jmm197

Hi, I am going to attempt fishless cycling for the first time. Is this ammonia ok? It is Great Value Ammonia from walmart. The ingredients say, Ammonium Hydroxide and Surfactant. (Contains No phosphorus.)

It does foam a little.

Thanks!

Jaysee

If it foams I think it's bad. Surfactant is a chemical that lowers the surface tension of water....

Shawnie

if the foam doesnt go away after a second or two, no I wouldnt use it .... you can also throw a piece of raw shrimp in a nylon and leave it to cycle the tank..then you dont have to worry about adding something everyday...congrats on a fishless cycle!!!!!

Lucy

If it has surfactants, it's the wrong kind, sorry.

jmm197

Thanks! I've looked absolutely everywhere. I just live in the middle of nowhere. I was thinking about the shrimp thing or just using fish food.

Would it matter if the shrimp was cooked all ready?

Also, do you think frozen brine shrimp fish food wood work? And if so would I add a little everyday? It seems like it would be hard to adjust and keep the right PPM's of ammonia etc using food.

Thanks!

Lucy

Frozen brine shrimp would work, but imo, too messy to clean up after the cycle is finished.
I'd go with the raw shrimp Shawnie mentioned.
I don't know where you live, but several members have found ammonia at Ace Hardware.

Shawnie

raw is better...it decomposes faster..and very cheap at the grocery store..I just cant buy one tho, I have to feed my belly as well as the tank

eiginh

lol, I'm sure if you buy one piece of raw shrimp the person working at the counter would most likely think you are on a very strange/limited diet.

Jaysee

Have you thought about buying it online??

jmm197

Thanks! I found it! I guess. It does not list any ingredients, so how do I know it dose not contain something else? It does say %10 percent Ammonium Hydroxide. So I assume that's all it is... What is the other %90 though? Water?

Thanks again!!!

Jaysee

There's no list of ingredients because there are none

10% is as strong as I've ever seen it, and yes the other 90% is water.