Does it matter to use pure ammonia or ammonia chloride or ammonia hydroxide for cycle fish tank at beginning?

Answer 1

You're thinking along the right lines - you don't want to cycle using fish. It's cruel and inhumane to subject them to the ammonia and nitrite spikes that your tank will succumb to.

That being said, if you have to choose one, go with ammonium chloride. You can find it on ebay cheap, and a little bit goes a long way. Add it until you get your first ammonia spike at around 4ppm. Wait a couple of days until the ammonia reads 0, and then spike it again to 4ppm. Wait til it hits 0, and spike it one last time to 4ppm. Check your nitrites while doing this. After the last spike, check your nitrates. They should be present and less than 40ppm. After your cycle shows 0ppm ammonia and nitrite, and less than 40ppm nitrate, it is safe to add fish. Remember to only add a couple at a time to ease into your bioload.

Alternatively, you can use shrimp (like the kind that you get a supermarket for parties and stuff). Starting at the beginning of the week, on Sunday add one shrimp. On Wednesday, add another shrimp, leaving Sunday's in there. By next Sunday, remove the first fish, and add a third. On Wednesday, remove the 2nd fish and add a 4th. So on and so forth. This takes about 4 weeks to have a complete cycle, which is much faster than using just plain fish food.

Look into getting a Bio-Wheel filter (Penguin makes a good cheaper Bio-Wheel) as the wet-dry technique will encourage your beneficial bacteria to grow. Also, see if your local pet store sells Bio-Spira (or you may be able to order it online, but it has to be kept refrigerated). This will make your tank practically instantly cycle, as it adds your nitrifying bacteria right to the water rather than wait for them to culture.

Good luck with your cycling!

Answer 2

Drop in some fish food and let that set at the bottom...You'll get ammonia that way and the cycle will start "naturally" Adding ammonia is never the same as a regualr cycle and can cause the tank longer to mature and stop having spikes. Don't use fish either, just some food to rot at the bottom to get things going.

Answer 3

The best way to cycle a fish tank is with real live fish. Use a few feeder goldfish. It doesn't take many. The best rule of thumb is to be patient.

I recommend monitoring the nitrite and nitrate levels, as well as the levels of ammonia, so that you can see when the spikes happen.

You will spend far less money, and in my opinion just as quickly cycle your tank, but using fish and not chemicals to get started.

Answer 4

Congradulation on doing a fishless cycle. It is by far the least cruel practice in aquarium keeping. I dont think it really matter, though pure ammonia is expensive, rare, and can kill you (sniff a bottle of 10% cleaning solution, then imagine that times 10.

A good guide on it is here http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=113861&hl=
Also, ammonia is the best way, prawns or fish food are unpredictable, and release other unwanted things into the water.
As a general rule, if it foams when shooken, dont use it

Answer 5

Why add ammonia? Throw in some fish food, and you'll get ammonia.

Answer 6

As long as when you shake it and it doesn't bubble then it should be fine to use.