Ammonia source

[xpsniper]

Hi MFK,

I was just wondering if anyone knew where I could find an ammonia product around Brisbane/Australia that I could use to start cycling my new 100g tank and sump.

Thanks in advance,
~xpsniper

 

[Spiritofthesoul]

Market Prawn

 

[pjsmetana]

Market Prawn

+1. This is how most of us start the cycling process. Just get a large prawn from the grocery store or fish market, and plop it into your tank. It will slowly degrade, which sets off everything you need. After a month to 6 weeks your tank should be ready for fish.

If you don't have that option, but you have a local fish store, then the less humane way is to put a bunch of little platys, mollies, or guppies in the tank... and let their waste from you feeding them cause the ammonia needed. It will likely harm or kill these fish... which is why the 1st method is the preferred one.

There is also a 3rd method... and that is to pour ammonia into the tank. You have to be extremely precise about the amount, and it can not be a kind with anything else, like scents, in the ammonia. I don't like this method, as its far too easy to ruin your cycling process.

There are several other ideas on here, and people will give you loads of info on how what works, but really, the easiest, cheapest, maintenance free way is to just use a prawn.

 

[epond83]

Any store that carries cleaning supplies will have ammonia without additives, just plain water and ammonia, usually 10% or so. Grocery stores, hardware stores.

But yes a shrimp or even fish food will work too.

 

[packer43064]

Get some Stability and get your fish.

 

[Spiritofthesoul]

Get some Stability and get your fish.

Not really the best way to do it though. The bacteria in the bottle still requires time for colonising the filter media.

In that period, your fish would be exposed to ammonia and nitrites, not good.

You can do WCs to keep them down but that would also mean removing the free-floating bacteria that you introduced from the bottle of Stability (literally pouring $ down the drain)

 

[xpsniper]

Thanks for the help everyone Look's like I need to go buy a prawn xD

 

[Spiritofthesoul]

Thanks for the help everyone Look's like I need to go buy a prawn xD

I went Prawn fishing to get mine