HELP finding Ammonia for Cycling

[Iggy]

Hello,

Well, I thought I would try my first fishless cycle on my the 17gal tank I just picked up.

I have gone to seven stores and not one had just 'pure' or '100%' ammonia. They either had none, or had some 'household' stuff with a bunch of perfume additives and surfactants (yellow dye too)

So, if you have done a fishless cycle, could you get your bottle of ammonia and post the Brand Name, and if you remember, the Store Name where you picked it up.

Thanks!

 

[mfj]

i am not sure where to buy ammonia, but your urine contains ammonia. does anyone know if this is harmful to a fishless cycle? i realize if certain things like drugs will show up in urine.

what i would do if i was u is put in gravel from your 55gal and a filter or filter media from 1 or your established tanks and throw in a few feeder guppies. do water changes as needed and should be cycled in a couple of weeks. introduce new fish slowly.
(this is my 100th post on mft! after this hits the fan might be my last)

 

[Lou]

Sorry to say WalMart

 

[FroggyFox]

lol congrats mfj.

Iggy, all I can say is keep lookin! JUST SAY NOOOO to fish in cycling lol (sorry mfj) Which stores have you tried? I looked at Walmart, Target, Walgreens, RiteAid and Safeway before I finally found it at Albertsons. Albertsons brand. In case you dont recognize that store it is a grocery store...try the cleaning aisle.

 

[Gomer]

urine has Urea, not ammonia. A nitrogen source that I think algae will like more. Don't pee in your tnaks

 

[Iggy]

LOL....

No, I will not pee in my tank thank you. Could you imagine, pee cycling??? HA!

No luck at any Walmart, Safeway, IGA, and the one at Food for Less does not list the ingredients and does not say pure or 100% (one of those no-name brands). I bought it anyway thinking I could call the manufacturer and find out - so far, I have not found their info on the web or any contact phone number either to confirm its only ammonia and has nothing else added.

I don't think there are any Albertsons in my area (are they even in Canada?)

No, I am not going to use fish to cycle my (non-betta) tanks.

Anybody else have a brand/store I might try?

 

[levia7han]

Iggy I got the place for you. ACE Hardware. Or I imagine any hardware store. I looked all over my town and ace was the place. Its "Janitor" strength. or something on the bottle. Its ace hardware brand. Shake it and make shure it dosent foam. If it looks like water then its the right stuff.... And this stuff is strong. Just about knocked me out. Good luck finding it.
Now If i can find daylight bulbs in nebraska
Lev

 

[Sandie]

Iggy,

I live in Ontario, and I got pure ammonia at Home Hardware, it was the ONLY place I could find it. I can't recall the brand name but it's in a white bottle, no perfume or additives to it.

 

[Iggy]

Thanks Sandie, but the brand 'Old Country Ammonia' they carry at my local Home Hardware from CP Industries in not pure ammonia (I called the number on the bottle).

We do have ACE Hardware stores in Canada, its about 2 hours away from where I live, so I am hoping to find another alternative.

 

[ecotank]

Maybe if you drink the purfumed ammonia and then pee in your tank?

THAT WAS A JOKE..Please don't do that!!!!

Albertsons brand is pure ammonia, but I have a feeling they don't have Albertsons in Canada? I would try any grocery store (especially large chains that carry thier own brand)

 

[HawkEye_Pierce]

Try places like Home Depot, Lowes, ACE, etc...also if you know any janitors (Sorry...Custodial Engineers...LOL)...they may know of a custodial supply store in your area...

 

[moricollins]

you don;t need to use ammonia, you can use fish food and let it rot in the tank to create ammonia....

 

[Davy]

That would take a while and use a lot of fish food to get enough ammonia. I found mine at Safeway.

 

[mfj]

Originally posted by Gomer
urine has Urea, not ammonia. A nitrogen source that I think algae will like more. Don't pee in your tnaks

if i have 2 ureas then do i have diurea?

 

[aklor]

I managed to find some pure ammonia at one of those "everything is $1" store... also office supply stores often have janitorial supplies so you might try calling around

 

[Iggy]

Finally got my Ammonia!!!

It took going to 12 stores, but I finally found a bottle of ammonia and water only.

Read on if you want the history:

I can tell you, the ONLY way I was able to find a bottle was to ask the store manager if they had any when I first went it. I got really tired of walking around looking for the bottles. The 2nd last store I walked into (Windsor Plywood Hardware in Leduc), the clerk suggested a small store called 'Val-Mart' in Leduc, AB (local to me)

I found the store, found a bottle called 'West Best Ammonia All-Purpose Cleaner with Not Phosphate'. But still, it had NO INGREADIENTS ARGGHH!! I shook it, it did not bubble, so I asked the store clerk, who paged the store manager, who told me he did not know if it had anything else besides water & ammonia, but he did tell me who distributed it (The Grocery People in nearby Edmonton, AB)

I called The Grocery People, asked the secretary who could help me find out if anything else was in the Ammonia cleaner, and she gave me a name and extension. I called him, he said he did not know but would call his supplier and ask. Well, about 5 minutes ago he called back and said 'Its only water and ammonia, nothing else!)

Waahoo! Lord Almightly why is it so blasted difficult for them to put a lable on the bottle it the first place.

So, you need to ask around, and don't be afraid to call up distributors and suppliers. If your younger, maybe ask you parent to make so they take you seriously on the phone. I am a 32 year old male with a deep voice and it still took me a bit of convincing to get them to take me seriously.

So, I just added a capful to my tank and will let it mix for a few minutes before I test it. Here we go.....

 

[dbacksrat]

Okay, just a comment:
You would have to be stupid to urinate in your fishtank. I'm not trying to diss or offend anyone that has thought about that. Just think about it.

 

[mariners]

no we dont have albertsons in canada(well not were ive seen anyway) ive noticed theres alot of people from alberta on this board!

 

[ChakaRaka]

Old Country Ammonia - Is it, isn't it?

Thanks Sandie, but the brand 'Old Country Ammonia' they carry at my local Home Hardware from CP Industries in not pure ammonia (I called the number on the bottle).

We do have ACE Hardware stores in Canada, its about 2 hours away from where I live, so I am hoping to find another alternative.

I actually found another site that claims there are no surficants or other additives in Old Country Ammonia from CP Industries. Here is the link:

Old Country Ammonia....and fishless cycling taking sooooo long - Aquaria Central​

I used some last night for cleaning and did not see any evidence of additives myself. If someone can show that this is otherwise, I would welcome the information as I plan to use this to do a fishless cycle myself within the next few weeks. Thanks,

ChakaRaka

 

[JRB__]

you don;t need to use ammonia, you can use fish food and let it rot in the tank to create ammonia....

Yes the rotting fish food will create ammonia, however most fish foods contain higher levels of phosphates and algae blooms will follow as a result. I suggest you try to still find some pure ammonia, best method.