hey, it seems you are doing very well with learning about other ways to cycle the tank you already have going. and i hesitate to even mention this -as it seems to really freak people out to a degree i never expected- but if you need an ammonia source, can't buy pure solutions locally, and want to skip/can't start the "decaying prawn/shrimp method" you can use fresh human urine, preferably your own as you will know "what went into it".....nikia43 wrote: I really wanted to do a fishless cycle but getting ammonia here is like gold dust and I had already started this method before finding out other ways so decided to carry on.
this freaks out many people, but if you are generally healthy, well hydrated, not hungover, and not regularly taking prescription meds that are excreted to a degree in urine (like most birth control, some antibiotics, antidepressants, etc.) [-and/or have decided that in such a very dilute solution such excreted meds may make no difference "downstream".] and are not too grossed out, you can use your own fresh urine collected "midstream". just the same as is preferred for medical tests, as the very start of a "stream" will contain skin and urethral bacteria the 'midstream' does not (fresh 'midstream urine' is really mostly sterile)- as an ammonia source.
diluted fresh human urine collected in this way can also be used to fertilize terrestrial plants (exactly like you can use cycled and stocked aquarium-water-change-water to fertilize plants w/the fish waste....).
anyway, this is just a comment on an option for "ammonia sourcing" if you find you need it..... of course there are many ways to start an aquarium ammonia processing cycle, but this is a legitimate option in many cases. please don't hate me for mentioning it!
