Question regarding Prime and cycling

[Travis32]

I am using Prime and Stability, and currently cycling my 75 gallon tank. They never say there is a dumb question, so here goes. In order for the cycling process to start, you must have ammonia in your tank, right? Then the nitrites, then nitrates. My question is, when my ammonia levels start to go up, Prime says to use it to lower ammonia and nitrite levels, but how does the tank cycle if you have to keep the ammonia at basically 0? Don't you have to have ammonia in the tank, and if so, does any amount of ammonia start the process? FYI.....This is a fish-in cycling, not fishless cycling, using zebra danios. Last question for people who used the fish-in cycling, how many fish should I have in the tank? Thanks everyone

 

[Clayman]

There's no dumb questions. Ok, so prime doesn't lower the levels of ammonia and nitrite. What it does do is detoxify them making it safe for fish. The cycle will not be affected. The bacteria can still convert them. On another note, not using prime will kill the bacteria because it neutralizes chlorine and chloramines out of your tap water.
About the number of fish you should have, that depends. You really only need one, but your bacteria colony will only grow as big as it needs to to take care of the current bio load.
Hope this helps.

 

[Travis32]

Thanks for the info. So does the fish tank cycle the exact same speed if I have 1 fish or 10 fish. Also, I am using liquid test strips, and my current ammonia level is 0.25 (2 weeks into cycling), when I put prime in water it basically, goes down to 0. That does not affect the cycling? Thanks

 

[Clayman]

It affects the test, not the cycle.
It won't go faster with more fish.
You should look into getting a liquid test kit cause the strips are innacurate

 

[Travis32]

Sorry, I wrote the wrong thing. I am using the API Freshwater test kit (Liquid test).

 

[Mebbid]

Thanks for the info. So does the fish tank cycle the exact same speed if I have 1 fish or 10 fish. Also, I am using liquid test strips, and my current ammonia level is 0.25 (2 weeks into cycling), when I put prime in water it basically, goes down to 0. That does not affect the cycling? Thanks

The goal to cycling an aquarium is keeping both the ammonia and nitrites no higher than 0.25ppm. If you do that, then the water will be safe for the fish (even with the presence of ammonia) so you don't need to add prime just for the ammonia. A 0.25ppm concentration is not toxic by any means.

Any time it rises above that then just perform a 50% water change.

The ammonia level is what matters in this tank, not the number of fish.

 

[Sonata]

I have been using Prime every 2nd day. It has a life of 48 hours.
My ammonia is 0, nitrites 0, nitrates 5 & PH 7.6.
I have fish in my tank.
All that sounds so great, right ?
I am only 6 days into cycling.
A rocky road lies ahead.
I am working on lowering that PH.
I got all this info from another member.
Just passing it along.

 

[Saekalive]

There is no need for the addition of prime unless you are adding water that isn't conditioned. Just do water changes and dose prime to the correct amount to keep ammonia down. Adding prime is just hiding ammonia. And get yourself a liquid testkit. Test strip are known for being inaccurate

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[Fresh2o]

There is no need for the addition of prime unless you are adding water that isn't conditioned. Just do water changes and dose prime to the correct amount to keep ammonia down. Adding prime is just hiding ammonia. And get yourself a liquid testkit. Test strip are known for being inaccurate

Sent from my SM-T230NU using Aquarium Advice mobile app

+1. No need to alter the ph either.


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