Ammonium Chloride vs Ammonium Hydroxide for fishless cycling?

[fabio_a]

I owned and cycled a couple freshwater tanks using Ammonium Hydroxide solution we can easily find here in Brazil in any pharmacy.

Is there any restriction on using it on saltwater fish less cycling? Or Only Ammonium Chloride Will work? The Chloride is a chemical with controlled Sales here.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It’s ok if you can find adequate purity. Ammonium bicarbonate (baking ammonia) is often available with a purity assurance. I use it for regular ammonia dosing.

 

[fabio_a]

It’s ok if you can find adequate purity. Ammonium bicarbonate (baking ammonia) is often available with a purity assurance. I use it for regular ammonia dosing.

Yeah the one I get is pharmacy grade. I can also find baking ammonia pretty easily if that’s better.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Yeah the one I get is pharmacy grade. I can also find baking ammonia pretty easily if that’s better.

It’s not better. Both are fine.

 

[fabio_a]

Yeah the one I get is pharmacy grade. I can also find baking ammonia pretty easily if that’s better.

It’s not better. Both are fine.

Nice! Will use the one I already have then. Thank you for taking the time to answer this. Didn’t find any references in the forum search.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Nice! Will use the one I already have then. Thank you for taking the time to answer this. Didn’t find any references in the forum search.

Most people buy hobby products for cycling, but they typically have no purity assurance. Food and pharma grade products are perfect, and the counterion (chloride/hydroxide/ bicarbonate) makes no significant difference at the doses used. The chloride depletes alk a bit while the other two do not.