Cycling help....Wrong Ammonia??

[Carrie H]

I want to replace the rock in my tank with dry dead rock so I can create the aquascape that I want (didn't put enough thought about it when I started - Rookie mistake).   I will keep one of my live rocks that my anemone is attached to....but all other rock is coming out and being replaced with new rock.  Keeping sand currently in the tank. (should I change this?)

 

So, I have cleaned (chiseled out all loose sand), power washed, soaked my rock for a couple of days -  and now have started cycling it in a Brute trash can - started 3 days ago.   I Googled the process, and found the ammonia/Fritz 900 method....and although now I can't find it, the directions said I could use ammonia from Walmart - Great value brand because it was readily available.   So that is what I did.   

 

My process so far....

Put rocks in trash can, and cover with salt water (1.025), a powerhead, and heater.  I didn't have access to RO/DI so I bought 10 gallons of distilled water.   Brought water un to 80 degrees.

Day 1 - dosed with GV ammonia until I had a reading of 2ppm..... then dumped in the full bottle of Fritz Turbostart 900.

Day 2 - Tested levels.....  Ammonia .25ppm, Nitrite 5ppm, Nitrate 10ppm, Ph 8.2

Day 3 - Dosed ammonia up to 2 ppm again.

Day 4 Tested this morning - Ammonia .25 ppm, Nitrite 1ppm, Nitrate 20ppm, ph 8.2  Did nothing....started thinking about the GV ammonia.....

 

My main question is.....Did I mess up by using Great value brand Ammonia....as I read online that it contains surfactants....and could be harmful.   If so, is there anyway to salvage this cycle?   If I move the rocks out of the water/trash can - into my tank, will it kill my fish?  

[mcarroll]

If you used ammonia with surfactants, I'm not sure I'd trust the rock....a similar thing just came up in another thread of @j.falk's....even the suspicion of something like that being used on the rock was getting his a 👎.

 

Why not spring for some real live rock pieces from Tampa Bay or KP Aquatics, etc?  Tell them the kind of pieces or shape you're looking for.