i am getting a tank within the next two weeks and i plan to use bio spira. if anyone used it successfully please tell me STEP BY STEP how it worked. i understand you condition water, run filter and heater, add biospira, add fish. but how long do i wait for each step. how many and which fish do i add at first? my stocking will be a dwarf gourami, bloodfin tetras, and panda cories. please help!!!
bio spira (anyone with success????)
- Thread starter ara35
- Start date
If you don't have fish yet, I wouldn't try to rush it with Biospira. I actually had pretty good results with it, but I double dosed because I was in a nightmare fishy cycle and desperate. If you don't have fish yet, cycle fishless and save the money (and damage to your fish). If you do decide to use it, make sure it's refrigerated when you get it and take a cooler with you. Also, keep in mind that if it got too warm at any point in transport, it will be worthless.
i used it once.
set up the tank with filters and heaters. add water, dechlorinate, wait until it comes up to temperature and make sure all equipment is working properly. make sure you have test kits for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate, and equipment for water changes (tubing and a new clean bucket or a python).
give this whole process a day or so.
the next day, go out and get your biospira. buy it, bring it home, put it in the fridge. then go out and get your fish. acclimate fish slowly to the new tank - the completely clean water is going to be a big change from the LFS water, and you don't want to shock them. you can use your water-changing bucket for this. put the fish in the bucket, along with the bag water, and add a cup of the tank water to the bucket every 5-10 minutes, until you have 1/4 LFS water and 3/4 new water. then net them out into the tank.
once they are in there, get the biospira and shake it up really good. pour 3/4 of the package into the tank. fold up the package so no air is in there (using a paper clip keeps it folded over), put it in a ziplock/sandwich bag, and back into the fridge. saving a little bit of it works as a back-up system in case nitrite-to-nitrate conversion stalls out.
you can feed the fish, but, as always, be careful not to overfeed. after 48 hours the bacteria will have left the water column and settled in the filters and all over the tank. at this time you can test your water for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate and see where the cycle is. bio-spira does not usually immediately cycle a tank. it will reduce the time to 1-2 weeks instead of 6-8 or more. keep an eye on the water parameters and do changes whenever ammonia or nitrite get up to .25. once you get 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and visible nitrates, you're cycled. if ammonia and nitrate are both at 0 and nitrites keep rising, do a big water change and then add that last little bit of biospira you saved in the fridge. give it a day to work, and then continue with water changes as necessary. after the cycle finishes, weekly water changes as all you need. keep nitrates under 15-20ppm.
set up the tank with filters and heaters. add water, dechlorinate, wait until it comes up to temperature and make sure all equipment is working properly. make sure you have test kits for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate, and equipment for water changes (tubing and a new clean bucket or a python).
give this whole process a day or so.
the next day, go out and get your biospira. buy it, bring it home, put it in the fridge. then go out and get your fish. acclimate fish slowly to the new tank - the completely clean water is going to be a big change from the LFS water, and you don't want to shock them. you can use your water-changing bucket for this. put the fish in the bucket, along with the bag water, and add a cup of the tank water to the bucket every 5-10 minutes, until you have 1/4 LFS water and 3/4 new water. then net them out into the tank.
once they are in there, get the biospira and shake it up really good. pour 3/4 of the package into the tank. fold up the package so no air is in there (using a paper clip keeps it folded over), put it in a ziplock/sandwich bag, and back into the fridge. saving a little bit of it works as a back-up system in case nitrite-to-nitrate conversion stalls out.
you can feed the fish, but, as always, be careful not to overfeed. after 48 hours the bacteria will have left the water column and settled in the filters and all over the tank. at this time you can test your water for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate and see where the cycle is. bio-spira does not usually immediately cycle a tank. it will reduce the time to 1-2 weeks instead of 6-8 or more. keep an eye on the water parameters and do changes whenever ammonia or nitrite get up to .25. once you get 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and visible nitrates, you're cycled. if ammonia and nitrate are both at 0 and nitrites keep rising, do a big water change and then add that last little bit of biospira you saved in the fridge. give it a day to work, and then continue with water changes as necessary. after the cycle finishes, weekly water changes as all you need. keep nitrates under 15-20ppm.
also its hit and miss. if at some time between being made and you putting in its tank that it warmed up it could be dead. it needs to be refrigerated. if it doesnt work be ready for many many water changes. you might want to ask for some used filter media or some gravel. i think that might be a good back up too.
if you havent started i would really look into fishless cyling first.
if you havent started i would really look into fishless cyling first.
I used it in conjuntion with a small amount of semi-established gravel and a decoration. From day 2 my nitrates have always been at 5 but almost 4 weeks later I still get .25 nitrites every other test (and then do a water change). So it has helped me but it did not eliminate the cycle. I just added the last half of my packet last night when I added a new filter, hopefully it will help the filter get established quicker.