I don't see it on their website, but in-store, it's in the household cleaning section, they have a range called Homebase Basics, it's a plain white bottle with an orange label, says "Household Ammonia"
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OP
OP
Ok i will go get an ammonia liquid test kit and that ammonia IF they have it.
One guy here (mike) said to dose the 5ppm DAILY, even at the start, is this right? or one dose until it reaches a low amount, then boost it back up?
i cant see how dosing it to 5ppm daily to start will aid this, ive read a few times that it has over dosed and become dangerous levels meaning the good bacteria wont be produced.
I can give you my mobile number if this helps? or my twitter?
im writing it down step by step what i have to do, i could write it back to you to show what i will do?
Also i just found this, what do you think to this?
Fishless Cycling – Ammonia method
For this you’re going to need a bottle of household ammonia from the supermarket or chemist, a syringe, a calculator and a test kit for testing ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. (Test kits are an essential part of fishkeeping. It’s the only way you can be sure what’s going on in your tank.)
Household ammonia is typically 10% ammonia, the quantities used in the calculator are based on this. Commonly added amounts to the tank are between 2ppm and 5ppm (parts per million). We recommend 3ppm as a good level so all following instructions are based around using 3ppm.
1) First you need to know how many litres of water are in your tank. This is easy – measure the height, width and length in centimetres and multiply those figures together and then divide by 1000 (or use the calculator on the right). For example a tank measuring 100cm by 50cm by 30cm would hold 150 litres. If you have a lot of substrate and décor in your tank you need to take 10-20% off your calculated figure to allow for this.
2) Use the ammonia calculator at the bottom of the page to work out the amount of ammonia in millilitres (ml) to introduce and add it to the tank.
3) The following day use the ammonia test kit to measure the ammonia in the tank.If it’s below 3ppm (parts per million) use the ammonia calculator below to calculate how much ammonia to add to bring the level back to 3ppm. It may take several days before you see a significant drop.
4) Repeat step 3 every day. This process is to start the cycle off (the initial bacterial growth) and keep the bacteria alive by feeding them ammonia at the correct concentrations in the tank water.
5) After about a week you can start to test for nitrite in the water. Ammonia is converted to Nitrite in the first part of the cycle so when you can detect it, it means the cycle has started.
6) Continue testing for ammonia every day. Whenever it drops below 3ppm add enough ammonia to bring the level back up to 3ppm using the calculator to obtain the correct dose. Also test for nitrite every other day. You should see nitrite rise and then start falling after a few weeks.
7) Start testing for Nitrate after a few weeks. Nitrate is the last part of the process where the bacteria convert the nitrite to nitrate. When the test kit starts showing a fall in the nitrites you should see a rise in the nitrates.
One guy here (mike) said to dose the 5ppm DAILY, even at the start, is this right? or one dose until it reaches a low amount, then boost it back up?
i cant see how dosing it to 5ppm daily to start will aid this, ive read a few times that it has over dosed and become dangerous levels meaning the good bacteria wont be produced.
I can give you my mobile number if this helps? or my twitter?
im writing it down step by step what i have to do, i could write it back to you to show what i will do?
Also i just found this, what do you think to this?
Fishless Cycling – Ammonia method
For this you’re going to need a bottle of household ammonia from the supermarket or chemist, a syringe, a calculator and a test kit for testing ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. (Test kits are an essential part of fishkeeping. It’s the only way you can be sure what’s going on in your tank.)
Household ammonia is typically 10% ammonia, the quantities used in the calculator are based on this. Commonly added amounts to the tank are between 2ppm and 5ppm (parts per million). We recommend 3ppm as a good level so all following instructions are based around using 3ppm.
1) First you need to know how many litres of water are in your tank. This is easy – measure the height, width and length in centimetres and multiply those figures together and then divide by 1000 (or use the calculator on the right). For example a tank measuring 100cm by 50cm by 30cm would hold 150 litres. If you have a lot of substrate and décor in your tank you need to take 10-20% off your calculated figure to allow for this.
2) Use the ammonia calculator at the bottom of the page to work out the amount of ammonia in millilitres (ml) to introduce and add it to the tank.
3) The following day use the ammonia test kit to measure the ammonia in the tank.If it’s below 3ppm (parts per million) use the ammonia calculator below to calculate how much ammonia to add to bring the level back to 3ppm. It may take several days before you see a significant drop.
4) Repeat step 3 every day. This process is to start the cycle off (the initial bacterial growth) and keep the bacteria alive by feeding them ammonia at the correct concentrations in the tank water.
5) After about a week you can start to test for nitrite in the water. Ammonia is converted to Nitrite in the first part of the cycle so when you can detect it, it means the cycle has started.
6) Continue testing for ammonia every day. Whenever it drops below 3ppm add enough ammonia to bring the level back up to 3ppm using the calculator to obtain the correct dose. Also test for nitrite every other day. You should see nitrite rise and then start falling after a few weeks.
