I have a 15 gallon tank freshwater tank with 3 female bettas, 4 rosy barbs and 5 cory cats and I just learned a couple of weeks ago what "cycling" actually was. I have had problems with secondary bacterial infections and a few deaths since I started 5 months or so ago.
I heard about Bio-Spira just in time to know it had been discontinued by MarineLand Labs. I found out it's now being sold by the developer himself and is now called One and Only (www.drtimsaquarist.com).
I received a bottle on Friday and per directions I did a water changes to get my NH3 levels to between 2.00-4.00ppm. I had already started a normal cycling period prior to. On the first day I added 45ml One and Only to the tank since the label said minimal treatment was 1ml/gal.
The following morning the NH3 levels had increased to above 10 ml/L and the fish were visibly distressed. Nitrite and Nitrate levels were negligible and tap water pH in this area is 7.6-8.0 (hard water, evident from white deposits being a fact of life).
I followed with an elongated series of gradual water changes & NH3 levels were 1-2ppm. I added more One and Only (30 ml) and had not been feeding the fish much. The rosy barbs started shoaling again.
In addition to the fish, I have an airstone, a sponge filter, plus a Bio-Wheel filter (rated up to 20 gallons) and two small heaters. When I added the One and Only I poured it into the water directly over the sponge filter and on the bio-wheel itself.
I never cycled the tank prior to adding these fish so I was always battling high NH3 levels not realizing I was probably killing off any chance for the cycle to develop by being overly zealous with the water changes/gravel cleaning. I hope I’m doing things correctly at this point.
I know that any NH3 is too much - and I've been doing partial water changes 2-3 times per day - paying particular attention not to disturb the gravel bed too much but trying to dilute the NH3 so I don't lose any more fish. Yesterday (Tuesday) I saw a spike in nitrate and nitrite but it did not happen again today so I added another 10ml of the One and Only. Maybe in the next couple of days this will take care of itself, but for now, I'm concerned.
Has anyone had experience with Bio-Spira or One and Only that has any advice/thoughts? I'm concerned that the water changes are removing or killing off just enough bacteria to slow down the process. I'm trying to find a happy medium to get the cycle going but not destroy my fish (although from what I've read I've already stressed the crap out of them).
I have a few rooted plant clippings in the tank - otherwise it's fabric fake plants, natural rock for the big cave and my gravel is actually small stones (less than 1 cm in diameter and some rounded glass things). Temperature is consistently just below 80 F.
I heard about Bio-Spira just in time to know it had been discontinued by MarineLand Labs. I found out it's now being sold by the developer himself and is now called One and Only (www.drtimsaquarist.com).
I received a bottle on Friday and per directions I did a water changes to get my NH3 levels to between 2.00-4.00ppm. I had already started a normal cycling period prior to. On the first day I added 45ml One and Only to the tank since the label said minimal treatment was 1ml/gal.
The following morning the NH3 levels had increased to above 10 ml/L and the fish were visibly distressed. Nitrite and Nitrate levels were negligible and tap water pH in this area is 7.6-8.0 (hard water, evident from white deposits being a fact of life).
I followed with an elongated series of gradual water changes & NH3 levels were 1-2ppm. I added more One and Only (30 ml) and had not been feeding the fish much. The rosy barbs started shoaling again.
In addition to the fish, I have an airstone, a sponge filter, plus a Bio-Wheel filter (rated up to 20 gallons) and two small heaters. When I added the One and Only I poured it into the water directly over the sponge filter and on the bio-wheel itself.
I never cycled the tank prior to adding these fish so I was always battling high NH3 levels not realizing I was probably killing off any chance for the cycle to develop by being overly zealous with the water changes/gravel cleaning. I hope I’m doing things correctly at this point.
I know that any NH3 is too much - and I've been doing partial water changes 2-3 times per day - paying particular attention not to disturb the gravel bed too much but trying to dilute the NH3 so I don't lose any more fish. Yesterday (Tuesday) I saw a spike in nitrate and nitrite but it did not happen again today so I added another 10ml of the One and Only. Maybe in the next couple of days this will take care of itself, but for now, I'm concerned.
Has anyone had experience with Bio-Spira or One and Only that has any advice/thoughts? I'm concerned that the water changes are removing or killing off just enough bacteria to slow down the process. I'm trying to find a happy medium to get the cycle going but not destroy my fish (although from what I've read I've already stressed the crap out of them).
I have a few rooted plant clippings in the tank - otherwise it's fabric fake plants, natural rock for the big cave and my gravel is actually small stones (less than 1 cm in diameter and some rounded glass things). Temperature is consistently just below 80 F.