Ammonia

[Ted H]

I'm trying to start a fishless cycle , but cant source any ammonia.
Are there any UK readers out there who can suggest a store /supermarket where I can obtain Ammonia from. I've tried all my hardware stores and chemists but I can't find pure ammonia, there are plenty of ammonia products ( with addatives). Any particular brand names I should look for?

 

[DrOizo]

My LFS sells it. Have you asked the chemist if they can't order some in for you. colleges have ammonia for chemistry perhaps you might be able to get some from there.

 

[Ted H]

thanks DrOizo ......I tried my Lfs without sucess tho he was most helpfull ..and provided me with some gravel from his tanks free of charge to get my filters off to a good start ....I thought it wold be easy to get pure ammonia ....but not wher I come from..

 

[mrV]

Why does it have to be pure ammonia (btw, you cant find pure ammonia, because it's gas)? You can also use NH4Cl, ammoniumchloride. Quite odd, that your pharmacies don't sell e.g. 10% ammonia...

 

[Nikb]

I found ammonia in my local chemist.

 

[Ted H]

I'll go back to the chemist and speak to the Pharmasist rather than just the assistant .....( apologies to any pharmacy assistants that may be reading this )

 

[Ted H]

Spoke to two chemists today , both said that the lack of availability of ammonia (without additives ) in the Uk was probably due to Uk regulations and COSHH ( Control Of Substances Hazardous to Health)..........unless you know diffrent

Note... They did have ammonia in a bottle where the label said " contains ammonia" we took it that this maybe had something else in it, and it was slightly frothy when shaken, so to be on the safe side I left it .

 

[Maz]

I used Jeyes "Kleen off" to cycle my tank - got some from the local small hardware shop.

 

[Ted H]

Maz .... does it say whats in it on the label ?

 

[Maz]

Sadly no proper contents label - on the front it just says "Ammonia" - on its own ie not contains ammonia or anything - just the word ammonia. It doesnt froth at all when shook.

I used it because I had heard that's what others had used.

By fluke I had snails and tubifex worms in the tank whilst cycling with this ammonia and they were fine with it - and all lived - and bred enthusiatically! - through the whole process.

It worked fine for me - tank cycled in just under 3 weeks - and fish have been v healthy and happy so far (2 weeks since cycle and intro of fish).