Cleaner crew

Question
QUESTION: I have a 29 gallon tank thats been set up for 4 weeks. The pH is great and the ammonia is gone. However, my tank is filthy and my nitrite levels are at 1.6 mg/l. Is it too early to drop a few cleaners in the tank?

ANSWER: Hey Cruise,
Youre just seeing the second stage of the cycle. Ammonia levels spike first, then nitrite levels spike, then nitrate. It can take 6 to 8 weeks for a marine aquarium to cycle fully. No inhabitants yet? You can start adding the clean up crew(hermits and snails), I personally add them to help with cycling(something many aquarists will debate) from the initial set up. You may loose a few due to the nitrite levels but they are inexpensive to replace and they will help the cycling process along and get the system stabilizing. You have to have waste to cycle a tank properly. Let me know if you have any more questions.

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QUESTION: Well, i have a mollie and a damsel in the aquarium already. Do you think i should drop a shrimp or two in or wait?

Answer
Hey Cruise,
No shrimp yet. Theyre a bit more fragile than hermits and snails and the cycle generally kills them. You can add hermits and snails. Or you can do a light cleaning and a water change. Vac the substrate(not too deeply) and do a 25% water change. Hold off on the shrimp though. Would be a waste of your money.