# A Few Questions



## peekie13 (Mar 17, 2015)

I have had my 45 gallon aquarium for about 7 weeks now. Knowing nothing about cycling, I stupidly added 5 mollys, 2 platys and a dwarf gourami (plus we now have 2 baby mollys). Luckily, we haven't lost any yet.

For the past two weeks due to cycling my water levels have been off. The ammonia level has for a week, been at 0, and my nitrates have dropped down from a high of around 40 to around 10 now. My nitrites are a different story. From a high of 5, my readings started going down to around .25 to .50. Like an idiot, I quit using the bacteria supplement I was using and now the nitrites are up to 2 again.

My questions are- did I ruin my nitrite cycle by not using the bacteria supplement (gosh I hope not). How long does this nitrite cycle typically last? Also, we have a brown algae now, is it safe to vacuum at this time? Finally, can I add water into the tank right away, or should I be adding it slowly?

I am dosing with 4 times the amount of Prime every other day and also just starting using Stability, after switching from a different brand.

Thanks in advance for any input. This has been so stressful, I would give anything to go back and do a fishless cycle. I feel terrible to put them through all of this.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

You haven't hurt your cycle IMO.
Just test and keep ammonia and nitrItes under 1ppm.
You don't really need the prime if you just change water to remove the nutrients(you still need it to de chlorinate).
NitrItes converting to nitrAtes usually takes longer then the first ammonia to nitrite bacterial growth.


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## peekie13 (Mar 17, 2015)

Thanks so much for your reply. Do you mind if I ask why you advise against using Prime? Am I prolonging the cycling by using this? Thanks.


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## Marshall (Jul 8, 2013)

there's just no need to use more than the needed amount, it won't do anything extra that regular water changes won't already do


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## AFishNamedCP (Oct 7, 2012)

Welcome to forums. There is a lot of great expertise here .
It sounds like you have bacteria in the tank already doing some work. I don't think you need to keep adding stability . Let what is there colonize . Then dose prime to detoxify the nitrite for fish . which you already have done. Only time you need to add anymore Prime is in a water change. I'd let the water sit for a few days and test the water each day. Then do a 25% water change and test after a few hours. It will eventually cycle with water changes with Prime'ed water. But yeah, the nitrite part of the cycle can take a long time.


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## kalyke (Nov 19, 2014)

The nitrite part is the scariest part. Truth.


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