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cathie cathie
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  • Posted on: 30/11/2007 17:15
Re: Household Ammonia information #11
Try 'test tubes' on eBay.

I got a few specimen tubes and plastic syringes from local chemist. The specimen tubes are good because they have a flat base and screw on lid. The plastic syringes are the children's medicine type.
All the interpet meds come with a plastic pipette.
JBL test kits have good test tubes and holders.
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CountViffer CountViffer
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  • Posted on: 23/12/2007 1:13
Re: Household Ammonia information #12
Re; Homebase ammonia


Just to clarify, it's labelled on the bottle as Household Ammonia, and states as it's ingredients that it Contains Ammonia solution 9.5% E.C. No 215-647-6

Although it doesn't state that it's Ammonia Hydroxide, it is what peeps have been using to successfully cycle tanks.
Iasc_or Iasc_or
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  • Posted on: 21/2/2008 10:02
Re: Household Ammonia information - How much to add #13
I saw in another post where someone was adding ammonia a drop at a time to bring the level up to 4ppm, (They must have used a whole bottle of ammonia test solution ) so I thought I'd post this:

If you are going to use ammonia hydroxide then it’s useful to know how much to add. Aim to add 4ppm. PPM is a unit of measurement and it means parts per million. 1 litre of water is 1000mL or 1000 Litres is 1,000,000mL, 4ppm of this would be 4mL. Here’s a guide for how much 9.5% ammonia solution to add, at the start of the cycle, for various tank sizes. Remember to adjust accordingly for different percentage solutions and other tank sizes:


Tank size in Litres (9.5% Ammonia solution to add in mL)
50 (2mL)
100 (4mL)
120 (5mL)
150 (6mL)
240 (10mL)
260 (11mL)
400 (16mL)

To measure mL, a clean medacine spoon is very useful, you know the plastic ones that come in cough bottles etc
I'm in Rip Off Ireland (It's not in the Location drop down menu)

6 Platies with about 18 babies
1 Golden Gourami
1 silver dollar (I know, it was the last one in the shop)
2 Pearl Gourami
2 Neon Blue Dwarf Gourami
1 Sunset Dwarf Gourami
nickmcmechan nickmcmechan
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  • Posted on: 24/2/2008 9:29
Re: Household Ammonia information #14
Boots sell it in most stores, not just large ones, just ask at the chemist counter, this ammonia is fine for cycling

just watch out for ones that contain other ingredients such as surfacants which are not good to have in your tank - any more info on that homebase one?
nickmcmechan nickmcmechan
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  • Posted on: 24/2/2008 9:32
Re: Household Ammonia information #15
oh, btw, boots also sell dosing pippettes, used for administring medicine to babies, nicely marked 0, 1..5 m so you can fill the test tube correctly first time
Magic-fishie Magic-fishie
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  • Posted on: 2/3/2008 21:29
Re: Household Ammonia information #16
Hi just reading this thread and found it very usefull, Thanks!!! Im on the search for some Ammonia.

Just thought id add that I found a pack with a good sized pipette and a test tube-come-spoon in Morrisons supermarket. I found it great for measuring all my fishie things.
I can't remember how much they were but it was well under ?2 I have a feeling it was only a ?1!
They are down the baby isle.

Hope it helps!
MichaelAshford MichaelAshford
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  • Posted on: 2/6/2008 17:23
Re: Household Ammonia information #17
So do you keep the level at 4ppm throughout the cycle? If so, how do you ensure it stays at 4, including topping it up accordingly, without using an 'arm and a leg's worth of ammonia test solution?

Thanks for all the info on sources!
EagleC EagleC
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  • Posted on: 2/6/2008 21:44
Re: Household Ammonia information #18
You test once per day and top up as required.

As previously said. 1ml of 9.5% ammonia in 100L of water is 1ppm (approximately!)

So, you test each day and if its below 2ppm you add 2ppm. It really is that simple. You continue this all the way through the cycle.

1 test per day until the tank is cycled is 25-30 tests, but the API mini-master kit gives you about 80 ammonia tests so you've still got enough left to finish off the year by which time you should be buying a replacement kit anyway.
kerrbear kerrbear
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  • Posted on: 29/8/2008 22:44
Re: Household Ammonia information #19
once you start to "top up" your ammonia and your nitrite and nitrate "spike" do you have to do any water changes? or just wait and to the large 70% water change the day before you add fish?
EagleC EagleC
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  • Posted on: 30/8/2008 10:53
Re: Household Ammonia information #20
Traditionally you wait and dont do any water changes until the end of the cycle. However, in some cases this can mean that nitrate is way off the charts by then and you need to do 2 or 3 80% water changes before its down to safe levels again. Doing water changes after the first couple of weeks can avoid this and is unlikely to slow the cycle down and for new keepers it might well be a good time to practice getting basic maintenance right.