Why isn't everyone cycling with BioSpira?

[Rondory]

Hi,

I'm a newbie and often read how people are cycling the old fashion method with Ammonia, raw shrimp and fish food...etc.

Why not just go out and buy some BioSpira? Is it the cost? Availability? Doesn't it work well?

thank you

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Bio-Spira is pretty hard to come by in alot of locations. In the Southern Illinois region I have found 1 location that sells it and would have to drive to STL to purchase it (3 hour trip one way). Plus, it is alot cheaper to buy a container of Ammonia compared to a batch of Bio-Spira.

As long as the batch that you purchase has been properly refrigerated, you shouldn't have a problem. BUT, sometimes some locations do not properly refrigerate the product, thus making it useless.

 

[fishygurl]

Well, its not availiable in lots of places, I cant buy it here in Canada for example...

 

[dimdem]

I didn't have good results with it. There is an old thread around here somewhere chronicling my saga. I used two different packets, obtained from two completely different sources---one mail-ordered, one from a local lfs---and didn't get the expected results with either. I put some fish through a rough cycle as a result.

I don't mean to talk down the product, because some people have great success and because I can't vouch for how it was stored before I got it. (IIRC, the packet that I had shipped came overnight with an icepack.)

 

[Jchillin]

Actually, the product is rarely even known by newbies and of course, it's not readily available at most LFS.

Despite all the accolades afforded Bio-Spira, there is nothing like cycling from scratch and then cycling your additional tanks with media from the first one.

 

[bosk1]

I initially stayed away because of (1) cost, and (2) suspicion of cycling any way other than the "old fashioned way." I believed my tank was cycled, but actually had high nitrites (interesting saga regarding my test kit, but I won't get into all that again). After adding some fish, I discovered the problem, and added a half dose of Bio-spira. It took care of the problem. I would highly endorse it!

 

[Rondory]

Thank you. I live in a big city where every pet store carries it, so I guess I'm one of the luckier newbies .

I'm going to give it a try when I cycle my tank.....if it doesn't work then I will be buying some shrimp for dinner and the tank.

 

[Gunnie]

It's really better for the newbie to experience the cycling process on the first tank to help you understand with experience how the cycle works. That's why it's not usually recommended from the beginning because in the long run, if you've cycled a tank with ammonia or fish, you are better equipped to deal with problems when they arise later. Bio spira is also expensive compared to fishless or with fish cycling, and as stated already, unless you know the product has been handled properly, you will end up buying an expensive packet of dead bacteria and end up cycling with fish anyway.

 

[Skyrmir]

Like others have said it's hard to come by in many locations and it depends on how good the LFS store is at refrigerating it and keeping fresh stock.

It's really touchy stuff to keep fresh through shipping etc. Other than that, great stuff really.

Also I've heard reports that some folks are using Ridx and similar septic tank solutions because the it's cheaper. Not sure it's as safe for the fish, but it might be.

 

[Zagz]

For me it is availability issues and cost to ship it in. In Canada also. Can't find it anywhere. And now I have 9 tanks I can always run two filters or borrow filter media. MTS is a wonderful thing.

 

[QTOFFER]

If you can find BioSpira, give it a try. It's a great product, and it works. Just be sure that your lfs has been storing it properly under refrigeration - warm biospira is just expensive, dead bacteria.

I cycled my very first tank with it. Then, there was a production problem, and it wasn't available anywhere for almost a year. Some lfs that once sold it declined to carry it when it made its reappearance. It's still somewhat hard to find, and it can't be shipped to Canada for some reason.

Any time I need to cycle a new tank now, I just pull a sponge filter or some biomedia from one of my established tanks.

 

[crazycat]

i think everyone get different results with biospira--i had terrible results--as in nothing happened--and i needed to cycle a tank quickly, so i was quite disappointed. however, if you can find it, and don't mind the expense, it cant hurt i guess. but don't expect an instaneous cycle--it may help things along a little... jme

 

[Legacy]

I find it funny that everyone is saying that availability is an issue for them. So far 90% of the fish stores that I've been to in Southern California have all had it in both the freshwater and marine versions. For me it just didn't work for my brackish tank. Freshwater stuff died almost instantly and put my NH3 way way up and then maybe only 1/2 of the marine stuff made it.

So my suggestion to anyone that is trying to use it with a brackish tank is to start the tank at 1.000, use freshwater bio-spira with your full bio-load and then raise the SG .002 every week, but no more, until you've reached the desired salinity.

 

[Jchillin]

I can't recall exactly when, but sometime in 2004, Bio-Spira was totally unavailable as the demand far outweighed the availability. Some LFS that did carry it never re-stocked it. At least in my area that is true.

 

[coolchinchilla]

I don't get it because of the expense. I can patiently wait a few weeks for a normal cycle to happen instead of coughing up the $15 for birospira...

 

[spring007]

I added 2 packets of bio spira for my new 240 Gal tank... and within 2 days the ammonia level was 0!
I could leave my arowana in there within a week....
I really liked it..

 

[mvigor]

Biospira is available from at least 1 LFS in my town, but I know that if the shipper or the LFS did not keep it cold that I'm paying a lot of money for a dead can of nothing. I guess it's a trust issue more than a cost issue.

I think the company needs to make some kind of sticker for the label or the lid of the package that shows a "I got warm and now I'm dead" message when the product has spoiled. I would probably become a customer if they did that. The LFS could have a display can showing that message and then show you that all the others were still okay.

 

[Simpte]

It's really better for the newbie to experience the cycling process on the first tank to help you understand with experience how the cycle works. That's why it's not usually recommended from the beginning because in the long run, if you've cycled a tank with ammonia or fish, you are better equipped to deal with problems when they arise later. Bio spira is also expensive compared to fishless or with fish cycling, and as stated already, unless you know the product has been handled properly, you will end up buying an expensive packet of dead bacteria and end up cycling with fish anyway.

Well said. One needs to learn how and why tanks do what they do. I don't recommend your first tank to be cycled with bio-spira. Patience is a must in this hobby.

 

[blang]

I purchased one packet of biospira for my 90 gallon tank. I tested the water two days later and everything was fine. Total cost was $15. This is the second time I have used it. I used it for a 10 gallon tank and it took about a week for the levels to be perfect.

 

[maxwell1295]

I put a pack in my 30 gal about 24 hours ago. Nothing has happened yet. I guess we'll see if some nitrites pop up over the next couple of days...