Fishless Cycle Question

[rurtecho]

Well, thanks to everybody that posted. I really can't find pure ammonia, just the one with surfactant(or whatever that's spelled like). I will keep doing it with the shrimp and check the ammonia every 1 or 2 days. So, as soon as 4-5 ppm of ammonia go to 0 in about 8-12 hours, then my cycle is complete right??

 

[the_lock_man]

Well, thanks to everybody that posted. I really can't find pure ammonia, just the one with surfactant(or whatever that's spelled like). I will keep doing it with the shrimp and check the ammonia every 1 or 2 days. So, as soon as 4-5 ppm of ammonia go to 0 in about 8-12 hours, then my cycle is complete right??

So long as nitrite is going to 0 as well.

 

[a.wagg]

Yeah, I'd recommend a true fishless cycle, rather than the dead shrimp one. Go get a test kit, and some ammonia.

I don't like disaggreeing with other posters, but..using a dead shrimp or prawn is a proper fishless cycle; it's not as easy to be accurate with the ammonia levels, for sure, but it works perfectly well; my one and only fishless cycle, some 20 years ago now, was done with fish food; no-one in those far off days had thought of using household ammonia, as far as I know.
With ammonia becoming increasingly hard to source in some places, a lot of people may have to use this method in the future.
As long as the OP tests properly, which they are doing, there'll be no problem
Oh, sorry, I've just been getting into fish keeping, so I've only heard of the bottled ammonia way as a easy way to cycle the tank, because you can control it. I'm sure any decaying thing will produce ammonia, so it will work, but it harder to control, hence the recommendation of a "true fishless cycle" (You probably got confused on my wording, but I meant with ammonia, and nothing else, my bad...)

A cycle with some $.25 goldfish can work too, but be prepared to lose some...

Which is precisely why we never recommend fish in cycles here, if there is any alternative
Of course... but it does work, and is the way many people cycle their tanks still

and have more guess work as to when you can introduce less hardy fish (ie, the ones you want).

There's no guesswork involved, really; once you had a week of double zeros (for ammonia and nitrite) your cycle is complete, whether it's fish-in or fishless.
Oops, I meant to say a cycle without a test kit, and only goldfish. I confused you, my bad. But yeah, the test kit is essential to know when you are done cycling and can start stocking your tank.

Sorry if I sound like I'm 'getting at you'; I'm really not, I just wanted to point those things out to anyone else reading the thread.
And yeah, no problem, it's always good to have some discussion going on

 

[giants1249er]

Well, thanks to everybody that posted. I really can't find pure ammonia, just the one with surfactant(or whatever that's spelled like). I will keep doing it with the shrimp and check the ammonia every 1 or 2 days. So, as soon as 4-5 ppm of ammonia go to 0 in about 8-12 hours, then my cycle is complete right??

If you are in the United States, you can get pure ammonia from Ace Hardware stores. It's the Ammonia Janitorial Strength Formula and it cost about $2.99 for a 32 oz bottle.

 

[rurtecho]

Thank you man, I found the ammonia. I'm starting to pour some in right now.

 

[Aqua Tom]

Thank you man, I found the ammonia. I'm starting to pour some in right now.

errr, I hope you are not just pouring it in.

It needs to be 5ppm (parts per million).


Tom