Q on the use of Bio-Spira

mishi8

mishi8

Go fly a kite!
Jan 13, 2005
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Alberta
I've purchased some Bio-Spira from a US fish store, and had an interesting conversation with a staff member there. They said that the conditioner you use for treating the water can have a effect on whether Bio-Spira works or not. She specifically mentioned Amquel as having a negative effect on Bio-Spira working (apparently some aquarists have had problems with it), and that some other brands may be suspect as well. However, it could be just her method of selling Bio-Safe to go with it.

Anyone noticed similar problems? Before I use the Bio-Spira on my fishless cycle I want to dig a little deeper on this. I'd hate to be using Prime, for example, if it's a problem as well.

mishi8
 
I got this straight off of Marineland Labs website.

IMPORTANT: BIO-Spira is a "live" bacteria culture that is sold refrigerated and must be kept refrigerated until used. It can not be overdosed. Repeated dosing of your aquarium with ammonia removing liquids (such as BIO-Safe, Amquel, Ammo-lock and Aqua-Safe) can inhibit the beneficial action of BIO-Spira. Ammonia removing liquids should only be used to initially treat tap water. It is normal to have a small (<2 ppm) amount of ammonia or nitrate during the first few days after set-up. These concentrations are not harmful and will quickly drop to zero with proper use of BIO-Spira.
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http://www.marineland.com/products/mllabs/ML_biospira.asp

Sounds like she didn't lead you astray.

edit: And Prime would fall into that category I believe.
 
TrickyD119 said:
I got this straight off of Marineland Labs website.



http://www.marineland.com/products/mllabs/ML_biospira.asp

Sounds like she didn't lead you astray.

edit: And Prime would fall into that category I believe.
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Thanks! I just looked at the same on their website (answered my own question! :) ) I did notice that Bio-Safe is also included in that list though! Sounds like the issue is more one of "over-dosing" rather than just using enough for removing chloramine from tap water.

mishi8
 
mishi8 said:
Thanks! I just looked at the same on their website (answered my own question! :) ) I did notice that Bio-Safe is also included in that list though! Sounds like the issue is more one of "over-dosing" rather than just using enough for removing chloramine from tap water.

mishi8
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Correct. Overdosing removes excess ammonia. If you use enough to treat water, you're fine. The fish will still generate ammonia. This still feeds the bacteria. If you overdose, you are taking the ammonia the fish make away from the bacteria. If you use BIO-Spira, I suggest testing it against pure ammonia, like you would in a fishless cycle. Just add BIO-Spira, add ammonia after a fwe hours up to 5ppm, then check it in 24 hours. I was stuck doing a fishy cycle for two weeks because my BIO-Spira was... not a great batch. Many folks see cycles from 1-7 days with BIO-Spira. So, doing it fishless saves you water changes and all the bad stuff for your fish.
 
I've cycled 2 tanks with bio-spira now both without a problem. They were pretty much totally cycled in 4 days.

In both cases, I setup the tank added water, added prime, let it run for a while..about 6-12 hours until the temp was just right. I then dumped half the bio-spira into my filter/biowheel and the other half in the tank water. I then added some danios. 4 days later everything was totally cycled.
 
I am doing a fishless cycle, have been for quite a while now, and seem to be going nowhere. If I'm still struggling with it by the time my Bio-Spira arrives (my ILs are bringing it home -- refrigerated -- with them in a couple of weeks) then I'll be trying it. In this case, since I already have been dosing the tank with ammonia and have been seeing readings of nitrites and nitrates for weeks, what would be the best way of using the Bio-Spira? Should I empty and refill the tank with fresh, treated water, add the Bio-Spira and then redose ammonia to 3-5ppm? Or should I just add it to the tank as is?

I'm at day 42 in my fishless cycle. My test readings yesterday were 1 ammonia, 5.0 nitrite (test limit), and 160 nitrate (test limit). My KH and pH have been dropping quite a bit, so I dosed with baking soda yesterday, and then added ammonia back up to 3-4 ppm. I haven't tested yet today...will be later on.

BTW, I've been seeing nitrites and nitrates since day 4 of my fishless cycle. Ammonia has come close to 0, and then rebounds when I've topped up the tank water, or have done a water change (to bring the nitrites and nitrates back in line...they had gone waaay off chart and were giving me really odd test results). I've treated any new water with Prime. Now ammonia won't go lower than 1ppm. Nitrites are stalled at 5ppm. Nitrates are way up there. Either my cycle is crashing, or I'm adding inconsistent amounts of ammonia, or my tank just won't cycle! Maybe I'll see results since adding baking soda? I'm about to just give up and fishy cycle from scratch once the Bio-Spria arrives!

mishi8
who is really tired of testing water everyday for the last 14 weeks!
 
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I've never done that fishless cycle. It sounds like some giant chemistry experiment gone wrong I mean your adding ammonia and baking soda and god knows what else. They should just tell you to **** in the water. :D

I would think if you have ammonia and nitrite present in the water that bio-spira would work, since basically it is just a bacteria culture that needs nitrites and ammonia to eat and thus grow.

You may want to buy some cheap danio or something and throw it in there and see if it lives.
 
oh it sounds like you might want to change some/ a lot of your water. I mean if you have nitrites and nitrates it seems like the cycle is working and the bacteria colonies are working.
 
TorturedSOUL said:
oh it sounds like you might want to change some/ a lot of your water. I mean if you have nitrites and nitrates it seems like the cycle is working and the bacteria colonies are working.
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The cycle isn't complete until I get 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite after 24 hours. So, no, the cycle isn't complete yet. The point of fishless cycling is developing a biofilter that can safely support a full bioload of fish. I seem to be stuck at about the same point I got to when I cycled with fish -- they ended up dying before the cycle was complete. I'm not going to just toss some danios in and see if they survive...especially since I don't want to have danios in my tank.

Perhaps someone who's BTDT has some words of wisdom?

mishi8
 
TorturedSOUL said:
I've never done that fishless cycle. It sounds like some giant chemistry experiment gone wrong I mean your adding ammonia and baking soda and god knows what else. They should just tell you to **** in the water. :D
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BTW, if you have a problem with fishless cycling and want to comment on it, then start your own thread. Otherwise, keep the disparaging comments to yourself.
 
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