Tank Advice

[Ch4rlie]

Agree with above - a Mater Test Kit as a necessity really to keep track of your water parameters.

 
FYI - Pets at Home and other LFS charge quite a lot for these Test Kits - Generally £30 to £35. 
You'll find them almost half price on either eBay or Amazon. I got mine for just under £18 !! 

 
And one minor change I would do, according to TTA thread on 'Cycling a Tank' link at top of page, cycle with should be with 3ppm not 4ppm ammonia.
 
And also there is a very useful calculator on this forum, you'll find it under the link 'more' at top of page. Will save you trying to find converters and ammonia calculators on other websites.
 
Good luck! 

 

[Linway]

Yeh I already planned the fishless cycle :]
I got household ammonia from homebase (I checked the back and the only ingredient mentioned is ammonia). I already bought the API test kit, it was on offer at a local garden centre for £22. Heading back to the garden centre on Monday to buy decor and then starting the cycle once everything is in (decor wise)

Yeh I was just gunna follow the guide Wills linked above for the cycle etc

 

[haleem8777]

Just one to ask, your garden center sell a test kit.i wish my garden center was like yours as the only fish related item my garden center has is slate

 

[Linway]

Just one to ask, your garden center sell a test kit.i wish my garden center was like yours as the only fish related item my garden center has is slate

They have a massive massive aquarium centre... The garden is split into 3 sections, a regular garden warehouse, a reptile warehouse and then the fish house. I had never been before nor did I even know about it until a friend mentioned it
 
http/www.pughsgardencentre.co.uk/maidenhead-aquatics/

 

[Ch4rlie]

Yeh I already planned the fishless cycle :]
I got household ammonia from homebase (I checked the back and the only ingredient mentioned is ammonia). I already bought the API test kit, it was on offer at a local garden centre for £22. Heading back to the garden centre on Monday to buy decor and then starting the cycle once everything is in (decor wise)

Yeh I was just gunna follow the guide Wills linked above for the cycle etc

IMO - Homebase Ammonia - don't really trust the stuff. I too bought the same ammonia and added it to my tank and nothing happened for ages. Then started to doubt if ammonia is right. 

 
When you shake the bottle, it froths. Several people on this forums says its the wrong stuff if this happens. if very few bubble and goes quickly then is ok. 
 
Homebase label just says 9.5% Ammonium Hydroxide. NO other ingredients listed, not even water so therefore this raises my suspicion if suitable for aquariums. 

 
This is what am using now, bought from eBay for just under £4 and much more confident with this. BTW it is at 35% strength, so make sure when you calculate dosages you factor in 35% instead of the usual 9.5%.
 
http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Concentrated-Aquarium-Ammonia-for-Fishless-Cycling-Fish-Tank-Use-High-Strength-/181130184497?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item2a2c334731
 
Hope that helps. Just my opinion really. 

 

[msasa19]

 

Just one to ask, your garden center sell a test kit.i wish my garden center was like yours as the only fish related item my garden center has is slate

They have a massive massive aquarium centre... The garden is split into 3 sections, a regular garden warehouse, a reptile warehouse and then the fish house. I had never been before nor did I even know about it until a friend mentioned it

 
http/www.pughsgardencentre.co.uk/maidenhead-aquatics/
 

maidenhead aquatics are really good and will be able to help you out if you need any, I have one in my local garden centre. also they do gift cards, I like to save up a bit of money, put it on a gift card so that I can keep control of how much I actually spend of fish!

 

[haleem8777]

nice

 

[Linway]

 
 
IMO - Homebase Ammonia - don't really trust the stuff. I too bought the same ammonia and added it to my tank and nothing happened for ages. Then started to doubt if ammonia is right. 

When you shake the bottle, it froths. Several people on this forums says its the wrong stuff if this happens. if very few bubble and goes quickly then is ok. 
 
 

 
I've just gone and shook the bottle and it doesn't froth/foam at all, it just looks like water and when shook has a couple of bubbles that go away quickly (as if you had just shaken water in a bottle)

 

[Ch4rlie]

Thats good. Maybe I got a bad bottle or something.  

 
As long as you're happy and sounds like that should be fine.
 
Was just a personal opinion really more than anything.
 
I now use my Homebase Ammonia now for cleaning the glass shower screen, its great stuff for cleaning that as I live in a hard water area!! lol 

 

 

[Linway]

Yeah dude don't take that as me being dismissive lol I appreciate the advice
 
Gunna start the cycle on Monday and if it doesn't adjust at all within a week I'll order the eBay one

 

[Linway]

Homebase label just says 9.5% Ammonium Hydroxide. NO other ingredients listed, not even water so therefore this raises my suspicion if suitable for aquariums. 

Just done a bit of research and figured I'd add what I read just to help clear up confusion
Apparently ammonium hydroxide is exactly what you get when you mix ammonia with water as normally ammonia is purely a gas so it is mixed with water to create ammonium hydroxide (aka liquid ammonia) because its easier to use/transport

 

[Ch4rlie]

 

Homebase label just says 9.5% Ammonium Hydroxide. NO other ingredients listed, not even water so therefore this raises my suspicion if suitable for aquariums. 

Just done a bit of research and figured I'd add what I read just to help clear up confusion

Apparently ammonium hydroxide is exactly what you get when you mix ammonia with water as normally ammonia is purely a gas so it is mixed with water to create ammonium hydroxide (aka liquid ammonia) because its easier to use/transport

 

 
well, thats me told! lol