# Cycling: Nitrite dropping?



## Neutron (Apr 6, 2011)

I am curious to know how long it takes for nitrite to drop in the cycling process.

I started using Seachem Stability on Tuesday. The parameters before putting in the Stability in were:

Ammonia: 0.5ppm
Nitrite 0.8ppm
Nitrate: 15ppm but I think the high nitrite levels interfered with the reading.

On Thursday I tested the water and Ammonia was at 0.1ppm and nitrite at 1.6ppm!! I did a 30% water change after these readings and I did another 50% water change today.

Right now my ammonia is at 0ppm and nitrites are at 1.4ppm! I didn't test the nitrate. The nitrites have only dropped 0.2ppm! How long does it usually take for nitrite levels to drop and nitrate levels to rise? 

I've been adding about a triple dose of Prime every 36 hours or so.

I wish this would go quickly for the sake of my fish.


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## jcgallaher (Mar 29, 2011)

I'm fairly new to this hobby and Ive been doing a fish-less cycle for a few weeks now. To make a long story shorter, after the Nitrites and ammonia levels were dropping to almost zero, I did about a 25 percent water change and to my surprise the nitrites shot back up to 1 or 2. Ammonia and the Nitrates went up a little.

So far in my experience it takes a couple of days, but I just used Prime. I don't use any other chemicals.


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## Neutron (Apr 6, 2011)

I had planned to just use Prime but I found it was taking a long time and I was worried about my fish so I bought some Stability because I read great reviews about it.
Anyways, it has only seemed to make the ammonia drop so I guess I have to wait until the nitrite drops which I hope won't take too long. 
If you are doing a fishless cycle, why do you have to use Prime? OR do you use it for water conditioner?


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## jcgallaher (Mar 29, 2011)

Prime for water changes.


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## Mikaila31 (Dec 18, 2008)

You need to keep adding ammonia. The cycle is complete once 4ppm of ammonia goes to 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites in 24 hours or so.


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

I believe there are fish in this tank.
I would perform water changes of fifty percent any time ammonia or nitrites rose above .25.
Would feed the fish tiny, tiny amount of food once evry other day until the water test's zero for ammonia and nitrites for a week straight.
Prime works for a few hours but water changes are the only way to ensure that fishes don't suffer through ammonia and nitrites both of which damage the fish permanently.
Would add the stability and Prime with each water change as per directions.
If this tank has too many fish,some will perish and other's may survive depending on size of tank,numbers of fish,amount of food offered,and daily water changes,water changes,water changes....


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