cycling tank

[Pufferpunk]

It's my choice of dechlorinator. You must not add ANY fish while cycling a tank.

[Blaine]

Using Prime as a dechlorinator is a great idea...best choice IMO...but I don't think it will speed up the 'cycling' process. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

[Pufferpunk]

I think she was hoping it would make it so she could add the fish while cycling the tank if she used Prime in there.

[sevenyearnight]

I had a heater malfunction once, cooked my tank up to above 90°. Fish survived, but the bacteria did not. I used Prime during the while of the "mini cycle". The fish did alright considering, and I attribute this to the Prime making the inconsistent and dangerous water parameters safer for them, but it has its limitations. I wouldn't willingly put my fish in an uncycled tank using Prime as their guardian angel unless it is an emergency, best to wait it out. Adding it every 24 hours indefinitely adds up too.
Is it possible to put a divider in the tank they are in to protect the community fish?

[RTR]

Prime is quite effective, but it is far better to cycle the tank without fish in it. I would never cycle a tank with puffers present. They are far too sensitive to ammonia and nitrite.

[nehctik]

I shant be doing the prime idea though, but I'll get some for when my dechlorinator runs out

[Blaine]

Good call...

by the way...is your name Kitchen or do you just like to cook? Just curious about your nickname...

[nehctik]

Surname sounds like kitchen, and so recieved the nickname kitchen at school, good spot

[nehctik]

Right since my testing kit came today and the prawns been in the water a couple of days I decided i'd test the water see if the prawn decay was producing the ammonia i need, results as follows

Ammonia 0.50 ppm
Nitrite 2.00 ppm
Nitrate 80.00 ppm

Those nitrate numbers are huge, but i see the ammonia is being produced which is good I guess

[Pufferpunk]

Congrats, your tank is on the way to cycling!

[nehctik]

Yay, after seeing the nitrate level, boy am I glad I asked you guys for advise

[Blaine]

Yes,...having an accessible community to help makes the hobby much easier to get started.

Glad to hear you're on the right track.

[nehctik]

Since its been 4 days I thought Id update you guys on the water test I did today.

Ammonia - 0 - 0.25 (it was between the two)
Nitrite - 0.25
Nitrate - 80 - 160 (very close to the 80 colour, just a tad darker)

So lower ammonia than last time, a big drop in nitrite from 2.00 - 0.25, and a slight increase in nitrates.

So should I carry on as I am, or should I do a water change?

Also what are the ideal and or acceptable numbers I want?

[Pufferpunk]

You don't need to do a WC while the tank is cycling. You're using the decaying shrimp, right? Did you put it in something?

[nehctik]

Yes still using decaying prawns, I found a product called evolution aqua pure accelerator, didnt purchase it yet as i decided to research it first but it seems the prawns are working

EDIT

still no luck finding ammonia in stores