it introduces helpful bacteria and I believe it saved the fish I have now. Dont let the fish store whoever it may be sell you 6 fish just because you said 6 when in return you should have gotten fewer. I introduced four gourami and within a week I got an angelfish and an opaline and a kissing gourami. TOOOO Much all at once. Now the tetras are smaller does anyone else have any comments that might help blazin out?

 

[Blazinfire]

ghost. i actually do understand what ur saying about adding to much at one time and all this. which i could probably just add 4 red tetra's to the tank to start the cycle. and probably after a week or maybe longer. i was considering adding a bottom feeder and an algae eater for a cleaning crew. which i still haven't confirmed this.

all i know that is confirmed is i will be buying red tetra's tomorrow unless someone has suggestions for a different type of fish to use as a cycling fish.

now conserning the whole "Cycle" thing. wouldn't that defeat the whole purpose of the cycle of the benificial bacteria that need's to be cycled in the tank if it takes away the amonia and nitrite? isn't that what the benificial bacteria live off of.

ofcourse as johnny mentioned. i defidently will do water changes if the ammonia would get extremely high above 2.0 ppm's. ofcourse i may be wrong with this information. maybe for fish you dont want any ammonia at all in the tank. i'm just going by the information i've learned all together about what the cycle is and how it works

 

[GhostKnife]

Well here is what I think. 4 tetras will be fine I would say. I would not get a bottom feeder in hopes he will clean up. I would just test your water daily expect spikes and drops throughout. If in the weeks time you have no ammonia and no nitrites adding a bottom feeder might be okay being they are hardy. You will still have fluctuations occasionally but this is normal. As far as cycle goes it does kill off ammonia and nitrite. It puts the nitrifiers into the water to help REDUCE ammonia and nitrite. They are still present but will be at lesser levels. It helps in the maturation of the aquarium. I used it and it seemed to help. Just a suggestion. I would though tomorrow get 4 tetras and start it off!!! I think you will be fine. As concerned as you are you and your fish will be fine.

 

[Blazinfire]

well that's what i was thinking around 4 to 6 tetra's. which that's actually good advice. of course i was going to wait about 3 to 4 weeks before i add any type of bottom feeder's. the only thing i will probably add until the cycle is finished is a pleco of some sort when i end up having to deal with algae.

but like i said its going to be different cuz i'm switching from a 10 gallon to 38 gallon tank. thats why i'm so concerned. the 10 gallon is my girlfriends tank. this is gonna be my tank but maybe i am just being a little to cautious on what i'm doing. just i've just been doing hours and hours of research so i hope it pays off in time

i'm sure it'll work out as well as i have it planned out. which planning is the key to success and next time i go to walmart i'll actually look at "cycle" and check it out and see what its all about. maybe it will benifit.

thanks for your time and your patience ghostknife. been alot of help. cant wait to see life in my tank after 3 days of sitting and running empty.

 

[CTD]

Take some panty hose and borrow some gravel from your GF's tank put it down in your tank to help get you some starter bacteria

 

[Blazinfire]

CTD good idea. i was thinking about that. but the 10 gallon tank isn't actually cycled completely yet would that still make improvements?

 

[CTD]

CTD good idea. i was thinking about that. but the 10 gallon tank isn't actually cycled completely yet would that still make improvements?

Oh i assumed it was already established see what i get for assuming.

 

[Blazinfire]

no. the 10 gallon tank isn't far from being fully cycled. another week or two according to tests. and such. of course i'm assuming about that as well