Ammonium nitrite

[Sploke]

He's talking about adding a source of nitrites, not nitrates. That way you could build up both bacteria colonies at one time rather than waiting for the ammonia-eating ones to colonize, produce nitrite, then wait for the others to colonize once their food source is established.

 

[grenathor]

I'm not sure if ammonium nitrite would have the same effect as ammonia and nitrite. Chemically combined molecules do not always show the effects of their components. Take for example salt, which is composed of Na and Cl, two toxic elements, but once chemically combined it gives something we can eat. I would ask an expert chemist about this before trying out.

 

[Squawkbert]

Oops! My bad - NH4NO2 - is available in a 20% solution from MP Biomedicals but it's ungodly expensive... >$500 for 100g via Fisher Scientific, for example.

 

[silentskream]

i have often wondered if there was a way to buy a bottle of nitrite as easily as there is to buy a bottle of ammonia.

but apparently not.

 

[DarkSoul]

chemicalforums.com seems to be a good place. I got some assistance there for ammonium chloride.

perhaps ask them.

 

[chunkoblue]

He's talking about adding a source of nitrites, not nitrates. That way you could build up both bacteria colonies at one time rather than waiting for the ammonia-eating ones to colonize, produce nitrite, then wait for the others to colonize once their food source is established.

Exactly what I was thinking when I posted this thread.. I mean, in the beginning of the cycle when ammonia is dropping and nitrite is rising you essentially have a very weak ammonium nitrite solution. If I could find ammonium nitrite cheap, I'd be willing to do an experiment with added material from an established tank just to see how fast it cycles.