What is the difference with Bio-Spira for Freshwater and Bio-Spira for Saltwater? Are the nitrifying bacteria different species or something?
Bio-Spira difference??
- Thread starter Watcher74
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Just FYI, Fintique in San Antonio Texas still has Bio-spira in stock. I just bought a few packets to keep on hand and they had quite a few more in the fridge so if anyone's near there you can pick some up. KYle
BioSpira is the result of the graduate work of Tim Hovanec, one of the folks who showed that the almost always cited Nitrosomas and Nitrobacter are not in fact the nitrification bacteria which establish in FW tanks. SW tanks have different bacteria for oxidizing ammonia to nitrate.
He wrote up the popularization of his and others' work in the area for Aquarium Frontiers, back when that publication was live. I don't know if the links to tank are still functional, but those articles and others are available on Marineland's site.
http://www.marineland.com/drtims.asp
There are many species of bacteria which use ammonia or nitrite as an energy source, but a much smaller number which actually establish and function long-term in our tanks. And the ones which do so unfortunately have no dormant or spore form, so present difficulty in developing a commercial product carrying them.
He wrote up the popularization of his and others' work in the area for Aquarium Frontiers, back when that publication was live. I don't know if the links to tank are still functional, but those articles and others are available on Marineland's site.
http://www.marineland.com/drtims.asp
There are many species of bacteria which use ammonia or nitrite as an energy source, but a much smaller number which actually establish and function long-term in our tanks. And the ones which do so unfortunately have no dormant or spore form, so present difficulty in developing a commercial product carrying them.
RTR is correct. Be careful of the shelf life (fridge life) of bio-spira. It will only be effective for a certian period of time.
I realize that it has a shelf-life but according to some articles I've read, it's much longer than they first suspected. I know this stuff is still good because I tested a tank with it and there was little to no readings of ammonia or nitrite and they went to zero within the day. I'm sold...Kyle