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Ammonia for fishless cycling
http://byap.backyardmagazines.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1933		 Page 1 of 4
Author:  steve [ Aug 10th, '07, 17:16 ]
Post subject:  Ammonia for fishless cycling
So has anyone found a source for clear ammonia with guaranteed no additives?

If not is there a (trying not to use the word market ;)) for some.

Have been contemplating procuring some anhydrous ammonia gas and making some up.......................
Author:  bio-farmer [ Aug 10th, '07, 17:21 ]
Post subject:  Re: Ammonia for fishless cycling
steve wrote:

Have been contemplating procuring some anhydrous ammonia gas and making some up.......................


lol. macgyver to the rescue.
Author:  Hex [ Aug 10th, '07, 17:36 ]
Post subject: 
You could use bicarb of ammonium instead (dry white powder), as a leavening agent it must be fairly safe.
Might be easier to find than ammonia gas too :wink:
Author:  steve [ Aug 10th, '07, 17:45 ]
Post subject: 
Quote:
Might be easier to find than ammonia gas too


not if you're a fridgie ;)

is the ammonium bicarbonate easy to get pure? baking soda usualy only had small % of NH4HCO3 if i remember right as it has fallen out of favour as a levening agent ;) BESIDES i want an excuse to by some ammonia! ;)
Author:  Jaymie [ Aug 10th, '07, 17:46 ]
Post subject: 
hello? Asio?
Author:  steve [ Aug 10th, '07, 17:55 ]
Post subject: 
hehehhe i never knew it was so easy to make AN
Author:  Delgrade [ Aug 10th, '07, 20:04 ]
Post subject: 
im finding that most things are a lot easier to make yourself than we all think
Author:  Gary Donaldson [ Aug 10th, '07, 20:56 ]
Post subject:  Re: Ammonia for fishless cycling
Hi Steve,

Do you particularly need to use pure ammonia?

Fishless cycling can be achieved with a variety of nitrogen sources.....including fish food.

Gary
Author:  GotFish? [ Aug 10th, '07, 21:03 ]
Post subject: 
think he just want to play with NH3 Gary. Steve try shrinking some Dollar bills in a bucket of liquid, works a treat.
I would not think keeping NH3 in the house to safe unless ye have a pressure relief valve installed. Depends on the charge of course.
For fun have a look at the (crosly ball) I think its called. Neat little fridge device. Ya could make one of those!
Author:  GotFish? [ Aug 10th, '07, 21:07 ]
Post subject: 
or (crosley icyball) rather.
Author:  steve [ Aug 10th, '07, 21:30 ]
Post subject: 
Quote:
Fishless cycling can be achieved with a variety of nitrogen sources.....including fish food


Gary, decomposing fish food can quite happily provide a food source for saprolegnia, Troutman can better familiarize you with its devastating effects.

Quote:
think he just want to play with NH3 Gary


True ;)

Quote:
I would not think keeping NH3 in the house to safe unless ye have a pressure relief valve installed


it would be in the garage ;) and refrigeration bottles are well equipped to store it unless severely overheated

And back to the ammonia, having a source of known concentration aqueous ammonia takes the guesswork out of other methods of fishless cycling.

10 drops will always give you X ppm of ammonia in your tank, which you can monitor and "top up" daily. once the system processes a known ppm in 24 hrs (cant remember the ppm) and has zero nitrites it has cycled.
Without the possibility of a huge colony of fungus ready to attack a fish stressed by relocation.
Author:  Hex [ Aug 10th, '07, 21:43 ]
Post subject: 
Delgrade wrote:
im finding that most things are a lot easier to make yourself than we all think


Sometimes it`s a case of having to make it yourself.. if it `s not on the shelf you can`t buy it :wink:
Author:  steve [ Aug 10th, '07, 21:45 ]
Post subject: 
ice ball looked like it was cutting edge back in the day!

sad that we have "forgotten" such simple devices ;)

today on an isolated property you would need a solar panel, inverter, battery and bar fridge to accomplish the same thing ;)
Author:  Gary Donaldson [ Aug 10th, '07, 22:07 ]
Post subject:  Re: Ammonia for fishless cycling
Steve,

Quote:
Gary, decomposing fish food can quite happily provide a food source for saprolegnia, Troutman can better familiarize you with its devastating effects.


Since Saprolegnia is a naturally occurring fungus in water and soil, would it not be a prospective risk regardless of the nitrogen source that was being used for fishless cycling......or has it been found in the fish pellets?

If not fish food.......what about fish meat from a healthy fish as a source of nitrogen?

Fishless cycling has been in use by aquarium-keepers for the past couple of decades and, although I see references to the use of pure ammonia, I haven't yet encountered anyone who can actually find the stuff (except perhaps someone like yourself who works with large-scale refrigeration).

Gary
Author:  steve [ Aug 10th, '07, 22:17 ]
Post subject: 
Gary,
much like our nitrifying bacteria colonies growing in size in response to their feed source (ammonia) the naturally occurring sap. that has decomposing fish food will do the same.

There is much info available on the topic. here is one link. http://www.fishdoc.co.uk/disease/fungus.htm

Over feeding can cause the same thing, i have personally experienced that (there is a whole thread on it, i think its in the fish section)

10% ammonia (more likley 25%) ammonia could probably be bought and shipped from a lab supply place and even a very small qty would service a large group of like minded individuals.

Your right about the ammonia refrigerant, although i've never touched the stuff. Just looking for an excuse to play with some ;) i figure between making up some AP ammonia and building a solar ice maker i might get through a bottle.

Steve
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