Fishless Cycling Frustration

[benjamin100]

Hey everyone- sure I'm posting this in the wrong place so apologies!

I know New Zealand's lack of fishless cycling appropriate ammonia has been talked about before, but it is really driving me mad now.

Because I can't find any anywhere I just purchased some off Amazon US- it couldn't ship to NZ- so I had it delivered to a Youshop address to be sent on.. only to find they don't ship products that contain ammonia.

So that's $27 down the drain.

Anyone got any ideas?

[kiwiraka]

Squeeze the cat?

What are you using to cycle? Shrimp are good.

[Caryl]

I was unaware we didn't have suitable ammonia here. Can't you get pure ammonia from the chemist?

[alanmin4304]

You probably can but it is likely to be analar and expensive.

[Ira]

Most people use, I believe, cloudy ammonia. It's pure ammonia...Well, not pure ammonia ammonia and water, but no additives like soaps, etc.

[aussiegreenthumb]

fishless cycle just add any rotting decaying matter eg.. shrimp heads,fish food even urine can set the cycle going

the only problem with this method is getting high phosphates and more prone to algae issues

I would recommend a beneficial bacteria booster like stability or sera nitravec

[SanityChelle]

I just used fish food, and dead aquatic plants. And an unfortunately timed dead hillstream loach from another tank. :dead%fish

[Benjansss]

I don't under stand what's going on with you I always wait at least a fortnight to ad fish and by then the waters all clear and the starter plants are happy

[Aracnabat]

When I cycled my tank I used home brand cloudy ammonia. I just made sure I did a 100% water change before adding any fish.

[alanmin4304]

Cloudy ammonia is cloudy because it has bad crap in it. Fish crap is good for cycling.

[kinnadian]

A piece of shrimp + nutrafin cycle works well!

Don't bother with bottled ammonia, no point, food will break down in a couple days and give you more ammonia than your tank can handle!

[benjamin100]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys!

It looks like some sort of decaying matter will be my next move - will let you know how it works out )

[#!CrunchBang]

I've been using cubes of frozen mysis shrimp, just one a week

[alexyay]

I just use a piece of raw shrimp (either eg 1/4, 1/2 etc based on tank size) in a stocking (to keep it clean) and leave it there. Does the job for me, no daily dosing needed. I then do a 100% when it's done cycling (just to clean up as much gunk as possible).

[Discusguru]

I just do it the old fashion way. Put some fish in and a bottle of start smart.

[Adrienne]

I just do it the old fashion way. Put some fish in and a bottle of start smart.

So do I - set up many bigger tanks this way and never an issue.

[alanmin4304]

Me also but us oldies are not allowed to say things like this or the cycling police might arrive at the door, dead shrimp sellers will go broke and people will no longer be able to poison their fish with cloudy ammonia

Ammonium hydroxide - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ball-and-stick model of the ammonia molecule, Ball-and-stick model of the water .... ammonia that has had soap added to it is known as "Cloudy ammonia".

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[jessy2363]

I know this is a bit old to be replying. However I was trying to find ammonia to do a fishless cycle. Anyway I emailed countdown and spoke with them on the phone and they contacted the homebrand people who make "Cloudy Ammonia" and actually the only ingredients in it is ammonia and water. There are no soaps or detergents. If you want a copy of the email proving it from their customer support I can send you one. So feel free to use homebrand cloudy ammonia to fishless cycle your tank!!

Now I realise that so called cloudy ammonia does have soap or detergent in it (just like wikipedia says), however homebrand don't put it in theirs thankfully.