Ammonia, Hard to Find -- Poss Solution?

[ParadoxLiz]

The stuff at Ace only has Ace's name on it.

Liz

 

[Roan Art]

Is this stuff kosher?
http://www.polsteins.com/prod-0007588.html

Cheap, too.
Ammonia $1.49
Shipping to VA, $6.51
Total 8$

Would I pay that to have it shipped to me? Yes, I would if I was positive it was the right stuff.

I do all my shopping on the web if possible. Dat's just me

Roan

 

[ParadoxLiz]

Is this stuff kosher?
http://www.polsteins.com/prod-0007588.html

I doubt it - Parson's makes cleaning products for the average human - you could probably find this at the grocery store, and I'd bet it foams (has soap in it). From what I've read, even though clear ammonia doesn't list any other incredients, it can have some sort of suds-ing substance in it, which could be toxic to fishies.

If you're gonna order online, go for a chemical - Ammonium Chloride:
http://www.sciencelab.com/page/S/PVAR/10408/SLA3415
http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/
http://secure.sciencecompany.com/product1.aspx?SID=10&Product_ID=6378

...etc - a google search will find you lots of sources - call and ask how much for the smallest ammount you can get (you won't need much).

...not cheap, but no doubt what you're getting.

Liz

 

[daveedka]

The stuff I use from Wal-mart is labeled "Clear Ammonia" "all purpose cleaner". At the right edge of the main label body it says "Great Value" in vertical lettering. I do not know if Great value is some sort of Brand name (no trademark symbol) or just an advertisement.

The ingredients: softened water, ammonia, cheleating agent
Below ingredients it states "contains no phosphorus"

HTH
Dave

 

[mooman]

Ha, if the lfs get into selling ammonia they'll just take a 1g jug (1.49), split it into 12 oz bottles, call it "FISHLESS CYCLE JUICE!!!" and sell them for $5.99 each. No thanks.

 

[Larissa]

The stuff I use from Wal-mart is labeled "Clear Ammonia" "all purpose cleaner". At the right edge of the main label body it says "Great Value" in vertical lettering. I do not know if Great value is some sort of Brand name (no trademark symbol) or just an advertisement.
I'll get a pic up on here later today.
The ingredients: softened water, ammonia, cheleating agent
Below ingredients it states "contains no phosphorus"

HTH
Dave

I have the same kind that Dave has, Great Value is the Wal-Mart brand. I found it with the cleaners (you can mop the floor, etc. with it) and it was extremely cheap. I wonder why it's so hard to find, I've never had trouble finding it. It's a basic all-purpose cleaning agent. People are always saying on this site that they're having trouble finding it.

 

[mishi8]

Funny thing to me that we can't find ammonia in LFS or in on line FS. Has anyone ever "mail bombed" some of these places requesting that they carry it?

I did talk to someone at Drs. Foster & Smith in their chat and after they tried to sell me Cycle (no thanks) it struck me that if they had enough requests, they might start carrying it on line. Possibly Big Al's too. Petsmart. Petco. All those places might carry it if there's a big enough demand.

I don't think they even grasp what it is for, to be honest.

Thoughts?

Roan

Ammonia at a LFS would end up being marked up too much. It makes more sense for it to be sold with household cleaners, since that's what it is. I bought it at Walmart...Goldex brand (they don't carry a Great Value one here). Gave it a shake to see that it didn't sudse. There are no ingredients listed on the bottle, so I also did a search online to find out it was just ammonia and water.

I can also find it at Safeway...their house/no-name brand. They carry two bottles, one with surfactants and scent and one without. Both were clearly labelled.

 

[daveedka]

People are always saying on this site that they're having trouble finding it.

I think it's a combination of factors, the first is people don't always equate cleaning supplies with something you should dump in your tank so they start by looking at the lfs instead of the mega store, then when they do get past that there is some fear of getting the wrong things and poisonong their tank. Then the common instruction is make sure it has nothing but ammonia and water, so when they see ingredients like cheleating agents if they don't know what those are they hesitate to buy the ammonia. All in all it can be pretty intimidating when buying the wrong thing leads to disaster.

I think this thread will prove very valuable as a tool for new folks if we can get pictures of all the common brands that are proof tested.
dave

 

[Roan Art]

I think it's a combination of factors, the first is people don't always equate cleaning supplies with something you should dump in your tank so they start by looking at the lfs instead of the mega store, then when they do get past that there is some fear of getting the wrong things and poisonong their tank. Then the common instruction is make sure it has nothing but ammonia and water, so when they see ingredients like cheleating agents if they don't know what those are they hesitate to buy the ammonia. All in all it can be pretty intimidating when buying the wrong thing leads to disaster.

Exactly! Heck, I'm not such a newbie anymore and even *I'm* afraid of buying the wrong stuff.

I think a lot of people would rather pay for a mark-up at a LFS and get the right stuff, than pay cheap and get the wrong stuff at a hardware or grocery store. I'd be in that category, that's for sure.

Also, yah, Big Als and Foster and Smith would also mark it up, but how many people just buy ONE thing from those places? When I buy on line it's very seldom just one item, I try to buy everything at one place to save on shipping. I'd just add a bottle of ammonia to my order. If those places were smart, they'd market their own "brands" in 4-8oz small bottles and sell them with "kits" of cultured gravel and stuff or even with Bio-Spira.

I'm heavily planning my next tank (April) and I intend to do a fishless cycle with Bio-Spira and ammonia. No fish until I'm sure everything is fine.

I think this thread will prove very valuable as a tool for new folks if we can get pictures of all the common brands that are proof tested.
dave

Again, exactly!

I was thinking of turning it into an article once I got all the info. Hrm, what about copyrights?

I think once I get a list of the stuff et al I'd better email the companies for permission to reproduce their images.

Thanks for the vote of confidence, Daveedka

Roan

 

[Roan Art]

I should mention that if you already have a tank running, then there are very few instances where you should have to cycle another tank. Keep extra songes in your existing filters. They will become colonized with bacteria and you can move them directly into a new tank. As long as you don't go crazy with stocking right off the bat, you should never have a problem.

Where does one put a sponge in a Penguin or Emporer? Possible with the types with double Bio Wheels to remove one to put in the new tank and put a new one in the old tank? How would that affect the old tank's bacteria colony?

Roan