Starting the cycle

[Codefox]

Ok, I'm gonna be starting the fishless cycle today since my ceramic cylinders and test kit came in. I've seen a bunch of different ways of doing this and I really have no idea where I'd find pure ammonia, so is just getting some ammonia at the supermarket (as long as there's nothing in it) fine? I realize it's watered down...but I'm not going to be doing this to an exact science I think. Just for a few weeks. Shrimp won't be happenning because I'm not going to stink up the apartment

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Ace Hardware or just a hardware store in general should have the pure ammonia.

 

[An t-iasg]

Hi Codefox,
As long as the ammonia doesn't have any soap or surfectants (sp?) it will be ok. I know that the Clorox bleach I use for my laundry has "surfectants" listed in the ingredients, and it bubbles up a little. Some members here have gotten pure ammonia with no other ingredients at a hardware store.

 

[Jchillin]

Fishyfanatic and An t-iasg seem to have posted at almost the same time. Commercially available ammonia (supermarkets, general stores)usually comes with soaps and disinfectants. Ace is the place for the pure ammonia. If this is not viable, you can try a raw shrimp from the fish market.

 

[Codefox]

I'll check the Lowe's across the street

 

[Codefox]

Lowe's didn't have ammonia. They didn't even know what it was Supermarket only had ammonia with surfectants in it. So I threw a couple peices of frozen shrimp in and just hope it won't stink up the apartment much. They sank to the bottom so might not smell too much

 

[greenmaji]

do you have a ace, true value or do it yourself type center?

 

[greenmaji]

I like the idea of using fish food as well..

 

[Codefox]

I do have lots of old fish food sitting around I could dump in...not that that would smell much better than the shrimp...

 

[Codefox]

Hmm, looks like there is an Ace down the road...I'll give them a try tonight after work.