Ammonia for fishless cycling

[sinfulhorse]

Hi

The only ammonia I have been able to buy locally is "Jeyes Kleen Off" - ammonia household cleaner

The bottle helpfully tells me that the produce contains ammonia but nothing more on possible additives

Has anyone used this product for cycling?

Thanks

 

[daza]

I've used that stuff okay. Assuming it is this?

 

[sinfulhorse]

Yes it is - thank you !

 

[WILDER]

You can also use frozen prawns to cycle a tank.

 

[Dragonslair]

Definitely NOT!!!
Household ammonia is different to natural ammonia. It contains ionic surfactants and other deadly chemicals. It is strictly used for floor cleaning only..
If you wish to use ammonia, it can be purchased at a pharmacy, if you explain to the pharmascist what you need it for.
Have you read the article by alien anna concerning fishless cycling?
This should help.

 

[daza]

Definitely NOT!!!

It worked fine for me...no problem at all. The cycle went 'by the book'.

Others have used household ammonia because I did a lot of reading before selecting the Jeyes stuff myself.

 

[sylvia]

I have no idea what the particular product contains but household ammonia can be used as long as it does not contain additives.

 

[sinfulhorse]

I am new to this site and to fish keeping but it is rather difficult to know how to proceed when advice ranges from "yes this is fine" to "definitely not" !

As I have now started with this product, I guess I will have to go for a major water change prior to introducing any fish

 

[jay2jay99]

I know what you mean, Sylvia has been helping me out and she seems very knowledgable, I'd go with her.

Jay.

 

[sinfulhorse]

Thanks

I am having a frustrating time with ammonia

I have contacted three LFS and none of them stock ammonia and ALL said - chuck some fish food in mate

I did this but in an earlier post I got a reaction of horror and was told to use ammonia and this was available from chemists

I went to Boots and 2 others, and spoke to the prescriptions staff - none of them sold ammonia. when I said why I needed it, they advised me to try my LFS !!

Grrrrrr

 

[jay2jay99]

Are you in the UK? I got a bottle of treatment from my lfs called 'Cycle' I added 1 capful to every three gallons to start it off when I first added the water, then about one capful per 15 gallons every other day, meanwhile I test it regulary using a master test kit. Click this link, it's one I posted about stocking my tank but it has a couple of pictures of the bottle, Hope this helps.

Jay.


http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=70973

 

[sinfulhorse]

Yep

I was given some cycle - but I don't think this includes ammonia - I thought that this simply introduced the bacteria into your freshly dechlorinated water - so I don't think it is suitable for fishless cycling

 

[jay2jay99]

I was told by my lfs to use it and when I add it the levels go up and over the next day or so you can see it go from ammonia to nitrite to nitrate, then I can just do a water change if needed to get rid of the nitrate. It seems to be working for me, although I have to take a sample in on friday so they can test it before I get fish so that'll tell me if it works or not.

Jay.

 

[WILDER]

Do you have a friend in fish keeping who could give you some gravel and sponge to get you going, or ask lfs some will give you some.

 

[WILDER]

http/www.aquahobby.com/articles/e_fishless.php