Ammonia And Bacteria Starter Sources

[daizeUK]

I'd love to see the instructions on that Ebay kit.  It looks like somebody trying to get a bit of money selling off small amounts of ammonia.  Not a bad idea but it depends on how accurate the instructions are.

 

[Ch4rlie]

I'd love to see the instructions on that Ebay kit.  It looks like somebody trying to get a bit of money selling off small amounts of ammonia.  Not a bad idea but it depends on how accurate the instructions are.

 
Thats my thoughts too but not sure.
 
Would be good if someone who has actually bought and used this one to successfully cycle their tank and to make some comments on.
 
Or I might buy it myself and see.....

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I might start the US version.

 

[daizeUK]

You might have to give royalties to TTA if you print off his instructions

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I would never print his instructions out... I'd tailor them to my 'proprietary' cycling solution.

 

[Sharknado99]

This is a really long thread...I tried reading as much as I could but coudln't find any ammonia sources listed in New Zealand. 
 
I dont see any on the shelves either. Can anyone shed some light on this? SOrry if i missed it in earlier threads.

 

[Ch4rlie]

This is a really long thread...I tried reading as much as I could but coudln't find any ammonia sources listed in New Zealand. 
 
I dont see any on the shelves either. Can anyone shed some light on this? SOrry if i missed it in earlier threads.

 
I am afraid NZ is really, really difficult to find any ammonia sources.
 
There WAS one but has since been removed from the website and since then I have been unable to find a source of Ammonia for NZ, there are a couple for Australia but no good for importing into NZ.
 
Hmm, i'll have another look and ask around and see if anything crops up, but to be honest its kinda doubtful due to import laws in NZ being so strict 

 
I'll try my best 

 

[Sharknado99]

THank so much. Its ok if you cant find anything though. I know it is tough to get a lot of things here including those oxyweed plants which are considered to be weeds etc.
 
i'll just have to use fish food...and snails/plants etc

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Tried to get info on Biozyme. Nothing on their site, but this is how ine seller describes it on their site"
 

 
Sentry AQ Mardel Biozyme for freshwater aquariums utilizes dried cultures of hetrophic bacteria and enzymes to instantly activate upon contact with water. It immediately helps kick start the biological process required to maintain a healthy aquarium.

from http/www.pawtasticpet.com/proddetail.asp?prod=Sentry-AQ-Mardel-Biozyme-for-Freshwater-Fish
 
Once again a bacterial starter product that contains only spores, no live nitrifiers. Since the nitrifiers are autrophs and do not forms spores, you get them live or not at all, Mardel is a decent company but I personally would never use this product even if it were free to me.
 
As far as I am concerned everybody should feel free to reproduce my cycling article and share it with whomever they want. It was intended to help folks and the more of them for whom it might do this, the happier it will make me.

 

[Ch4rlie]

I have had a look through various websites looking for sources of ammonia for NZ, no go so far am afraid.
 
Nearest online source of ammonia is in Australia but might as well be on the moon for you! 
 
Also had a quick look at the Prohibited Import on New Zealand Customs Services, it appears that approval to import to New Zeanland is required, and think for fish keeping hobbyists its not high on their priority list and would be extremely surprised if one was given approval since Ammonia is a Hazardous Substance due to Corrosiveness. 
 
http/www.customs.govt.nz/features/prohibited/imports/Pages/default.aspx
 
The only things i can think of is alternative sources such as the link TTA provided, or asking your fish keeping friends or other friends / family if they have any household ammonia, have heard cloudy ammonia has been used but unsure about that.
 
Perhaps doing a ammonia rich water, something like putting in a quantity of raw prawns into a container of water and allowing this to decompose over x amount of time and sieving out the contents of raw prawns and you would be left with ammonia rich water when you could the test the ammonia rich water to see how much ammonia that water contains and working out doses from there, possible imo.
 
Not the best but better than nothing or do as other have done, add prawns or fish food to your tank but a highly inaccurate and messy way of doing things.

 

[Blondielovesfish]

I've heard of many people being successful using the homebrand cloudy ammonia from Countdown Sharknado99, I haven't personally used this but I am planning to try it out on the next tank I cycle.....
 
I used a dead frozen shrimp in some pantyhose for the tank that I cycled, it cycled perfectly fine but had a foul smell for awhile afterwards and since the tank was in my room, this wasn't the best.
 
You can purchase ammonia online, however I could only find it in 2L+ bottles.
 
I know my local high school science department has ammonia so it may be worth asking yours if you would be able to borrow some from them. 
 
TLC FRESHWATER STARTSMART from Hollywood Fish Farm has had good reviews so it may be worth a try, although you'll still need a source of ammonia. I haven't personally used this product but again, I intend to try it out on the next tank I cycle.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Hey Blondie, been a while

That is excellent info and I have heard about the cloudy ammonia but was unsure where they were found or if it really worked. Sounds like its worth pursuing.
Really hope your fellow NZ will use your suggestions.

Thanks

 

[Gruntle]

Just an update, after seeing a new member struggling to find ammonia in Australia. It appears there is no "aquarium ammonia" (or any other search I tried) available on ebay any more in Australia.
 
I have about half a bottle left, which it looks like I'll be hoarding for as long as I can.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Just an update, after seeing a new member struggling to find ammonia in Australia. It appears there is no "aquarium ammonia" (or any other search I tried) available on ebay any more in Australia.
 
I have about half a bottle left, which it looks like I'll be hoarding for as long as I can.

 
Yes, I was afraid that would happen in Australia as Ammonia can be used for other 'nefarious' things which I will not mention on here, hence why there are very strict laws regarding liquid imports such as Ammonia.
 
I think you can make your own ammonia using prawns in buckets / containers and culturing this to become a source of ammonia for cycling tanks, though its a smelly and messy procedure.
 
Easiest method is probably getting a bottle of Dr Tim's or some established media from a friend's or family member's tank filter if at all possible.
 
One last method that may work is to have a LOT of plants that are nutrient hungry in your tank, this would become a 'silent' cycle, and the plants would greatly help in controlling ammonia and nitrate levels, though am unsure about nitrite to be honest. Further research required there methinks.

 

[Byron]

Agree on using a bacterial supplement as a better method.  Dr. Tim's One and Only is likely the best, but his older formula which is now carried by Tetra as their SafeStart is another, and I have used Seachem's Stability (even though technically the bacteria are not the same species, but we needn't get bogged down in that

 ).  And the so-called "silent cycle" with plants works, perhaps best of all, depending.
 
Byron.