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 [acronym:94aea01eb8="Local Fish Store"]lfs[/acronym:94aea01eb8]---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 [acronym:83e84cfe73="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:83e84cfe73].

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 [acronym:e895134f25="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:e895134f25] 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. [acronym:b7c612d420="Malaysian Trumpet Snails or Multiple Tank Syndrome, depending on context"]MTS[/acronym:b7c612d420] is a wonderful thing.