Ammonia For Fishless Cycling?

Hello again, I just went to the store and bought ammonia, for cycling of course. I was told to get pure ammonia.

I looked at the ingredients and they read in this order: Ammonium hydroxide, surfactant.

I was wondering if this is okay for cycling, and if so, how much daily? How much on the first day of the cycle?

thank you all again.

 

No, you can’t use this. You need pure ammonium chloride, no scents or surfactants.

 

No, you can’t use this. You need pure ammonium chloride, no scents or surfactants.

oh shoot, thank you. do I have to order it online? cause I can't find any in stores.

 

Found some on Amazon that should work.

 

If you’re in the US, should be able to buy it off the shelf in any store that sells cleaning products. Ammonia is cheap ~ $1.00/half gallon.

 

I would use the Dr. Tim’s.
I thought I found pure ammonia as the label simply stated “ammonia” but it still contained a surfactant. I discovered that by shaking the bottle and it became foamy.
I had used it to cycle a quarantine tank and promptly killed the fish I put in it in 36 hours.
Cleaned really well and cycled again with the Dr. Tim’s and all was well next go round!

 

If you’re in the US, should be able to buy it off the shelf in any store that sells cleaning products. Ammonia is cheap ~ $1.00/half gallon.

I went to try and find some today, and I only found some with surfactant.

 

Do you have an Ace Hardware in your town? Ace has a pure ammonia with no surfactants. That's what I used to cycle my tank.

 

Do you have an Ace Hardware in your town? Ace has a pure ammonia with no surfactants. That's what I used to cycle my tank.

I don’t think I do. I just ordered Dr. Tim’s ammonia on Amazon.

 

You can usually get it at a hardware store, but you often have to get like 5 gallons or more! I got a bottle of Dr Tim's also, even though I cycled for over a month I still only ended up using about half the bottle. It should do ya.

 

No, you can’t use this. You need pure chloride, no scents or surfactants.

Ammonium hydroxide is fine (this is the Ace Hardware product). Different manufacturers label it variously, but ammonium hydroxide and aqueous ammonia are the same product: dissolved ammonia gas.

Ammonium chloride is the Dr Tim's product. It also be purchased at most chemical suppliers in all countries as a solid salt for later dissolving. This is useful for those living in countries or localities where they can't find a pure solution of ammonia free of surfactants, detergents and other additives.

 

Ammonium hydroxide is fine (this is the Ace Hardware product). Different manufacturers label it variously, but ammonium hydroxide and aqueous ammonia are the same product: dissolved ammonia gas.

Ammonium chloride is the Dr Tim's product. It also be purchased at most chemical suppliers in all countries as a solid salt for later dissolving. This is useful for those living in countries or localities where they can't find a pure solution of ammonia free of surfactants, detergents and other additives.

Sure, but his had surfactants.

 

Sure, but his had surfactants.

Oh I agree. Just wanted to clarify that there's no specific need to use a pure ammonium chloride solution over say, a pure aqueous ammonia or a pure ammonium hydroxide solution.

 

You can usually get it at a hardware store, but you often have to get like 5 gallons or more! I got a bottle of Dr Tim's also, even though I cycled for over a month I still only ended up using about half the bottle. It should do ya.

Did you get the two ounce bottle or the bigger one?

 

Did you get the two ounce bottle or the bigger one?

Yeah the 2oz, I was dosing for a 30 gallon tank. In the Chicago area? I'll give you my leftover! And some cycled media! XD

 

Yeah the 2oz, I was dosing for a 30 gallon tank. In the Chicago area? I'll give you my leftover! And some cycled media! XD

unfortunately not. Los Angeles. That'd be great though. I ordered the larger bottle cause it was only a couple bucks more, and in case of emergency I'd have enough on hand.