A week ago, I finally added plants and biospyra to my 60gallon tank. I also sprinkled a small amount of fish food flakes in the tank to "feed" the bacteria until I am able to get some fish. I have been so busy at work that I have not had time to test the water yet to see if it has cycled. I am concerned that the bacteria may have starved by now. Also, if my water parameters are way off, would a partial water change help? Honestly, all the research I have read over the past 4 months has slipped through the holes in my brain. All patient replies welcome.... :duh:
Bio-Spyra cycling
- Thread starter Elfinbrook
- Start date
You should have waited to put the fish in with the biospira. The food probably did not make near enough ammonia to keep the biospira alive 
Sorry to say you wasted your biospira purchase. It needs to be added with the fish, as is clearly stated on the package.
Looks like you're back to square one as far as cycling....
Looks like you're back to square one as far as cycling....
I hate to tell you, your tank has already started cycling. You will need to clean EVERYTHING and start out with new water and a new filter if you want to try again. Clean gravel and EVERYTHING. Good luck.
Sandy
Sandy
He does not need to clean his tank and start from scratch. Test the water and do a water change if your nitrate levels are a little high, otherwise just add the BioSpira along with your fishload and monitor for a few days to ensure ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates are within safe limits.
*nod*...unless there was a major disease issue, the tank shouldnt need to be sterilized. A water change, sure, but then consider yourself back at level one and go from there.
Hi,
I only made the comment above from past experience. I did the same thing with the bio-spira (added it with no fish). Ran the next day to get fish, even changed media. Unfortunatly, the tank had already begun cyclin and the new bio-spira didn't work. So i'm cycling ANOTHER tank because i didn't jus break it down and clean out everything. Could it have been a bad batch of bio-spira? Sure, its possible. But, i'm only speaking from the experience I have had using it and doing the exact same thing as he has. I still suggest you break down the tank, clean everything well, and start over. Just my 2 cents.
Sandy
I only made the comment above from past experience. I did the same thing with the bio-spira (added it with no fish). Ran the next day to get fish, even changed media. Unfortunatly, the tank had already begun cyclin and the new bio-spira didn't work. So i'm cycling ANOTHER tank because i didn't jus break it down and clean out everything. Could it have been a bad batch of bio-spira? Sure, its possible. But, i'm only speaking from the experience I have had using it and doing the exact same thing as he has. I still suggest you break down the tank, clean everything well, and start over. Just my 2 cents.
Sandy
Sub, I dont understand your meaning of cycle. If the tank had started a cycle, then the new addition of bio spira would only help. As would the addition of fish. Can you explain better what you are talking about? IMO if the tank has amonia, and nitrosomonas/nitrobacter it would cycle.
Ok..ill go into detail SF 
. I added the bio-spira the night I bought it, into a brand new 10 gallon that I had just setup. Unfortunatly, me bein forgetful, I forgot to buy fish for it. So, as I was talking to a few ACers, they told me "your pretty much screwed, you need to add the fish immediately. "Take out the filter and you may have a shot." So I thought crap, any of the bacteria that came from the pouch are now in my filter and will start a cycle. So, I didn't do a water change, or clean out my tank, just replaced my filter. I guess that wasn't good enough ( I didn't take water perameters so I cant give em 
) because when I went the next morning to pick up some fish and a new pack of bio-spira, the tank didn't immediatly cycle (w/i 1-2 days). Right now i'm doing a typical cycle on that tank because 1. the cycle started with the first pack of bio-spira (therefore subsequent packs will only speed up the cycle, but wont make it immedate Since i didn't add any fish), or 2. The bio-spira I bought was dead (this is always a possibility). Ok, not sure I can explain any better than that, but HTH.
Sandy
. I added the bio-spira the night I bought it, into a brand new 10 gallon that I had just setup. Unfortunatly, me bein forgetful, I forgot to buy fish for it. So, as I was talking to a few ACers, they told me "your pretty much screwed, you need to add the fish immediately. "Take out the filter and you may have a shot." So I thought crap, any of the bacteria that came from the pouch are now in my filter and will start a cycle. So, I didn't do a water change, or clean out my tank, just replaced my filter. I guess that wasn't good enough ( I didn't take water perameters so I cant give em ) because when I went the next morning to pick up some fish and a new pack of bio-spira, the tank didn't immediatly cycle (w/i 1-2 days). Right now i'm doing a typical cycle on that tank because 1. the cycle started with the first pack of bio-spira (therefore subsequent packs will only speed up the cycle, but wont make it immedate Since i didn't add any fish), or 2. The bio-spira I bought was dead (this is always a possibility). Ok, not sure I can explain any better than that, but HTH.Sandy