Fishless Cycle I used Ammonium Hydroxide and Surfactant, HELP!!

[FishShack]

Should I continue with the cycle that has Ammonium Hydroxide and Surfactant or should I drain, rinse and start over? I used ammonium from Lowe's but I can drive down the road to the next city to grab some at ACE.

Started the cycle on 5/31.

 

[pantherspawn]

Drain, rinse very very well.. and start over. The cleaning supply added can and will most likely kill the fish added.

 

[pantherspawn]

I would also start with a new filter media. No way to rinse out the soap completely from the filter media

 

[Randi]

People are not going to like this but... I did the same thing and at the end of my cycle I did as close to a 100% water change as possible followed by a 75% water change the next day and my fish are fine (I've had fish in this tank for about 5 months). Not saying that there aren't risks but in my experience it worked out OK.

 

[JBsDad]

I have read on several other sites of people doing the same as Randi, with no ill affects. Surfactants are NOT detergents or soap. I do believe that some surfactants are probably very toxic to fish, but a massive water change as Randi described, backed up by another would almost certainly remove enough harmful chemicals to render the water harmless.