ammonia confusion!!

[mazeman22]

Ok i bought some "always save" ammonia from the store. I added enough to get to about 8.0ppm and now i have found this morning that my tank has groups of bubbles to the sides of the tank. Not really that many bubbles but alittle concerned if that ammonia had soap or something. I read everything on the label and nothing said there was soap in it. If you guys can help.




Edit: Now i just found in an articule on the web saying if i go over 5 ppm than my cycle will slow... Why is that?????

 

[Astro]

I just managed to fishless-cycle a 45 gallon tank using ammonia.

Q1 - bubbles. Shake the bottle of ammonia. If there are bubbles or foam at the top, it probably has detergent in it. If there are no bubbles, it probably has not.

If the tank has just been filled, it could be air or chemicals in the water forming bubbles, and they should clear in a few days.

Q2 - 8ppm. Better experts will probably give more full and technical answers, but basically you need to develope 2 loads of bacteria: the ones that eat ammonia and make nitrite, and the ones that eat nitrite and make nitrate. This second lot do not like high concentrations of ammonia.

I get the impression that the fastest way to cycle is to maintain 5ppm of ammonia until it spikes and all gets eaten, and then add 2.5ppm per day till the nitrite spikes. Then add 5ppm till the day before you add fish. Change lots of water to bring down nitrAtes.

 

[amyandlars]

Rather than start another how do I cycle thread. I've got a fishless cycle going on too. ( I have some bubbles too, it's normal and goes away.) I started my nitrite spike. My ammonia is holding steady at 2-4 ppm, do I need to keep the ammonia at that level until the nitrites go away?

 

[cathrynlisa]

I started my nitrite spike. My ammonia is holding steady at 2-4 ppm, do I need to keep the ammonia at that level until the nitrites go away?

I'm at that stage too - it's agonising waiting! But yes, according to what I have read, top up daily to around 3ppm. Then once the nitrites have gone (whenever that blessed day may be) you dose up to 5ppm and wait 24 hours, then if it's all gone (ammonia and nitrites) you do a huge water change to get rid of nitrates then you're ready for your inmates!