Ammonia Remover

[Debbie_19]

Ive seen some bottles in my local lfs that claims it removes some ammonia in the water. Has anyone tried this and do you think it works or is it just a con? Thanks

 

[iairj84]

They sell an ammonia reducing product for filters that looks like carbon although it's white, I believe it's called Ammo-Lock or something like that. They have worked for me the one time in the past that I needed it. I threw it in a small filter bag and into the filter to reduce the levels. But I've found a product that I like even better and that's a product called first start and it works really well at reducing ammonia levels, the thing I like about it is that it reduces nitrite and ammonia levels but not nitrate which is what I need in my planted tank. It also works as a dechlorinator too which makes it doubly good.

That being said in a properly cycled tank it shouldn't be needed very often, but even the most experienced fish keeper will probably find a need for it from time to time in strange circumstances. I've often times started a new tank and not had quite enough media to keep it cycled and the the first start stuff helped keep the mini cycle at a very minimum level.

 

[honneebee23]

I don't know about other brands but the one I use PRIME works extrememly well. And the bonus is that it will not interfere with the cycling process. Primes turn ammonia into ammonium which is still food for the bacteria. It also reduces nitrites, nitrates and works as a dechlorinator as well. I have found out the hard way that ammo carb will stall cyclling.

Cheers

 

[rdd1952]

You DO NOT want any product or filter media that "removes" ammonia. Otherwise, your tank will never cycle and you will be dependent on chemicals. Any time you forget them, run out or decide to stop, your ammonia levels will sky rocket and your fish will die. Cycle the tank properly to begin with and you don't ever have to worry about ammonia.

 

[iairj84]

That's a little off to say that. Their are instances when a product like that is helpful, it probably would not be the smartest idea to use these products from the get go. Yes fishless cycling is the way to go and yes it's safer for the fish, no one can rightly say otherwise.

But their are instances where a product like this is helpful. I've had power outages where all beneficial bacteria was lost. The power was out for a full 12 hours and the media ran dry. I wasn't home at the time or I would've figured out a way to keep the media stable. The ammonia reducer can be very helpful at times when things come up... We aren't all perfect fish keepers and we should always keep the well being of the fish first and foremost.

 

[WILDER]

I do agree with rdd1952 some fish keepers just use ammonia products thinking it's going to sort the problem out, instead of investigating why they have ammonia reading.

 

[martyn21uk]

I also have to agree with rdd1952 and Wilder on this one. Yes such products can be used to help you out of a sticky position and save fish but the original thread does come across as a question about speeding up/cutting out cycling. For this there is no short cut, just patience, patience and then a bit more patience!! Whether you cycle with fish or without fish is an ethical point and not really relevant to this, but it seems to me that rdd1952 took the question the way I did, whilst Wilder is quite right in pointing out that if you spike down the line you need to find out the reason why. If its down to a power cut, fine there's your reason but make sure you get to the root cause always and don't becone reliant on chemicals for short cuts.

 

[rdd1952]

That's a little off to say that. Their are instances when a product like that is helpful, it probably would not be the smartest idea to use these products from the get go. Yes fishless cycling is the way to go and yes it's safer for the fish, no one can rightly say otherwise.

But their are instances where a product like this is helpful. I've had power outages where all beneficial bacteria was lost. The power was out for a full 12 hours and the media ran dry. I wasn't home at the time or I would've figured out a way to keep the media stable. The ammonia reducer can be very helpful at times when things come up... We aren't all perfect fish keepers and we should always keep the well being of the fish first and foremost.

In those cases, you use a product like Ammo-Lock that "neutralizes", but doesn't "remove", ammonia and nitrite. They are still present in the tank in non-toxic form so the tank can still cycle but the fish are safe.