The Puffer Forum

puffer2007 wrote:he says "people" use ammonia in bombs and drugs, i told him i wanted it for fish, but he doesnt get it, so...

thanks

Oh boy (sigh)...shrimp will work...bit more smelly, and chance of the cycle stalling out, you may have to add more half way through.
Or stick with with white clouds...(although I hate any animal to be stressed needlessly...then again I dont suppose the shrimp were too happy about their lot in life either)....

What exactly do you do in your spare time...that this is a concern
Never mind..forget I asked...mind your parents

i dont have spare time, between my job at the lfs, school, and caring for 6 tanks, 4 birds, and some dogs.

yayayayayayayayayayayaya....
false alarm, miscommunication. my dad said i can use the ammonia, he wasnt questioning me, but where i was going to get it.

ok then, fishless cycling it is.

thanks

Good to hear...think of it as a lesson in bio-chemistry

can too much ammonia kill the bacteria?

thanks

Too much of anything can kill...
If you mildly overdose the tank...say 6-10 ppm (mg/L) it may retard the process a bit...but it will cycle. Much more than that and I dont know...I am not sure at what point it would become too toxic. If you find yourself in that position...do a water change to bring the level down (25-50%).

When you start the cycle an achieve 5ppm..you may not have to add more ammonia for a while...(this is the trickier part...as you have to test..add a few drops..test...add a few drops... until you get back to the 5ppm range..if it falls a little below that or goes a little higher for a day..no big deal.
Once nitrites appear, and you drop it to 2.5ppm...your system will generally be consuming that much in 24 hours...so once you know how much it takes to get you to 2.5ppm...you can just add the same amount every day (always testing before and after)