Pets Keepers Guide Forums

If you have cycled your fish tank, what source of ammonia did you use for cycling?

The question applies to both fishless cycle and fish-in cycle.


To answer the poll, in the case of you have tried multiple sources of ammonia, please only pick the one favorite source which you have used successfully to complete the cycling. Do not pick the one you like most but you have not tried it yourself, or have not yet completed a full cycle with it.

Aside the poll, please specify the source of ammonia you used.
In the case of pure ammonia was used, please stated the specific product.
In the case of fish-in cycle, please specific the fish species and the number of fish.

Pure ammonia was used to finish my fishless cycle.
Ace Ammonia Janitorial Strength Formula is what I used.

It wasn't the first source I have tried. At first I have dropped a piece of raw shrimp with some flake fish food into my fish tank. It was definitely a bad idea. Not only it produced ammonia too slow, but it was also super STINKY! I waited for two weeks with no sign of readable ammonia. Many of my decorations were contaminated with the stinky smell. I had to remove the raw shrimp, washed every decoration in there, did several large water change before I started it all over again with Ace ammonia.

I will never use anything but pure ammonia for fishless cycling ever again. Ace ammonia comes in huge bottles. One bottle is enough to fishless cycle hundreds tanks. You will never need that much. If you have Ace Hardware nearby, it is the easiest source of pure ammonia to get. Funny they asked me what I will be using the ammonia for when I was there. "To cycle a fish tank" was my answer. I doubt it made any sense to them anyway.

I wonder if anyone had tried Dr Tim's Ammonium Chloride Solution.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/pr...atid=24530

Much smaller bottle but it is more than enough to cycle a dozen home aquariums.