Bio-Sripa instructions
- Thread starter Dan the Fish
- Start date
I've used/seen Bio-Spira twice now. Both times got a bacteria bloom.
First time I saw someone use it and poored it directly into the water in a tank that had fish in it and high ammonia concentration. They had purchased the tank and fish for a decoration at a store without knowing anything about the nitro cycle. Massive bacteria bloom. Fish survived but they were doing 50% water changes daily in a 180G tank till the bloom cleared up. Took about 2 weeks.
Second time was when I used Bio-Spira. Had a tank set up, put in water, bought a few fish and was going to go buy some Bio-Spira but the only store in my area that sold it was closed. Had to wait for two days. I put the Bio-Spira in my filter, and none directly in the water. I also got a mild bacteria bloom that STILL hasn't cleared up and it's been a month now. Fish are all fine, but it's annoying as all heck cause my other two tanks that I didn't use Bio-Spira on are crystal clear. Fish are all a-okay and water tests are just where I want them, just got the mild white cloudiness. Water changes don't seem to be helping.
The only difference I can think of on my tanks is there is a full bubble wall in the back of the Bio-Spira used tank. I *think* that the bubble wall is causing currents that don't allow the bacteria to settle. Also other the person I mentioned that used Bio-Spira also did not have a bubble wall. I'm going to attempt no-current for a few days and see what happens there.
Bio-Spira from what I have found work GREAT as long as it is stored and transported properly (I even brought the stuff home in a cooler just to be safe), but the tendancy to bacteria bloom on an existing tank seems to be high. Next time I use it I'll try on a tank will little to no current and add it on setup with the fish instead of after the fish are in the tank.
First time I saw someone use it and poored it directly into the water in a tank that had fish in it and high ammonia concentration. They had purchased the tank and fish for a decoration at a store without knowing anything about the nitro cycle. Massive bacteria bloom. Fish survived but they were doing 50% water changes daily in a 180G tank till the bloom cleared up. Took about 2 weeks.
Second time was when I used Bio-Spira. Had a tank set up, put in water, bought a few fish and was going to go buy some Bio-Spira but the only store in my area that sold it was closed. Had to wait for two days. I put the Bio-Spira in my filter, and none directly in the water. I also got a mild bacteria bloom that STILL hasn't cleared up and it's been a month now. Fish are all fine, but it's annoying as all heck cause my other two tanks that I didn't use Bio-Spira on are crystal clear. Fish are all a-okay and water tests are just where I want them, just got the mild white cloudiness. Water changes don't seem to be helping.
The only difference I can think of on my tanks is there is a full bubble wall in the back of the Bio-Spira used tank. I *think* that the bubble wall is causing currents that don't allow the bacteria to settle. Also other the person I mentioned that used Bio-Spira also did not have a bubble wall. I'm going to attempt no-current for a few days and see what happens there.
Bio-Spira from what I have found work GREAT as long as it is stored and transported properly (I even brought the stuff home in a cooler just to be safe), but the tendancy to bacteria bloom on an existing tank seems to be high. Next time I use it I'll try on a tank will little to no current and add it on setup with the fish instead of after the fish are in the tank.
Adding the Biospira to the filter instead of the water may help speed up the process a little, but you won't notice a difference really. The bacteria will eventually settle onto a surface and colonize it within 24hrs, once they settle in they will pretty much cover all surface area within the tank and filters.
If you have enough filtration, it shouldn't make a difference whether it is added to the filter or water.
While carbon isn't needed in the regular operation of an aquarium, whether or not it is in the filter when BioSpira is added is irrelevant. Carbon doesn't remove ammonia. The only downside is that, while it has a lot of surface area to colonize, once the pores become clogged, carbon becomes a useless, but pricey, rock. By that point all the other filter media will be saturated with bacteria.
You don't need a biowheel. While they are, in principle, designed with nitrifiers in mind, I've yet to see proof that they are required or necessary to successful operation of an aquarium. If you need a biowheel to provide the bacteria with O2, you have serious problems with the O2 level in your tank.
Your english looks fine to me, Blanch
While carbon isn't needed in the regular operation of an aquarium, whether or not it is in the filter when BioSpira is added is irrelevant. Carbon doesn't remove ammonia. The only downside is that, while it has a lot of surface area to colonize, once the pores become clogged, carbon becomes a useless, but pricey, rock. By that point all the other filter media will be saturated with bacteria.
You don't need a biowheel. While they are, in principle, designed with nitrifiers in mind, I've yet to see proof that they are required or necessary to successful operation of an aquarium. If you need a biowheel to provide the bacteria with O2, you have serious problems with the O2 level in your tank.
Your english looks fine to me, Blanch
Blargh, this is what's happening to me as I write. Out of curiousity, what size is the tank?Domandred said:
ROFL! I just plugged my wand back in thinking that it might be that I unplugged it
I'm wondering if it may have to to with tank size? I used Spira on all my other tanks : 20gal, 10gal, and 6gal and had no problems at all. It's my 36gal bowfront that I'm having trouble with.
Roan
It's a 25G tank that I'm having problems with. Kicked off the bubble wall overnight and it cut down the cloudiness slightly. I determined that part of the cloudiness was actually very very small bubbles floating around. Still waiting to see if the rest settles or not.
