Finding ammonia in Canada?

[NaturallyKait]

4 minutes ago, Melfy77 said:

Hey there fellow Canadian! We live in a beautiful country but wow can this hobby can be a PITA sometimes to get stuff lol. No dr tims, no copper treatment, online stores not shipping tanks bigger tanks 20g...seriously people!!! Hahaha. 

 

Btw how's your tank cycling ? 

Canadian problems eh? Go figure. 

 

Tank is still plateaued at 0.5ppm ammonia and 0 nitrites and nitrates. It doesn’t want to budge no matter what I do. 

 

I did order some bio spira from amazon which arrived yesterday, and it’s possible some Dr. Tim’s ammonia also found its way into my cart to see if it would make it past customs. It’s currently sitting in Montreal customs so we’ll see. 

 

When going through my supplies the other day I noticed that my salt was starting to get damp. It was salt I got from someone else when they tore down the tank, so I’m wondering if maybe that’s causing an issue. I already replaced the salt, I’m debating if I should drain the tank and replace the water with fresh stuff made with the new salt and add the bio spira then and an ammonia source in case it was the water. I don’t know if that would just set me back even further though. 

[DaleEM]

On 5/1/2019 at 11:31 AM, Rymah said:

It's illegal to sell pure ammonia here.  You won't find it in any major chains your best bet would be Amazon or taking a trip to the boarder but even then you would have to smuggle it back in. 

Actually pure ammonia that's been diluted is perfectly legal, which is what is being sought after here. A diluted product between 3-10%... Its marketed as household ammonia, we just need to find some that does not contain any other scents, additives or surfactants. Dr. Tim's & Old Country are perfectly legal products both for purchase here, and to import from abroad. Your claim that its illegal is false in this context as your muddying the waters by throwing 100% pure concentration of ammonia (illegal) into the conversation. We're trying to fishless cycle, not manufacture explosives. 

[mcarroll]

It's almost impossible to find here too. 

 

Skip the ammonia method altogether. 

 

Either use one of the many tried and true old-fashioned methods (patience in the main active ingredient) or use one of the bottled instant-cycle products out there.  (Follow directions on the bottle if you go instant.)

[NaturallyKait]

This was 8 months ago, but I did get the Dr. Tim’s ammonia. Kind of a moot point now. 

[Hingle]

On 1/13/2020 at 9:12 PM, NaturallyKait said:

This was 8 months ago, but I did get the Dr. Tim’s ammonia. Kind of a moot point now. 

Not sure if you have found anymore local stores in PEI but there are a few more places popping up here in the Maritimes. Living Reef just opened up here in Halifax and they are a dedicated Saltwater store with great pricing. I believe they are still working on their website so it isn't up yet.

 

There is also a local forum for Atlantic Canada that you may or may not be a member of.

[NaturallyKait]

1 hour ago, Hingle said:

Not sure if you have found anymore local stores in PEI but there are a few more places popping up here in the Maritimes. Living Reef just opened up here in Halifax and they are a dedicated Saltwater store with great pricing. I believe they are still working on their website so it isn't up yet.

 

There is also a local forum for Atlantic Canada that you may or may not be a member of.

Yeah I know about the ones in Halifax, including the new one. I hope to check it out next time I’m over. I usually go to a store over there that’s kind of affiliated with the one here because the owner originally owned this one too. This is definitely the only saltwater here though, which sucks. I don’t think I know of the Atlantic group you mention though, just some PEI specific ones. PM it to me please? 

[Hingle]

2 hours ago, NaturallyKait said:

Yeah I know about the ones in Halifax, including the new one. I hope to check it out next time I’m over. I usually go to a store over there that’s kind of affiliated with the one here because the owner originally owned this one too. This is definitely the only saltwater here though, which sucks. I don’t think I know of the Atlantic group you mention though, just some PEI specific ones. PM it to me please? 

pm sent

[DSA65PRO]

Just ask your LFS when their next shipment of Live Rock comes in. Get a very small piece out of the Shipping box, drop it in your Aquarium, with NO Livestock in it. You’ll get Ammonia, lots of it!!

[squamptonbc]

On 1/28/2020 at 11:56 AM, DSA65PRO said:

Just ask your LFS when their next shipment of Live Rock comes in. Get a very small piece out of the Shipping box, drop it in your Aquarium, with NO Livestock in it. You’ll get Ammonia, lots of it!!

