Starting My Fishless Cycle Tomorrow

[danb]

Ok so i went to my local well not local as its 45 miles away but as local as it gets here.

I managed to get some 'household ammonia' it says on the back under contains ' Ammonia solution 9.5% EC' Do you think this will be ok to add to the tank? to start a fishless cycle?

I also got some cat litter. I got pets at home 100% natural clay, will this be okay for under the sand? It says it has 'odour control' on the back though.

I plan on starting the fishless cycle tomorrow, not sure what i was thinking but shook the ammonia to see if any foaming, non at all and then proceeded to smell it . . . well . . . wont be doing that again, my nose/eyes hurt

 

[fish_tank0311]

Ive never heard of this ammonia your talking about, but here, dont know if you have it where u live, theres a product called "cycle", and also another 1 of a different brand called "insta-cycle". That stuff is more reliable as its just lots of live bacteria, but ammonia, dont think its such a good idea, but someone else should be able to help you with that.

 

[drobbyb]

Ive never heard of this ammonia your talking about, but here, dont know if you have it where u live, theres a product called "cycle", and also another 1 of a different brand called "insta-cycle". That stuff is more reliable as its just lots of live bacteria, but ammonia, dont think its such a good idea, but someone else should be able to help you with that.

Uhh, that Cycle and Insta cycle is just a bunch of snake oil. It's never worked for me, or anyone I know, including all my friends here on TFF.



That's the right kind of ammonia for a fishless cycle, even the correct concentration.

 

[danb]

Ive never heard of this ammonia your talking about, but here, dont know if you have it where u live, theres a product called "cycle", and also another 1 of a different brand called "insta-cycle". That stuff is more reliable as its just lots of live bacteria, but ammonia, dont think its such a good idea, but someone else should be able to help you with that.

Uhh, that Cycle and Insta cycle is just a bunch of snake oil. It's never worked for me, or anyone I know, including all my friends here on TFF.



That's the right kind of ammonia for a fishless cycle, even the correct concentration.

Thank you, thats what i needed to know Do i keep dosing it each day?

 

[cybergibbons]

It seems like most of the 9.5% ammonia in the UK is fine for the fishless cycle. The stuff from Boots and Homebase has been used successfully. You need to check it has no additives in it - the test most people do is to shake the bottle and then see if it foams. Pure ammonia shouldn't show any bubbles for any length of time.

I'm not sure that many people recommend cat litter as a substrate anymore. I'm not sure, but for a first tank, you'd be fine going with just sand as long as you aren't planning on heavy planting.

 

[cybergibbons]

Thank you, thats what i needed to know Do i keep dosing it each day?

Take a look at thefishless cycle post. There are two methods, add and wait, and add daily. Nearly everyone uses the add and wait method, so they don't add ammonia everyday until the later stages of the cycle.

You need a good test kit to do this all though.

 

[erk628]

Ive never heard of this ammonia your talking about, but here, dont know if you have it where u live, theres a product called "cycle", and also another 1 of a different brand called "insta-cycle". That stuff is more reliable as its just lots of live bacteria, but ammonia, dont think its such a good idea, but someone else should be able to help you with that.

Uhh, that Cycle and Insta cycle is just a bunch of snake oil. It's never worked for me, or anyone I know, including all my friends here on TFF.



That's the right kind of ammonia for a fishless cycle, even the correct concentration.

Thank you, thats what i needed to know Do i keep dosing it each day?

It depends on which method you want to do the add and wait, or the add daily method! You can read about both here and decide!

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=113861

 

[danb]

It seems like most of the 9.5% ammonia in the UK is fine for the fishless cycle. The stuff from Boots and Homebase has been used successfully. You need to check it has no additives in it - the test most people do is to shake the bottle and then see if it foams. Pure ammonia shouldn't show any bubbles for any length of time.

I'm not sure that many people recommend cat litter as a substrate anymore. I'm not sure, but for a first tank, you'd be fine going with just sand as long as you aren't planning on heavy planting.

Thanks, yeah its just the stuff from homebase, doesnt foam but has an awful smell ! How much should i put in each day for a 180 litre tank ? i may want plants in the future so i just wanted something under the sand incase i do to give them a living chance without co2

 

[erk628]

Thank you, thats what i needed to know Do i keep dosing it each day?

Take a look at thefishless cycle post. There are two methods, add and wait, and add daily. Nearly everyone uses the add and wait method, so they don't add ammonia everyday until the later stages of the cycle.

You need a good test kit to do this all though.

You beat me by a couple secs Cyber!

 

[drobbyb]

Thanks, yeah its just the stuff from homebase, doesnt foam but has an awful smell ! How much should i put in each day for a 180 litre tank ? i may want plants in the future so i just wanted something under the sand incase i do to give them a living chance without co2

Look at the bottom of TFF's own Aquarium Calculator. Bookmark it too. I use it almost daily.

 

[danb]

Thanks, yeah its just the stuff from homebase, doesnt foam but has an awful smell ! How much should i put in each day for a 180 litre tank ? i may want plants in the future so i just wanted something under the sand incase i do to give them a living chance without co2

Look at the bottom of TFF's own Aquarium Calculator. Bookmark it too. I use it almost daily.

Yeah i looked at that, but didnt know with the product i have being concentrated.

 

[danb]

they dont trust us in the uk with stuff powerful enough to make a . . . . b o m b . . . . have to stick with the concentrated stuff. Will go for the add and wait for my 180 tank i think as its a community tank and then add each day for my 240 as it will be for young discus.

 

[cybergibbons]

The aquarium ammonia calculator automatically fills out the concentration with 9.5% as nearly everything you get in the UK is that strength. It's bound to stink, that's what ammonia does!

I'd say if you want plants but not CO2, fork out for one of the plant substrates, a lot of people recommend them.

 

[danb]

The aquarium ammonia calculator automatically fills out the concentration with 9.5% as nearly everything you get in the UK is that strength. It's bound to stink, that's what ammonia does!

I'd say if you want plants but not CO2, fork out for one of the plant substrates, a lot of people recommend them.

Thats what i thought but then people said whats the point when cat litter works . . . so i went out and bought some cat litter.

 

[Truck]

Don't add the plants until the cycle has finished.