View Full Version : Bio-Spira in brackish tanks?
Hrafnkel
07-21-2005, 5:38 PM
Can Bio-Spira be used to start a brackish tank? Or is it freshwater only?
Gunnie
07-21-2005, 8:16 PM
There is freshwater bio spira and saltwater bio spira. So your question is a mystery to me, but if you call Bernie at his toll free number at The Fish Store (http://www.fishstoretn.com), he will be able to help you out. He's been selling the bio spira since it first came out years ago. If anyone has the answer it will be him.
Hrafnkel
07-21-2005, 8:25 PM
Thanks. What about putting it in a FW tank that gradually changes to brackish?
FW BioSpira is suitable for light BW. Above 1.008-1.010, it would be better to use the SW formulation. FW formulation is of course suitable for any FW tank. If you transition to BW no more than 0.002 specific gravity difference per week, you are unlikely to see any unoxidized ammonia or nitrite. If you make that increase every two weeks, you are very highly unlikely to ever see any. In other words, there is a gray area of overlap, and while the FW bacteria are declining but still alive and functional, the SW bacteria are growing and the colonies expanding.
Hrafnkel
07-21-2005, 9:09 PM
Alright. I was planning to go with .002 every week or so, simply because the main fish I want for said tank is usually housed in freshwater in stores, and I want to make it easy. I'm going for light brackish, too. Figure-8 Puffer and such.
Puffernewbee
07-22-2005, 8:04 AM
I cycled my puffers brackish tank with it. I inicially bought the fish and was cycling the tank with the fish (I know I should not have done that but the person at the LFS had 2 F-8's and said that they were very hardy and she had cycled her tanks with her fish and had no problems). Even though the fish gave no appearance of being stressed I became concerned with the levels of my ammonia and nitrites. Bought the Bio-Spira (Freshwater) and my levels were down in 24 hours.