By the way, my LFS totally gave me a strange look for asking about "fishless" cycling and then tried to sell me "safe start". That is very annoying in California just like in the UK I bet! They know full well my fish might die in the next 3 weeks with bacteria levels establishing themselves in the filter and levels of Amm/NO2/NO3 are spiking and dropping all over the place!
Fish shops sell a few "1rst" fishes, and LOTS of 2nds, 3rds, 4ths, 5ths......
Well I am attached to my first fish!!! He has a name and I refuse to play games with his health or my money for that matter. I returned the "instant cycle" bottle that I did buy and got a cheaper bottle of a 10% ammonia solution in water at my local hardware store and an eye dropper from my local drug store.
My tank cycled faster than if I used the low levels of ammonia a fish produces and the API tests were very easy to read with such strong concentrations of ammonia, then nitrites and finally neither of those and only nitrates. I recommend it! Ammonia is a cleaning product, make sure there are no colors or odors, if you shake he bottle there should be no bubbles at the top!
Fish shops sell a few "1rst" fishes, and LOTS of 2nds, 3rds, 4ths, 5ths......
Well I am attached to my first fish!!! He has a name and I refuse to play games with his health or my money for that matter. I returned the "instant cycle" bottle that I did buy and got a cheaper bottle of a 10% ammonia solution in water at my local hardware store and an eye dropper from my local drug store.
My tank cycled faster than if I used the low levels of ammonia a fish produces and the API tests were very easy to read with such strong concentrations of ammonia, then nitrites and finally neither of those and only nitrates. I recommend it! Ammonia is a cleaning product, make sure there are no colors or odors, if you shake he bottle there should be no bubbles at the top!