Did I just ruin things? Ammonia /w surfactant

[missmonday]

Hey everyone,

trying to start up the nitrogen cycle on my 10 gallon QT tank. My cycled 29 gallon was done fish-in with no troubles, so I'm trying my hand at fishless...

Well, I put in a new filter in the 29g and let it sit there for a week to absorb some bacteria, then I moved it to the filter to the 10g, and added a whole bottle of tetra safe start for added measure (the size rated up to 20 gallons). Then I found the ammonia my mom said we had laying around the house, which has surfactants in it. It doesn't have any scents or anything like that.
We have Kroger "Clear Ammonia". I only added 1ml to a 10 gallon tank.

Since I'm pretty busy and am working a lot the next few days between classes I don't think I have time to find an ACE and purchase ammonia there :/

Anyone think I can just keep dosing the Kroger ammonia...? I just don't want a bottle of safe start go to waste heh

 

[missmonday]

I'm hoping I can just run to the dollar store or find an ACE and get pure ammonia from either one of those place and continue dosing... I don't want to tear down the whole stand and start over ;o;

I do have carbon, but the filter is so small i don't think I can put any in there.

 

[coralbandit]

Why not use the cycled tank filer media to supply or grow the needed new BB?

 

[nkoyko]

Surfactant is not ok for the aquarium. It is soap (well can be used for soap, it releases surface tension wich allows foaming/bubbling). If you did use it already I would say you probably need to tear it all down and clean/rinse everything before being able to add fish.

Get the stuff from Ace and be careful with how much you add because it is 10% and a few drops are all it really takes to see the ppm go up.

Good luck!

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[missmonday]

Well I let the new filter hang out in the cycled tank for a week. I was hoping that would be enough to speed up the cycle? In addition to adding safe start (which I know can be a gamble)

...I really don't want to tear everything down and waste all that water, so I guess I'll just change the ammonia source (go get some from ace) and do a massive water change before I add any fish and rinse off the decor as well. I only added 1ml, so I imagine after a few water changes it'll get diluted.

 

[brennae]

I'd tear everything down. Chances are the surfectants will kill any fish you put in the tank

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[missmonday]

Well I did have time today before work to pick up some ammonia from ACE and will now be dosing my tank with that.

Unfortunately i don't have time to do a 100% water change and scrub down, so I'll just try to be good about water changes and rinsing all decor and equipment before ever adding any fish. It's only a quarantine tank, so this won't be a permanent home for any fish.

 

[Delapool]

Wonder if running carbon would remove the surfactant?

 

[Masha]

Wonder if running carbon would remove the surfactant?

I googled that, and it seems that it might. The results I saw were not aquarium based though so not sure how thorough the removal would be.

 

[missmonday]

I have some carbon media pad, so I added a little bit of that to the internal filter in the 10g. Would it be a good idea to take out the carbon before I put any fish in?

 

[Delapool]

I googled that, and it seems that it might. The results I saw were not aquarium based though so not sure how thorough the removal would be.

Thanks for looking into this. That's pretty interesting and handy information.

 

[Delapool]

I have some carbon media pad, so I added a little bit of that to the internal filter in the 10g. Would it be a good idea to take out the carbon before I put any fish in?

I think so imo. Normally I'd say as suits but just in case.

 

[Masha]

I have some carbon media pad, so I added a little bit of that to the internal filter in the 10g. Would it be a good idea to take out the carbon before I put any fish in?

Honestly, I'd go with Brennae's advice to tear everything down and rinse, rinse, rinse.
While the carbon might help reduce the surfactant, any amount of it in your aquarium will hurt or kill the fish, and might also inhibit the growth of the bacteria (I'm guessing about that last one).

I know it's a super pain, but one thing I've found with aquarium keeping is that it's best to play things really safe. There are so many things that can go wrong that you don't have control over, that if you do have a choice, rather be over-careful than take a risk.

 

[missmonday]

Would it be okay to rinse/wipe down after cycle completes...? I'm on Day 4 with 4.0ppm ammonia registered, but I know it's too early to get any nitrites, I tested for that too.

Mayybe I can try to tear everything down this Friday but if I can avoid that, that'd be great.

I did purchase the ACE ammonia with no dyes or surfactants, so the ammonia with surfactants was a one-time 1ml dose.

 

[Masha]

That is a very small amount - it might be fine. I really don't know though!