Bio-Spira Marine

[SaltwaterTeen]

I just added bio-spira to my tank yesturday(Sat) and I am waiting for it to cycle it still isnt cycled. I have a 50gal saltwater setup with filstar xP3 Filtration system, Seaclone 100 Protein Skimmer, and turbo twist uv sterilizer. This morning i found my two damsels and my shrimp dead in my fish tank and it was quite cloudy, the only creature that survived was my feather duster, it might be because i didnt properly put them in, the way I did it is I let the bag sit in the water for about 20 mins and put in the fish. Also this morning I tested my nitrates, ammonias, phs. and my nitrites and my results were:

pH:7.9 (going to buy buffer to raise pH)

Nitrate:10

Nitrites:0.2

Ammonia:0.2

I am wondering if this bio spira will work, I did everything the instructions said and I got the right one for my salt water tank. I dunno if my test result show that my bio spira is working but tomorrow I will check it again to see if ammonia and nitrites have dropped to 0.

NOTE: Please post if u had success with the bio spira for the saltwater tanks, Thanks.

 

[HoopsGuru]

Bio Spira is not a conclusive way to immediately cycle a tank that would allow for the addition of livestock at the same time. The dead damsels and shrimp will attest to that. The cycle should be allowed to occur until all ammonia and nitrite have peaked and return to 0ppm (fueled by cocktail shrimp, uncured liverock, etc...not living things).

As far as acclimation, IMO floating the bag is not enough. It is necessary to know what specific gravity/salinity and PH the livestock are coming from...and then slowly match them up.

 

[Doan]

I agree with hoops. The spira might be a good way to reduce the cycling time but still I think that just going in the next day and stocking the tank is too quick. The cloud is probably a bacteria bloom and nothing to worry about it will go away with time. I belive it even says on the bio spira package that it will take about a week (which is a great improvement on the 4-6 most of us had to wait) or so before livstock can be added. It is a shortcut from what I understand not a mircale. If I were you I would not add anything else until the lvls were down. Then one thing at a time very slowly and please search around this forum for drip acclimation it will help tremendously. Welcome to the hobby it is amazing at times and breathtaking at others but please remember these small words of advice that I got in this very forum as they are true and will save you alot of dead live stock and lost money.

In salt water aquariums only bad things happen fast.

Doan

 

[Sparky]

I have read the package, It says that you can put fish in right away after you put the Bio-Spira in your tank. I have decided not to use this stuff based on the information I got from here and from the inconclusive answered I recieved from the LFS sales people.

I decided to do mine the old fashoined way. Unfortunately I used fish instead of "shrimp".....Maybe I should have done a little more research on this before hand. As of right now, the tank is cycling at the pace it should and the fish are still healthy "looking"...so hopefully I can get through this without too much stress on the fish.

 

[Doan]

Just curious what kind of fish did you use??

Doan

 

[bulldog12]

Bio-Spira is just not a good idea for cycling a reef tank. You need to cycle with uncured live rock. Bio Spira in my experience with fresh water has made water conditions very unstable.

 

[Sparky]

Just curious what kind of fish did you use??

I used 4 Damsel fish.

 

[SaltwaterTeen]

It turned out that I way overfed them, because yesturday Morning I checked Ammonia and it was 0.6! I asked the lfs what was the matter and she said to do a 50% water change and dont feed fish anymore, and she said we need to turn off the uv sterilizer for 2 weeks cuz after I saw the cloudyness I truned it on with protein skimmer. So far the fish are doing fine 1st day weve had them w/o probs.

 

[Guest]

Isnt this the stuff that cycles your tank overnight Wow that sounds to good to be true.... O wait thats because it is. If your going to do it do it the right way, and allow at least 4-6 weeks for your cycle to complete. Also have you gotten any LR in there?

 

[SaltwaterTeen]

No LR and I added bio-spira cuz I am lazy and dont want to wait such a long time. This morning I checked the ammonia and nitrite, and nitrite has dropped to 0 and ammonia was a different color than on the scale.

 

[WarOrks15]

what color. it might mean that you did not get the right number of drops in the 5 ml test tube. or it could be off the chart

 

[Guest]

Because your lazy huh? Maybe this isn't the best hobby for you, and with no LR I hope you have some top of the line mechanical filtration. To be successful you need patience, allow it to mature. If you rush it.. your bound to mess up, as you have already seen.

 

[SaltwaterTeen]

I just added about 6lbs or LR lastnight and some pH buffer

 

[SaltwaterTeen]

of

 

[dralarms]

Why the ph buffer?

 

[cmor1701d]

I just added about 6lbs or LR

The recommended amount of LR is 1½ - 2 pounds per gallons of gross tank volume. In your case, 100-150 pounds of LR. Six is just not going to cut it unless you have a good wet/dry and going fish only. Then the small amount of LR will be decoration and hiding places for the fish.

The most important thing to remember is that nothing GOOD ever happens quickly in a saltwater aquarium.

 

[Doan]

cmor1701d lol yeah I knew it was something like that lol

 

[SaltwaterTeen]

Well, I was thinking about a coral reef but the lighting is VERY EXSPENSIVE and I have already put about 1000$ into the tank. LR is also quite exspensive, 4.50$ a pound! I added buffer cuz my ph was very low and it was recommended

 

[SaltwaterTeen]

Yea, Im prolly going with fish only. i have a good filtration system anyway its a filstar xP3 the lfs uses it for their fish only tanks

 

[Doan]

Sounds like a very wise choice right now. Perhaps over time you can slowly add live rock and build up from there to a full blown reef.

Doan