Cycling w/ ammonia in acrylic

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BrianM

AC Members
Sep 15, 2004
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Hello everyone. It's been about 8 years since I had a freshwater or marine tank. I understand that fishless cycling is probably the best way to cycle a new tank; at least the most humane.

I have an acrylic tank and I was going to use the ammonia method of cycling, however, I understand that household cleaners are not to be used with acrylic as it will void the warranty.

Is this a correct understanding? If so, is the only other fishless method of cycling the cocktail shrimp method?

Thanks in advance.
 
Don't worry about using ammonia in an acrylic tank, the amount of ammonia used to dose is so small it will have no effect on acrylic.
 
You will be fine with using the ammonia to cycle the tank, just be sure its only ammonia and nothing else in it. You basically only want to put enough in to raise the ammonia level in the water to around 4 parts per million (ppm) thats a very small amount realative to the amount of water. I'm sure there are other ways to cycle a tank without fish, but the ammonia and shrimp methods are the most prevalant for a reason, they both work very well.
 
Thanks for the insight. I think I'll use the pure ammonia I picked up at the Ace hardware store yesterday. Just didn't want my wife to be upset in the event I voided the warranty for the tank.
 
ammonia? what ammonia? that's what you say if questioned... :p
 
Consider this, If you did like many uninformed folks and stuffed it full of Danios, and let it ride for 30 days without a water change (I'm not at all suggesting you try this) your ammonia level would probably go higher than 5 ppm at some point. with acrylic the concern by the manufacturer is that you use something that may haze the acrylic, or weaken it. ammonia won't do that at low levels.
Dave
 
Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice. I will begin the ammonia method tonight in my tank.

Thinking about it more, the manufacturer is probably concerned with someone using windex or other glass cleaner on the outside of the tank and then complaining and desiring warranty service on a crazed or hairline cracked tank.
 
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