What ammonia to buy?

Crazed · 03/20/2010, 11:29 PM

Hey guys, super quick question about my QT.

I've quarantined animals before and I've always had an ammonia spike, for various reasons, even with a well-seeded sponge filter. I think everything will be okay this time, but I'm going to be getting my first corals and I want to make sure the tank is well-cycled.

I've decided to add liquid ammonia to the tank instead of fish food. I'm a little bit confused on what ammonia to buy. Should it be 10% Ammonium Hydroxide, unscented and such, or should it be Ammonium Chloride, or what? Are supermarket brands fine?

If you have any other recommendations about the using this method, I'd welcome them as well. However, please keep in mind that this isn't a sterile tank - the biological filter (should) already exist, but I just want to verify that it is there and strengthen it.

Thanks!

iap · 03/20/2010, 11:32 PM

Unscented. Shake the bottle. If you see bubbles don't buy it. Get the one that doesn't produce bubbles when shaken.

Daimyo68 · 03/20/2010, 11:35 PM

You could buy a cocktail shrimp and put it in a mesh bag for a few days, then check your parameters. You should see some small spike (since you have your biological filter established).

After you see the spike, remove the shrimp and check your params until Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate read 0, and your done.

I recently did the same with a tank that I setup using established rock. My spike was .5ppm Ammonia, wouldn't go any higher. Withing 2 weeks the system was ready to go, and I added my CUC.

Crazed · 03/21/2010, 07:25 AM

Thanks for the input, both of you.

I've heard of the dead shrimp method before, but I think I'm going to go with the ammonia anyway.

So, don't buy one that foams. Is it going to be labeled as ammonium hydroxide, then?

Kfig7 · 03/21/2010, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crazed

Thanks for the input, both of you.

I've heard of the dead shrimp method before, but I think I'm going to go with the ammonia anyway.

So, don't buy one that foams. Is it going to be labeled as ammonium hydroxide, then?

If you have an Ace Hardware near you, you can use their janitor strength ammonia. I have used it as well as many other people. Its 100% Ammonia Hydroxide with no surfactants.

Crazed · 03/21/2010, 08:15 AM

Excellent.

I don't think we have an Ace Hardware around here, but there's other local hardware stores I can look at. Thanks for your help!

RegalAngel · 03/21/2010, 08:37 AM

Get the bacteria you need with Seachem's Stability...no need to make your own anymore.

Put the fish in the tank...add Stability daily for 7 days....Done!

Jeff · 03/21/2010, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RegalAngel

Get the bacteria you need with Seachem's Stability...no need to make your own anymore.

Put the fish in the tank...add Stability daily for 7 days....Done!

Agreed, this works but you have to go really slowly with new additions. I have also used Microbacter7 to do the same thing.

03/20/2010, 11:29 PM	#1
Crazed Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 292	What ammonia to buy? Hey guys, super quick question about my QT. I've quarantined animals before and I've always had an ammonia spike, for various reasons, even with a well-seeded sponge filter. I think everything will be okay this time, but I'm going to be getting my first corals and I want to make sure the tank is well-cycled. I've decided to add liquid ammonia to the tank instead of fish food. I'm a little bit confused on what ammonia to buy. Should it be 10% Ammonium Hydroxide, unscented and such, or should it be Ammonium Chloride, or what? Are supermarket brands fine? If you have any other recommendations about the using this method, I'd welcome them as well. However, please keep in mind that this isn't a sterile tank - the biological filter (should) already exist, but I just want to verify that it is there and strengthen it. Thanks! Last edited by Crazed; 03/20/2010 at 11:38 PM.

03/20/2010, 11:35 PM	#3
Daimyo68 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: North Palm Beach, FL Posts: 2,270	You could buy a cocktail shrimp and put it in a mesh bag for a few days, then check your parameters. You should see some small spike (since you have your biological filter established). After you see the spike, remove the shrimp and check your params until Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate read 0, and your done. I recently did the same with a tank that I setup using established rock. My spike was .5ppm Ammonia, wouldn't go any higher. Withing 2 weeks the system was ready to go, and I added my CUC. __________________ 120g, 50g Sump, SRO XP2000i, MP40W x2, DIY Hybrid LED/T5 Fixture, Apex PBMAS VP 2010-11 PBMAS 2017 President

03/20/2010, 11:32 PM	#2
iap BOSS Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 691	Unscented. Shake the bottle. If you see bubbles don't buy it. Get the one that doesn't produce bubbles when shaken.

03/21/2010, 07:25 AM	#4
Crazed Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 292	Thanks for the input, both of you. I've heard of the dead shrimp method before, but I think I'm going to go with the ammonia anyway. So, don't buy one that foams. Is it going to be labeled as ammonium hydroxide, then?

03/21/2010, 08:15 AM	#6
Crazed Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 292	Excellent. I don't think we have an Ace Hardware around here, but there's other local hardware stores I can look at. Thanks for your help!

03/21/2010, 08:37 AM	#7
RegalAngel Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: The Redwood Reef Posts: 908	Get the bacteria you need with Seachem's Stability...no need to make your own anymore. Put the fish in the tank...add Stability daily for 7 days....Done!