# Ammonia



## trailblazer295 (Mar 7, 2010)

Hey Guys

I seems my tank isn't cycling despite having some media from another filter so need some ammonia to get it going. I've read about this goldex pure ammonia but after checking a walmart and a large loblaws I've come up empty. Anyone in the Markham area know where to get some?


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## igor.kanshyn (Jan 14, 2010)

How do you know that is not cycled?

Just put something that will rot (fish food, your food leftovers ) into the tank. Set high temperature to speed up the process. It will make some ammonia for you in two days.


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## WiyRay (Jan 11, 2009)

or you can just pee in the tank (lol no no no, don't. But if you do, tell us how it goes)

Just be patient.


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## BettaBeats (Jan 14, 2010)

just wait. i just sprinkle some fish food in and bam, ammonia, and in two weeks tank is cycled.


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## trailblazer295 (Mar 7, 2010)

I did a water test

Ammonia .25-.5ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 5ppm

I will be adding my 5 bloodfins from the 5.5g tank and the filter for a few weeks then putting a betta in the 5.5.


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## Cory_Dad (Apr 18, 2008)

Greetings Trailblazer

If I remember correctly I purchased my ammonia a number of years ago at the Shoppers Drug on Hwy #7 and Galsworthy Drive, (905) 294-2800.

I prefer the ammonia method rather that decaying food because that could lead to other problems but that's just me.

Do you have plants in the tank you're recycling? If yes then that might explain why you're not getting any readings (you are taking NH3/4, NO2 and NO3 readings aren't you?). If you don't have a lot of ammonia in the water then the plants would be soaking it all up. Just increase the ammonia load.

Cheers.


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## trailblazer295 (Mar 7, 2010)

A yes there are plants in it

B I have since put 5 bloodfins from my 5.5g into the tank along with the AC20 that was on it. I plan to add more to the school at a later date and use my 5.5g as a betta tank. 

C yes I am taking all readings using an API freshwater kit, will take another reading today as Franks on kennedy has some really nice angels.


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

are you using the seachem stability? You should be prety much done cycling that tank in well under a week if you are it works well.


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## trailblazer295 (Mar 7, 2010)

Yes I am and have been using prime water conditioner when I filled the tank.


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## Cory_Dad (Apr 18, 2008)

Stupid me, I just noticed you had posted the readings earlier.

Was there at any time a Nitrite reading? If yes then your system is cycled.

In any case, now that you have fish in there keep monitoring the ammonia level. I don't like to see a reading of .5 when there are fish in the water so I recommend that you do water changes.

I seem to recall reading somewhere that Prime also removes ammonia and chloramine as well as chlorine. Maybe that's what's confusing everything.

Cheers.


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

you dont need to see nitrite you need nitrate. You may or may not even get a nitrite spike when cloning a tank as there is an undersized population of bacteria which may be deficient in either type. 

Prime doesn't remove ammonia it bangs an extra hydrogen ion onto it to make it less toxic.


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## trailblazer295 (Mar 7, 2010)

Did another test today (FYI the reading was done the day before fish were added) I also used prime when I filled the tank, been using it as my dechlorinator for awhile.

Ammonia 0 -.25
Nirtrite 0 (0 for last test)
Nitrate 5ppm (same as before and test done twice today)

EDIT Fed the fish today while starting my testing as they saw the lid come up and were looking for food, they seem to be active, healthy and swimming as a shoal. The tank has a AC70 and AC20 running along with live plants.


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

AquariAM said:


> Prime doesn't remove ammonia it bangs an extra hydrogen ion onto it to make it less toxic.


What is the difference?


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