 

Live rock isn't easy to find in Canada these days, I don't anywhere that sells real live rock from the ocean anymore. At least in my area of Canada out west.

 

If anyone is ever looking for ammonia in Canada, Aquarists Across Canada sells powdered stuff, they only sell freshwater fish and supplies for the most part but they do sell ammonia powered, only problem is high shipping, its like $15 bucks to ship Canada Post so not really worth it, but if you really want it, its available there. They are based out of Victoria, BC and top notch freshwater live stock if anyone is ever looking for FW supplier who ships livestock.

 

[mcarroll]

"baker's ammonia" I guess?   Wow.  Never heard of that!  Cool!

[squamptonbc]

I found powered version on Amazon as well but its a 1 pound bag for $13 so way more then anyone would ever need for cycling so may not be worth it.

 

I am going the old shrimp in a bag route, easiest and cheapest, can't find the Dr Tim's stuff locally, even finding bacteria in a bottle that isn't sea chem stability is a bit tough, seems we are forgotten about in Western Canada...lol

[Tired]

You could buy the big bag of it, then mail ziploc bags of it to other Canadians for $2 apiece. 

 

With the shrimp, keep an eye on the ammonia. You don't want it over 5ppm or it starts slowing the bacteria down a lot. You may be better off adding a small amount of fish food a day, instead of one big chunk at once. Or, alternately, rot the shrimp in a separate jar of water and pour bits of that water in at a time. 

[squamptonbc]

22 minutes ago, Tired said:

You could buy the big bag of it, then mail ziploc bags of it to other Canadians for $2 apiece. 

 

With the shrimp, keep an eye on the ammonia. You don't want it over 5ppm or it starts slowing the bacteria down a lot. You may be better off adding a small amount of fish food a day, instead of one big chunk at once. Or, alternately, rot the shrimp in a separate jar of water and pour bits of that water in at a time. 

 

Shipping would cost like $15 bucks...lol Maybe $10, Canada Post is expensive either way, pretty cost prohibitive to mail small items.

[Tired]

Ouch. Maybe a stupid question, but are there a lot of mountains in the way that make things harder? Or is Canada just not very good with mail? 

[squamptonbc]

1 hour ago, Tired said:

Ouch. Maybe a stupid question, but are there a lot of mountains in the way that make things harder? Or is Canada just not very good with mail? 

 

BC has tons of mountains, biggest hurdle with shipping is small population spread over  3,855,100 sq miles roughly with the population of California, 39 million people or so, just isn't cheap to deliver anything in Canada, even Amazon is sub par compared to the US because of this.

 

Canada is a huge country with small population.

[Tired]

Yeah, that's about what I figured. Too bad carrier pigeons aren't big enough to carry packages.

[Clown79]

10 hours ago, Tired said:

Ouch. Maybe a stupid question, but are there a lot of mountains in the way that make things harder? Or is Canada just not very good with mail? 

Its not our terrain.

 

Postage is charged by weight and dimensions.

 

It's the costs involved, postal wages, union, benefits, and pensions.

It used to be about $8 to ship, average is $15+ now. Just due to inflation.

 

You can't buy a house here for less than $550,000.

 

[Hingle]

8 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

Its not our terrain.

 

Postage is charged by weight and dimensions.

 

It's the costs involved, postal wages, union, benefits, and pensions.

It used to be about $8 to ship, average is $15+ now. Just due to inflation.

 

You can't buy a house here for less than $550,000.

 

That depends on where in the country you are. East Coast housing is cheap, you just have to deal with the horrible sales tax and lack of doctors.

[NaturallyKait]

East coast is starting to pick up in prices too. Here in PEI we’re in a housing crisis where home prices shot up very fast in comparison to wages, so while I’m sure the costs look reasonable if you’re looking at them from the West coast or Toronto when you factor in the wages here people are having to leave because they can’t afford to live anymore. Nova Scotia wasn’t much better when I lived there. 

[Clown79]

26 minutes ago, NaturallyKait said:

East coast is starting to pick up in prices too. Here in PEI we’re in a housing crisis where home prices shot up very fast in comparison to wages, so while I’m sure the costs look reasonable if you’re looking at them from the West coast or Toronto when you factor in the wages here people are having to leave because they can’t afford to live anymore. Nova Scotia wasn’t much better when I lived there. 

