DrTim’s Aquatics Ammonium Chloride Solution – 4 oz – for Fishless Cycling in Freshwater & Saltwater Aquariums – Treats 200 Gallons

Used this to cycle my fish tank. Worked well and took all the guesswork out of the process.

So when I bought my 54 gallon aquarium... I did not know much. I was told at the LFS to buy this API quick start (good product) and some stress cost stuff and all good start adding fish... so I setup this tank and put the API quick start in and planted plants - one melted and the others did well but 3 days later my tank had a chalky appearance. So I took the filtering system apart EHEIM ( great product) washed the pre-filter and everything cleared. Perhaps it was the rotting plant? Needless to say I had to take the tank down and reset it up at home- same thing chalky after 3 days. So what I learned is that is a bacterial bloom but i provided no fish and no ammonia (fish excrement). So basically the bacteria bloomed and died. Ok I got this now. So did a 50% water change and started over again after receiving the DR Tim’s Ammonia Chloride. Put in API Quick start again and now added 216 drops of ammonium chloride- tested in the morning after. Ammonia was NOW at 4ppm. That evening tested and had a twinge of nitrite - just a barely there. Next morning tested and ammonia about 3ppm and definitely at .50 nitrite. Tested that evening now at 3ppm ammonia and 2.0 ppm nitrite - tested nitrate just a smidge. This thing is just rocking and rolling along in days!!! Only days !!! Following the exact path line! Wish I knew then what I know now - don’t use raw fish or raw shrimp or a bunch of fish food to generate ammonia - get a good product for starting quick with bacteria and this ammonia AN you’re set! This sooo speeds up the process!!! I’ll keep updating... UPDATE: next day: ok now ammonia is at 2ppm; nitrites at 2.00ppm; and nitrates SMIDGE... between 0ppm and 5.00 ppm. Plants in tank are thriving NOW! UPDATE 4 days in: Ammonia 2 ppm down from 4ppm Nitrites 5ppm up from 2ppm Nitrates now 10ppm up from trace 5 days - ammonia 1 ppm (when it gets down to about .50 I’m gonna have to add some more in) - nitrites 5 ppm - nitrates 20 ppm now 6 days Ammonia at ZERO - gotta add a full dose again. Nitrites 2 ppm Nitrates looks like 2 ppm a teensy bit darker but only a smidge - Nitrates going down? WELL water is crystal sparkling but apparently I have to add more ammonia....so gonna do it Plants looking REALLY good - I wonder if the plants are taking care of some of the nitrates? Tested Ammonia after 6 hours after putting it in and ammonia is back up at 4ppm 7 days Ammonia BACK DOWN to only .25 ppm! Nitrites at 2 ppm Nitrate at 5 ppm <- I believe the aquatic plants are using up the nitrates! And keeping it in check. 8 days Ammonia 0 ppm (adding another 1/2 dose 2 drops per gallon approximately 106 drops) Nitrites 2 ppm Nitrates 2 ppm

Dr.Tims ammonia is a great product for setting a baseline for your fish-less cycle. Sure you can go buy a litre of ammonia from the shop but then you need to do a little math to figure out the correct dose for the concentration your bottle contains. Then you have more ammonia then you will probably ever need for the remainder of your natural life. But with doctor Tim’s they have to all figured out for you and it’s consistent and repeatable as long as you can follow directions. The hardest part is waiting for your ammonia and nitrite levels to come down as your tank cycles. Combine this with Fritz 7 or turbo start and you have a fast lane to a cycled tank.

I have a 30 litre aquarium and am totally new to keeping fish. Having tried twice both totally unsuccessfully to cycle my tank with fish, having followed all the guidelines, I discovered you can do the cycling with ammonia ( something the fish suppliers failed to mention when I was struggling with my set up! But we're quite happy to sell me fish). I downloaded the ammonia cycling information from the code supplied with the ammonia solution. It is very informative and explains the cycling from ammonia to nitrites and nitrates very well and once completed you can then introduce your fish. The literature did say after 14 days my cycling took 23 days until I was happy the ammonia and nitrite levels were 0 each day. I then bought and introduced 6 danios...well success and very happy fish. My tank water is crystal clear, I did one partial water change after 19 days. I recommend setting up your fish tank in this way as it is so upsetting to loose fish during the cycling process. It's excellent value for money and providing you carefully follow the instructions you shouldn't have any problems.

Used this and Tetra safe start to cycle my aquarium in 16 days. I followed the instructions from Dr Tim’s exactly. Glad it was affordable too since I couldn’t find anything in stores.