Ammonia

[Teacher Martyn]

Can anyone inform me how one procures ammonia for the fishless cycle?

 

[sadguppy]

Where do you live? Homebase sell it.

 

[paulyoung666]

got mine from toolstation yesterday , try homebase if you have one near .....

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

Yup just look for "household ammonia" it will probably be 9.5% ammonia

 

[Joshwainwright]

I got mine from Boots online, just had a look though and I can't find it. Maybe they have it in their stores still

 

[Prime Ordeal]

It's important that you don't get one with surfactants in it.

The known good ones are:

Homebase own brand
Boots own brand - if you can find it, don't think they stock it anymore
Toolstation (Ammo Kleen)
Jeyes Kleen Off (from ebay and other websites)

Or any other ammonia in a bottle that is about 10% strength and states that it is only ammonia (or ammonium hydroxide) and water.

 

[Teacher Martyn]

Thanks everyone. I just didn't occur to me that 'ordinary' ammonia was viable.

I assume 'fish-less cycle' doesn't have to mean 'plant-less cycle'.

Tough luck if it does as I've already filled and planted and it's been that way for a few weeks.

It's only now I've gotten to whiling away hour after hour reading fishkeeping forums that I realise the prospect of a fish-less cycle might be worthwhile.

Not least of all after having read every detail of Josh's journal.

Cheers.

Martyn

 

[sadguppy]

Good luck - and remember whatever you do, don't sniff it!

 

[littlenemo]

i cycled my tank with a full tank of plants imo it helped it along. i got my ammonia of ebay nxt day del kleen off its called.

 

[Texy]

i cycled my tank with a full tank of plants imo it helped it along. i got my ammonia of ebay nxt day del kleen off its called.

I bought some last night in my local Homebase (Newbury). It was only £2 or £3.
It is labelled as 9.5% and doesn't foam when shaken.
...and yes it does stink!

Texy

 

[Teacher Martyn]

Will one of the pipettes that came with Filter Aid etc be OK for dispensing the ammonia? I assume it's tiny amounts.

How do you gauge how much to add?

Mx

 

[littlenemo]

there is a calculater to work it out what size is your tank you need to add enough to get it up to 4 to 5ppm

ie my tank is 4 foot by 2 foot by 1 foot so i added around 14.5 ml

 

[mattyeatsmatts]

"Kleen Off" from Ebay/Amazon/B&Q

 

[Teacher Martyn]

80cm (31") long x 52cm (20") high x 35cm (14") deep

"Kleen Off" from Ebay/Amazon/B&Q

Ah, B&Q, finally a store that's nearby. No Wilkinsons or Homebase near here so I was about to go online. My problem is I always want things immediately. Not the best frame of mind for fishless cycling I hear you say.

 

[paulyoung666]

Toolstation (Ammo Kleen)

the bottle i got was branded 'knock out' by barrettine ....