7) Start testing for Nitrate after a few weeks. Nitrate is the last part of the process where the bacteria convert the nitrite to nitrate. When the test kit starts showing a fall in the nitrites you should see a rise in the nitrates.
OP
OP
This is the link if you want to see the calculator at the bottom, it seems good to me?
Obviously i will test it in a 10L bucket first and see what the ammonia reads, just to see if it sort of matches, they say household ammonia holds 10% ammonia.
http
/www.fishkeeping.co.uk/articles_51/fishless-cycling-article.htm
Obviously i will test it in a 10L bucket first and see what the ammonia reads, just to see if it sort of matches, they say household ammonia holds 10% ammonia.
http
/www.fishkeeping.co.uk/articles_51/fishless-cycling-article.htm
Looks a good method to me. Don't add 5ppm daily at the outset, as too much ammonia will encourage the wrong bacteria to grow. WHen using mature media, you'll be entering the process at stage 3 / 4.
OP
OP
so im gonna stick to 3ppm, i will add my filter media into the new tank filter, and leave it 24 hours and then test for ammonia, and go from there? and just follow this guide?
on another note im really unhappy with the tetra water testing kit, it doesnt test for ammonia or nitrAtes, only nitrItes =/ looks like another £30 expenditure on an API master test kit?
So far my totals sit at:
tank £100
plants £40
rock/wood/sand £40 (got some freebies from a garden centre)
cruddy test kit £18
new heater £23
filter media (enough for 2-4 months) £42 (and now told the ammonia remover is usless xD but can i add this after the cycle?)
chemicals - £18
total so far £271. not bad i suppose, considering the bargain i got for the tank. just seems im buying things my fish store told me to get, that i dont even need right now.
on another note im really unhappy with the tetra water testing kit, it doesnt test for ammonia or nitrAtes, only nitrItes =/ looks like another £30 expenditure on an API master test kit?
So far my totals sit at:
tank £100
plants £40
rock/wood/sand £40 (got some freebies from a garden centre)
cruddy test kit £18
new heater £23
filter media (enough for 2-4 months) £42 (and now told the ammonia remover is usless xD but can i add this after the cycle?)
chemicals - £18
total so far £271. not bad i suppose, considering the bargain i got for the tank. just seems im buying things my fish store told me to get, that i dont even need right now.
Absolutely right.
Re the tests, if you go to Maidenhead Aquatics, you can get either Salifert or API individual tests for Ammo and nitrate, rather than buying duplicates for nitrite, pH KH GH.
Re the tests, if you go to Maidenhead Aquatics, you can get either Salifert or API individual tests for Ammo and nitrate, rather than buying duplicates for nitrite, pH KH GH.
OP
OP
i dont know where my nearest one is, i know that in pets at home the master test kit is £33 and i have a 10% voucher, and i could get it today. where as if the tank will wait (im sure leaving it filtering is no harm) i could order it and start my cycle monday?
I live in the stoke area
I live in the stoke area
Your neareast MAs are at Mere Park, Newport, Shropshire, or there's one at Knutsford. Or you can order online, your assumption is quite correct.
OP
OP
would you recommend going there then? i mean you cant have TOO much testing kit surely, if i buy another test kit, i wont run out sooner for testing the gH KH CO2 and nitrite.
my main ones atm like you know are ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, i only have nitrite so if it works out cheaper to just buy these 2 singles from pets at home (which i think they do, but not sure which brand) then il get them
my main ones atm like you know are ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, i only have nitrite so if it works out cheaper to just buy these 2 singles from pets at home (which i think they do, but not sure which brand) then il get them
If P@H do singles, and that's nearer, then go for them. I don't remember the last time I tested GH and KH, I am still on the original ones with my master kit. I am now on my 4th different ammonia kit.
OP
OP
Right home base didn't have any, any ideas?
Amazon or Ebay are probably your best bet. Both sites sell the 'Kleen Off' household ammonia, which lots have people have used, successfully, for fishless cycling.
OP
OP
Ok I'll order from online then, I'll also remove the ammonia remover tomorrow and just naturally let the ammonia build up
P.s you've been great help so far! Very appreciated!
P.s you've been great help so far! Very appreciated!
You're very welcome 
Most of us remember what it's like at the start; we were all newbies once!
Most of us remember what it's like at the start; we were all newbies once!
OP
OP
True
I've just bought the master kit from pets at home, it was 33, but the ones for ammonia and nitrate were 10.50 each... May as well pay the extra and have the whole kit lol
I will order the ammonia tomorrow
I've just bought the master kit from pets at home, it was 33, but the ones for ammonia and nitrate were 10.50 each... May as well pay the extra and have the whole kit lol
I will order the ammonia tomorrow
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