Ammonia Source Trouble

[LebronTheBetta]

Well, all I really have to do is keep on putting more in until it hits 2-4ppm. And there should be directions.

[LeoTheLakerBetta]

Good point; I'm not the biggest expert on cycling.. I wish you good luck though

[Hallyx]

Adding ammonia does not speed up the cycle. Seeding with (preferably, live) nitrifying bacteria does. Dosing ammonia >2.0ppm builds a larger and stronger bacteria colony, but not any faster.

Old Fish Lady gave you the step-by-step. What do you want to do with ammonia?

Are you going to fishless cycle your 20L so that you can stock it all at once? What are you going to do with your stock during the two weeks that will take? The idea behind cycling a tank is you only have to do it once---unless you're playing around and experimenting like I do. That's fun, too, and educational.

I understand Seachem Stability is a good product for nourishing nitrifying bacteria and controlling ammonia in a fish-in cycle and/or a tank that has been temporarily overstocked. Byron recommends it.

They don't have "pure" ammonium chloride at my Home Depots. Found it at ACE Hardware. You can get Dr Tim's ammonia at Drs Foster and Smith or from Amazon. Expensive and weak, in my opinion. I'd go with ACE.

[LebronTheBetta]

Yes, fish less cycle. I want to be able to add all the girls and then after a month or so, the Cories. My dad says no bought ammonia since the chain stores don't have it. Since it's not in the stores, then he assumes we don't need it. I think crushed fish food is best. :/

[Oldfishlady]

Since you plan on adding the corydoras later...I would do a fish-in cycle with the Bettas-especially since you plan on adding live plants too.

No matter what you have the females in-they will produce byproducts and need a water change-The only difference in the filtered tank-is that you will be colonizing bacteria to establish the nitrogen cycle. You will need to make water changes regardless.

Since the testing product only test at a ppm level-you always have some ammonia in the tank-but at low/safe levels.

When you have live plants-they generally will have lots of beneficial bacteria on them to help seed the tank. As plants actively grow they use the byproducts produced by the livestock/organics in the system. Sometimes, depending on number, species and growth state of the plants-it can take a long time if ever to see the nitrate reading we look for that tells us cycling stage/completeness.

While the nitrogen cycle/cycling is important-Its a natural process that will occur on its own-provided that the beneficial bacteria needs are met.

[bahamut285]

Originally Posted by LebronTheBetta

Doesn't Home Depot have ammonium chloride? In other words, ammonia?

Oh dear, NO. That's like saying AQ Salt is dangerous because Sodium Chloride has chlorine in it and will kill your fish.

NH4Cl is generally used in fertilizers (boring) or pyrotechnics (awesome!). It's also an acidifier (because it's a salt of Hydrochloric acid and ammonia), so it will wreck your pH depending on how strong it is.

[Hallyx]

Bahamut is absolutely correct. But for feeding bacteria in a fishless cycle it beats dead shrimp and fishfood hands down. Ask anyone who's done it both ways.

Doesn't matter of you wreck your pH. You'll be doing a major water change before stocking. Tou can assure your parameters them.

That said, I agree with Old Fish Lady. You have to super-plant for a sorority, anyway. That'll attenuate any ammonia spikes the sorority can generate.. Careful monitoring and water changes will do the rest.

You did fish-in before, didn't you, Lebron? What was wrong with that?