Ammonia Question.

[Richmond J.]

Hi Everyone,
Regarding adding ammonia to the tank for fishless cycle, Is it possible to use Ammonium Bicarbonate, I was told it may cloud up the water, (Is this normal when adding ammonia)?

 

[Sunnyspots]

I've just checked and your water temperature would need to be 36 degrees C to allow the reaction to make ammonia in the water.

 

[Sunnyspots]

That might be why it would make the water cloudy, if it is a powder not reacting? Plus, I'm using ammonium chloride and not seeing any clouding. I bought it from Amazon - 'Tim's Aquatics'

 

[Richmond J.]

Yes, I think I,ll have to try and get ammonium chloride or ammonium hydroxide which appear to be the most used,not so easy to get though where I live at present.

 

[Essjay]

Ammonium carbonate is soluble in water. It is a salt so it will completely dissociate into carbonate ions and ammonium ions. These ammonium ions will be used by the bacteria, and will turn into ammonia at pH over 7.0

At 58 deg C solid ammonium carbonate splits up into ammonia and carbon dioxide, which is what makes it dangerous.

It is possible that the cloudiness is caused by the carbonate ion reacting with something and becoming insoluble.





Smelling salts are ammonium carbonate and perfume. Because it decomposes to ammonia and carbon dioxide so easily, there is always a slight level of ammonia which when breathed in makes us gasp. This gasping means taking in a lot of air, which brings us round from a faint.

 

[Richmond J.]

So probably not a good choice to use in your tank to increase ammonia level?

 

[Essjay]

You can use it, but it's not something I would like to have in the house in any largish quantity.

The way to use it would be to dissolve some in water then use that solution to add to the tank. But if the cloudiness is caused by the carbonate ion reacting with something like calcium to form insoluble calcium carbonate or whatever, it will make a mess of the water. Ammonium chloride is better. Can you get Dr Tim's ammonium chloride, which is a solution make for using in cycling?

 

[Richmond J.]

Thanks for the advice I,m searching for it now.