Fishless Cycle Experiment with Bio-Spira.

[asincero]

I'm setting up a small 10g tank, and instead of waiting the month for a fishless cycle using ammonia to complete, I decided to give Bio-Spira a try. However, before I added Bio-Spira to the tank, I dosed it with enough ammonia to get a 5ppm reading. I then added the Bio-Spira. If the Bio-Spira worked as advertised, the ammonia should magically disappear within a few days.

Well, in about 3 days the ammonia did in fact disappear. I checked for nitrates and there were nitrates present. I was like "wow ... this stuff really works". Since I didn't have any fish to stick in the tank yet, I decided to do a "maintenance dose" of ammonia to keep the bacteria alive so they won't starve to death. So I dosed it with enough ammonia to get a reading of about 3ppm.

It's been almost a week and a half later, and there is still ammonia in the tank . It's not as high as 3ppm, but the color indicator is a yellow-green and not just yellow indicating that there is still some ammonia in the tank. Anybody have any ideas as to what went wrong here? Perhaps I exceeded the bio-filtering capacity of the bio-wheel in the filter? The filter I'm using is the one built into the Eclipse 1 hood. Since some of the ammonia got consumed but not all, thats probably the most reasonable hypothesis. However, I'd like some input from others as well.

I suppose one way to help confirm this is to do a 100% water change, then dose it with enough ammonia to read only 1ppm or something. Then see if the ammonia disappears entirely. If it does, then I'm probably right. If it doesn't, then I'll really be confused!

 

[jwddboy]

100% water change is a bad idea.

A few test kits stop working after doses of bacteria growth chemicals. Try to find a good one that reads actual ammonia.

Also try leaving it for a bit. If it has worked there is a chance it is still working, just a little slower. Keep checking your water parameters.

 

[djmodifyd]

i have heard that bio spira will not work without fish.
i know that you added ammonia......but maybe it is different somehow?

i used it on my 55, and it work WONDERS, absoutly amazing

 

[mishi8]

I wouldn't do a 100% change, but 90% shouldn't hurt. It could be the cycle is stalled now, and doing a water change may help to "reset" the tank, returning the pH and KH to normal levels. Just make sure you declorinate the new water before adding it to the tank.

Bio-Spira will have no effect on the accuracy of your test kits, BTW.

 

[kribensis]

useless bio spira

I tried the bio spira with fish and it still didn't work. It still took about 4 weeks for the tank to complete its first cycle. I would not recommend wasting money on buying "bacteria in a bottle" or any other quick fix.

Hope this helps.

Kribby
www.cluemein.net/aquariums

 

[TDWagner]

I tried the bio spira with fish and it still didn't work. It still took about 4 weeks for the tank to complete its first cycle. I would not recommend wasting money on buying "bacteria in a bottle" or any other quick fix.

I totally disagree. I have personal experience with Bio Spira and it worked perfectly. There are also a good number of people posting here who have also used it effectively.

Most failures can be attibuted to the handling. Bio Spira must be refrigerated in order to keep the bacteria alive. Batches that were allowed to warm up too much during shipping will die and be ineffective. The product works if handled properly.

 

[jwddboy]

Best thing you can do if you want to "kickstart" your aquarium is to seed it with ready bacteria. This is free and you dont have to take your chances in 'will it or wont it work' scenarios.

You can do this by getting some gravel, filter media and sometimes plants from a friends well established tank or a nice healthy one at your LPS. They come with live bacteria already in or on them and are a great way to get bacteria in there fast. Then do the same thing you would normally do with your ammonia and often you can cut around 2-4 weeks off your cycle

 

[patoloco]

I am not able to get BioSpira, so the times I've started a tank I've seeded it with pieces of the other filters, and has also worked fine. Last time I had to start a 20 gl tank, I used the old water from my 50 gl. tank, and filled the new filter with a piece of sponge from the older one. Inmediate cycle. Added the fish (the old water was in good shape) and no ammo nor nitrites yet.

 

[YoFishboy]

I am not able to get BioSpira, so the times I've started a tank I've seeded it with pieces of the other filters, and has also worked fine. Last time I had to start a 20 gl tank, I used the old water from my 50 gl. tank, and filled the new filter with a piece of sponge from the older one. Inmediate cycle. Added the fish (the old water was in good shape) and no ammo nor nitrites yet.

Hehe...that's what I do...I just use media from another tank....my current tank bacteria are the descendents from a tank I set up in 1987! That was the last time I had a very short break with no tanks in 37 years!

 

[jmattingly]

I used Bio Spira on my 125, and it cycled practically overnight. I had no choice, as the tank came stocked with fish when I picked it up. Rather than use them as throw aways to cycle the tank, I used the bacteria. It worked like a charm!

I think the bacteria does need a bit more than amonia in the tank to really do the trick though. The amonia will get the bacteria started. But the fish waste is what will sustain them. In the case of the original poster, you might want to start stocking your tank now, and see if that aids in completing the cycle. Your water sounds to be safe enough at this point to start adding some fish.

Joe