Making Your Own Ammonia Remover

[crmpicco]

I recently took some advice off a member on here to make my own dechlorinator.

I am now getting to the end of my Ammonia Remover, which I always add an inner capful to my tank when doing a water change, and I'm wondering if its possible to do something similar with Ammonia Remover.

Can it be created from home?

 

[fluttermoth]

You shouldn't be using an ammonia remover at all, is the simple answer.

 

[crmpicco]

You shouldn't be using an ammonia remover at all, is the simple answer.

Surely a wee spot of ammonia remover isn't going to do any harm?

Why do you say not to use it *at all*?

 

[fluttermoth]

Because you run the risk of starving your filter bacteria, leaving you trapped in a constant cycle of having to use it all the time.
 
It's just not necessary, if your filter is properly cycled; adding anything that's not needed to your tank is an extra expense and risk and should be avoided.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Actually, what you meant was not ammonia remover, you mean ammonia detoxifier. The primary reason this ingredient is is present in dechlor product is to handle the ammonia cause when chloramine is broken down. It is chlorine and ammonia and when this is broken down one is left with detoxified chlorine and ammonia. So the ammonia detox is included for this. Is is a side benefit that using such a product in an emergency can help with an ammonia spike.
 
The thing to understand about this sort of product is that is the downside. the form of ammonia these products create can be used by the bacteria, but nowhere near as efficiently as it can use the NH3 ammonia. The result is the ammonia bacteria do not use detoxified ammonia as efficiently and do not reproduce as rapidly. More energy is required to convert the locked up ammonia and that leaves little for reproduction. This is why overdosing dechlor is a poor idea during cycling.