I'm trying to get everything around to do a fishless cycle but I can't seem to find plain ammonia anywhere! Everywhere has "lemon fresh scent" and when I shake it there's a couple bubbles - I don't find it claiming to be "sudsing" though.

I'm going to a few different stores looking for it. I've checked the W-store and at Home Depot.

Now if I'm unable to find plain ammonia, is there anyway I can use the other stuff? Or is there another option of something I can use?

I'm puzzled.

Hi

Ace Hardware has an ammonia that is perfect for cycling. It's what I used. According to their website, there are two Ace Hardware in Anchorage:

240 Muldoon Road 99504
and
1320 Huffman Park Drive 99515

Well, here's their website if you'd like to get a map and phone numbers.

Good luck!!!

Debbie

Edit: It's the Ace brand - not a name brand.

Awesome thanks!!! I'm moving into a house off Muldoon so it's perfect I know where it is. I was so puzzled and worried that I wasn't going to find some. I'll pick some up tonight on my way to the house.

One other question I had was...shoot of course now I forget it. Oh yeah! When I'm adding the ammonia and testing it to see what it's at, how long should I wait in between the adding and testing? It's a 25 gal tank and the filter is rated for 200 gph (getting an additional filter before adding the fish), so I figure like 10 minutes would give it a chance to cycle the full tank and get it dispursed...or do I even need to wait that long?

That's great that you're so close!
I waited 20 minutes between additions. Do you have something to add it with? I used a medicine dropper that I bought from the baby section of the grocery store. It holds 1tsp/5ml. I added 1ml at a time, and ended up needing 8ml for my 55 gallon, so you may need 4 or so.
Good luck - and keep notes!!!!! It'll help!! Write down how much you add, how long until you tested, and what the reading was. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!

Debbie

Edit: All ammonia strengths are different, so don't be surprised if you get different levels than I did.

Haha yep I went and bought a baby medicine dropper yesterday to administer it! Then I can really know how much I'm putting in. Thanks! I'll add some and then go put more stuff away and come check on it.

I gotta remember to grab my tester kit before I head over to the new house. hehe.

Ok I started my fishless cycle yesterday. I got my tank up to about 4.0 ammonia with about 2.5 mL of the ammonia. I am doing this over at our new house and didn't have all of my other stuff with me (besides my Stress Zyme and tester kit).

So I filled up the tank and realized I didn't have my Stress Coat stuff to help dechlorinate the water. But continued and figured tonight when I'm over I could add it to help dechlorinate the water, but after reading the back of the bottle I realized that the Stress Coat would help eliminate ammonia which could screw up my cycle. And since the water's been out now 24 hours isn't all the chlorine gone? I did add Stress Zyme to help it cycle a little faster I'm hoping.

So should I bother adding the Stress Coat now or just wait til after I do my next water change and of course before I add the fish?

I would say to go ahead and add the Stress Coat. Being out for 24 hours does remove the chlorine, but there's also the metals (lead, copper, etc) that the conditioner will remove. Actually, I use Tap Water Conditioner by Top Fin for my tanks. It uses much less product than Stress Coat does, and it doesn't touch the ammonia. Just a thought. Some also use Prime or Amquel +, but I hear that they're expensive.
I hope you have better luck with Stress Zyme than I did. I tried that and Stability and neither one helped.

Good luck - and keep us posted!!
Debbie

Ok thanks! I'll add it tonight then. I seem to have okay luck with the Stress Zyme - only thing I've noticed is when I use it I seem to have a lot of the brown algae. Wonder if it's linked.