# Urine cycling? Tums for snails?



## katfemme89 (Nov 27, 2009)

My tanks are all established, but lately I've been reading up on cycling tanks just for my future knowledge when I invest in another tank. The point is to put ammonia in the water to begin the cycle, yes? I know this is REALLY weird, but my curiosity got the best of me so I had to ask: has anyone ever tried adding urine to the tank? Plenty of ammonia, trace elements, and it's sterile. Yay? Nay?

Also, I have another totally unrelated question: Since I began using RO water in my tanks, my fish are flourishing, but my mystery snails' shells are getting crappier and crappier because of the lack of minerals in the RO water. Is there any kind of additive I can put in the water that will help my snail but not kill my fish? I briefly considered adding a TUMS to the water for the calcium but decided against it, fearing that there are other ingredients that might kill my fish. 

Well, I think that's all the strange questions I have for today. :fun:


----------



## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

i used to do all kinds of odd experimenting with my tanks...and ; yes ; i have used urne to cycle tanks..it worked perfectly..at the time ; there really were no products like stability and such available..the first one i remember was called "cycle" that came out a couple of years after i did the urine cycle.
instead of tums go to your pet shop and buy some cuttlebone from the bird section..the snails will tear it up..


----------



## katfemme89 (Nov 27, 2009)

Awesome!!! Yeah I am going to build a goldfish pond in the spring, and that's where the urine thing came to my mind. Thanks for satisfying my curiosity!

And I will go get some cuttlebone... thanks!!!


----------



## Guest (Jan 11, 2010)

As for the tums a strongly advise not doing it. I actually very recently did a lab on tums and other antacids. I think tums is one of the ones that not only neutralizes acid (with either a buffer or a base... either could be bad), but also inhibits the production of acid... so I would say no lol.


----------



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Tums are calcium carbonate, good and flavors and binders, not so good. They are sweet enough that I wouldn't put that much sugar in a tank. Use limestone, crushed coral, cuttlebone, or liquid calcium supplements sold for snails. Or use a commercial product sold to replace minerals in RO water. SeaChem makes Replenish and Equilibrium. Kind of pricey, but they tell you what is in them. http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/Replenish.html A dilute dose of "cichlid salts" might work too.


----------



## Ditzy (Jan 5, 2010)

now i have several images in my head of guys peeing in ponds and tanks... ew.


----------



## Cacatuoides (Feb 2, 2009)

We all know where your mind is.


----------



## Ditzy (Jan 5, 2010)

it's not in the gutter if that's what you're implying


----------



## Cacatuoides (Feb 2, 2009)

could the gutter not hold it up . jkjk


----------



## Ditzy (Jan 5, 2010)

there is enough sarcasm to last a lifetime on this site


----------



## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

i am supposed to be the only jerk dishin out the sarcasm around here..the rest of you clowns gotta knock it off..
there really is no need to start a war on every thread..it is uncalled for.if it keeps up ; folks will be getting suspended..


----------



## Ditzy (Jan 5, 2010)

sorry... no war here.


----------



## Cacatuoides (Feb 2, 2009)

Yeah, we bestes friends, promise


----------



## Ditzy (Jan 5, 2010)

BEST FRIENDS! yay. can we go get matching bff bracelets now?! pleassseee


----------



## Cacatuoides (Feb 2, 2009)

Naa I think I'll pass, I just got out of a pair of handcuffs, I down't wat anything on my hands for a while. :help:


----------



## Ditzy (Jan 5, 2010)

...handcuffs... ok so not cool. i already get to hear my roommate go at it every few hours. ugh. not cool. yes, my head is in the gutter... now.


----------



## Cacatuoides (Feb 2, 2009)

lol jk on the handcuffs, I really wasn't trying to make that head to the gutter though lol.


----------



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

hmm bff bracelets made of cadmium. just don't suck on 'em.


----------



## Cacatuoides (Feb 2, 2009)

Mmmmm Tasty!


----------



## Obsidian (May 20, 2007)

Cac and Ditz.... can you move the current trend to PM? The thread has been hijacked! It is actually an interesting topic and I would like to be able to keep the thread open in case someone wants to discuss it further. I do appreciate the change in tone though. 

As for the aforementioned sarcasm: Also a great thing for PM. I will keep a look out for this in other threads as well, not just here  PM is a wonderful thing. 

Thanks guys.


----------



## Ditzy (Jan 5, 2010)

we already moved it to chat but sorry about the hijack.


----------



## Toshogu (Apr 24, 2009)

<- assumes piss starting cycle isn't recommended for small tanks? 100gal.+ would be good? Also wouldn't there be a concern if you're on medications? idk... yes piss is sterile, yes it has alot of ammonia, but unless you're willing to go on a strick diet of sometype to keep the variation of oddball waste nutrients and what not from fluctuating to much. wouldn't it be safer to just use a bottle of ammon?


----------



## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

i don't know toshogu..think about it this way..how much ammonia can you drink...
you see; if need be you can drink urine to survive..but how much ammonia can you drink and not die.
it would also be better to use the proper terminology..

something else here..fishless cycling....what are the procedures for doing this ????


----------



## Guest (Jan 12, 2010)

Haha, loha, you're too old 

You add a few drops of ammonia (pure ammonia, no soap additives) to the tank every day to substitute fish.


----------



## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

ok..so once you have put ammonia in the tank for several weeks and it has cycled and the reading are all at "0"..next step is to put fish in the tank..right.
how many fish ???..at what intervals ?? what sizes ??
all of a sudden your fishless cycle is down the toilet because it will have another cycle.unless;that is if you only put 1 or 2 small fish in the tank.
in which case you could have saved the time and money getting the ammonia and just tossed a fish or 2 in the tank when you set it up.
i may be old lemons;and certainly not as smart as many of the folks here..but i am not that old and dumb...lol


----------

