Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi everyone,

We have been reading this forum for months now and have been in the process of building our system. We would like to fishless cycle until it is warm enough for barramundi. Does anyone know where in Perth we can get a source of ammonia as we have been unable to find any in the local supermarkets? We have been using urea but we are struggling to measure an accurate doseage due to the lag in it's conversion to ammonia. Thanks for all the help that you guys have already been just with the wealth of information that we have found already here.

Sorry I can't really help much on the pure ammonia search.

Myself, I usually just pee in a bottle on occasion and save it for at least two weeks to let the urea content convert to ammonia (that not only takes care of the lag time on the conversion but kills most pathogens likely to be in the urine of a healthy person.) However, many people don't like the idea of pee ponics.

Perhaps you could put some urea fertilizer in some water and let it sit out to get the conversion started?

Yes OBO is using urea, but I would be a careful with that coming from a farming area, it doesn't always contain just urea, can't beat the old Humonia though greg, unlike TC I just peed in the tank, best method I found was to drink six stubbies hold it in until you finish the sixth and then let it go, a couple of nights of that should do and also flushes the liver and kidneys

I think thats the best advice anyone ever gave anywhere ever.

I'm not an alcoholic, I'm fishless cycling!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

must be able to get it somewere in perth ive seen trucks of it heading east and north, wonder if the truckies would let you have a bucket full LOL

Sorry not a lot of help i know
Cheers
pete

I'm not an alcoholic either, I just drink a lot of beer actually I am an alcoholic, they reckon if you can admit it then you don't have a problem, denial is the problem

Hummonia is a lot more less badderer that urea, but you can do fine with urea, just a small dose every day can be used very effectively to fishless cycle.

Or at least less in the bladder

why not try bunnings and get some ammonia sulphate which is in the fertiliser section. You will be able to calculate exactly how much ammonia is in and thus figure out the rest with no waiting to convert urea.
Nick

Thanks for the resonses. Our system is improving as it cycles.

Thanks again
Greg