Ammonia?

[MollyFresh]

if I did a fishless cycle why would I need to put ammonia in the tank if ammonia kills germs?? Wouldnt that just kill the bacteria?

 

[piranha_tim]

The bacteria that is involved in the cycle consumes the Ammonia as a food source.

 

[Corleone]

Ammonia doesn't kill all bacteria. Some household ammonia has additives that will, though, which creates problems for fishless cycling. The bacteria that live in the filter eat ammonia, be it in a pure form or fish poop.

 

[doresy]

Hi, a very reasonable question to ask!

Things like decaying food and plants along with natural waste from fish will all brake down to produce ammonia. In nature a fishes enviroment will clean this ammonia by producing a bacteria which will consume it. This bacteria also produces a waste product (nitrite) and a second bacteria forms to consume that! Again a waste product is produced (nitrate) wich is much less harmful to fish unless it builds up to an exteme amount. This last bi-product is diluted (in nature) by either rainfall or running water.

This cycle of events is simulated in an aquarium in one of 2 ways. Artificially adding an ammonia source using PURE ammonia (or rotting food, like prawns for example) to start this process (cycle) off. (Add and wait method) The diluting is why we perform partial water changes.

Another way is to introduce some hardy fish which will lay down waste to produce ammonia. This will incurr the need to do almost daily water testing and partial water changes as ammonia will kill fish very quickly.

Many new to fish keeping will try the second method as it means you can get fish right away Many then will have deaths and will eventually give up (unless they stumble upon this forum!) This provides us with a continuing source of cheap tanks and equipment!!

Neat ammonia, £1.99 from Homebase and a few weeks of waiting is the way to go IMO