Once upon a time living on the outskirts of TO was the cheap way to go. Not anymore, our prices are the same as TO and we're an hr outside of the GTA. 

 

Housing costs are not realistic to the wages.

 

Its ridiculous now.

[squamptonbc]

Can't get anything reasonable price wise within a 90 minute drive of Vancouver which is the entire lower mainland and Victoria, Nanaimo on the Island, interior city's of Kelowna and Kamloops are pretty pricey now as well, and the rest of BC is small towns and lack employment and not all that affordable either when compared to local wages in those places.

 

I work full-time and my entire after tax income goes to rent, my partners small income covers everything else, my little tank is the only joy I have...ha ha

 

We are considering moving to the US, across the border in Pt. Roberts and commute to Canada to work, houses are 50%+ cheaper  vs just across the border, waterfront house in Pt. Roberts can be found for $500,000 US$ ($662k CAD) where a similiar house 3 minute drive into Canada not on the water is $1.2 million CAD or more.

 

Luckily I have dual US/Canada citizenship so no immigration needed, and it will let me order fish and corals online easier...ha ha

 

Our rent for 500sq foot apartment is $1,750 but we are paying 2017 levels still, move into this building today, rent is $2,450 a month.

 

 

[NaturallyKait]

1 hour ago, squamptonbc said:

Can't get anything reasonable price wise within a 90 minute drive of Vancouver which is the entire lower mainland and Victoria, Nanaimo on the Island, interior city's of Kelowna and Kamloops are pretty pricey now as well, and the rest of BC is small towns and lack employment and not all that affordable either when compared to local wages in those places.

 

I work full-time and my entire after tax income goes to rent, my partners small income covers everything else, my little tank is the only joy I have...ha ha

 

We are considering moving to the US, across the border in Pt. Roberts and commute to Canada to work, houses are 50%+ cheaper  vs just across the border, waterfront house in Pt. Roberts can be found for $500,000 US$ ($662k CAD) where a similiar house 3 minute drive into Canada not on the water is $1.2 million CAD or more.

 

Luckily I have dual US/Canada citizenship so no immigration needed, and it will let me order fish and corals online easier...ha ha

 

Our rent for 500sq foot apartment is $1,750 but we are paying 2017 levels still, move into this building today, rent is $2,450 a month.

 

 

We’re the same for where we rent. We moved into our place in 2016 right before housing prices here started shooting up. We could never afford the rental prices today so if we ever lose this rental we’re screwed. 

[Tired]

If I use a flat-rate box, I can mail something the size of a large book across the US for $6. A padded envelope is more like $2, depending on weight.

[Crys]

Yeah shipping and variety just isn't great in Canada.  Ordering live coral or fish will cost about $50.00.  So envious of the variety and shipping costs in the US, and we can’t even bring stuff across the border.

If you are looking for a Canadian place that sells supplies at a good price with a 10.00 shipping cost try Pets and Ponds Canada.  They have a good selection of Marine products.  Of course rock and sand are not included in the flat rate shipping.  https://www.petsandponds.com/en/index.html

Another fun fact is if you lieve in a rural area you can't get anything in one day and if it's something live you hope it doesn't freeze.  But on the plus side, you can get a really cheap house on the praries you just have to drive 100 km to LFS. 

[squamptonbc]

1 hour ago, Crys said:

Yeah shipping and variety just isn't great in Canada.  Ordering live coral or fish will cost about $50.00.  So envious of the variety and shipping costs in the US, and we can’t even bring stuff across the border.

If you are looking for a Canadian place that sells supplies at a good price with a 10.00 shipping cost try Pets and Ponds Canada.  They have a good selection of Marine products.  Of course rock and sand are not included in the flat rate shipping.  https://www.petsandponds.com/en/index.html

Another fun fact is if you lieve in a rural area you can't get anything in one day and if it's something live you hope it doesn't freeze.  But on the plus side, you can get a really cheap house on the praries you just have to drive 100 km to LFS. 

 

I window shop corals online, but never buy, shipping is too crazy and even those that offer buy X amount get cheaper or free shipping the amount needed is to high impossible for me to meet, and group orders in my experience rarely work out so I stopped trying to organize them.