My first time with Bio Spira

[Caincando1]

I was going to do a fishless cycle, but I keep reading about how great Bio Spira is so I had to try it out. The tank is a 35 hex with a Penguin 170 HOB with the Bio wheel all used that I've had for about 6 years. The tank was filled about 3 weeks ago and conditioned with PRIME and aquarium salt. It hasn't been stocked nor cycled since filled, just running. I tested the water before stocking and I was showing small signs of ammonia and nitrite, about .25 of each. I added 4 tiger barbs and the bio spira at 5PM last night. I shook the bio spira really well and poured it directly onto the bio wheel. At 9PM two of the barbs showed signs of color loss and all weren't real active. I tested the water at 9PM and the ammonia was up to 1 and the nitrites where up to .5. This morning they looked great, their color is back and perfect, they are very active and acting just like usual barbs. I tested the water again at noon and the ammonia was down to .75 and the nitrites still holding strong at .5.

How am I doing?


oops I guess I should have posted this in the getting started section.

Also here is why I haven't listed any nitrate data. I'm hopeing that I can use the current nitrate reading as a base line and keep up with the PWC to keep the nitrates in check.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=81719

 

[Todd2]

I pulled this off of TFP's website.

Prime removes chlorine, chloramine and ammonia. Ammonia is converted into a safe, non-toxic form that is readily removed by the tank's biofilter. This product may be used during tank cycling to alleviate ammonia/nitrite toxicity. Prime detoxifies nitrite and nitrate, allowing the biofilter to more efficiently remove them.

I find it odd that you had readings of ammonia before adding any fish. Just curious, why did you add salt?

I would just keep testing over a few days and watch the ammonia. Post back if you find anything irregular.

 

[Caincando1]

I pulled this off of TFP's website.

Prime removes chlorine, chloramine and ammonia. Ammonia is converted into a safe, non-toxic form that is readily removed by the tank's biofilter. This product may be used during tank cycling to alleviate ammonia/nitrite toxicity. Prime detoxifies nitrite and nitrate, allowing the biofilter to more efficiently remove them.

I find it odd that you had readings of ammonia before adding any fish. Just curious, why did you add salt?

I would just keep testing over a few days and watch the ammonia. Post back if you find anything irregular.

I thought is was odd that I was showing amonia also. I never tested for amonia when I put the tap water in and only dosed it with PRIME once right away. Now 3 weeks later I showed trace amounts, it may have been even less the .25 but it was enough to show that there was some there. My guess is there must be amonia in an tap water or something, I'm going to have to test it and see.

I just have and odd water situation at this house, so nothing suprises me.

 

[eah]

If I'm not mistaken, there is ammonia in chloramine which is likely to be in your tap water. Also, I have heard that even if you use something to neutralize ammonia that the test will still be able to pick it up in its safer neutarlized form.

 

[Caincando1]

Update-

Last night at 9PM

ammonia .75
nitrites .66

Today at noon (39 hours since stocking)

ammonia .5
nitrites .66

 

[joannde]

Looks like you got a good batch ! Keep watching the nitrites as I've heard some stories (key word - stories - can't validate) that sometimes the BioSpira works on the ammonia but not the nitrites.

Personally I believe in this product. I used it to finish my cycle (what can I say, I was impatient) and I just added another round today to get me through a cycle caused my antibiotics that killed my biofilter.

 

[Caincando1]

If the stuff worked properly when should I expect the nitrites to start dropping? I'm thinking in the next 24-48 hours it should start to drop!??? At what point should I do a PWC if this stuff doesn't work?

 

[joannde]

I can't quite remember 100% but I believe my nitrites started dropping on the 4th day. Do a water change if the parameters get really bad (> 1ppm) but if they're good you can just go to your regular weekly water change regime.

Out of curiosity, did you pour the Bio-Spira into your filter or the water ? The first time I used it I did it half and half because I couldn't figure out if putting it directly into the filter would make a difference. This time I did it into the filter - I'm curious to see if helps.

 

[Caincando1]

I poured it directly onto my bio wheel. I'm not sure if it actually makes a difference, but I figured I had to pour it somewhere, so why not there.

 

[joannde]

Makes sense to me !

 

[JustOneMore20]

Keep watching the nitrites as I've heard some stories (key word - stories - can't validate) that sometimes the BioSpira works on the ammonia but not the nitrites

I just learned recently that the bacteria in Bio-Spira works on nitrites and not ammonia. The bacteria is Nitrospira which is the bacteria that converts nitrites to nitrates. The other bacteria, Nitrosomonas, which converts the ammonia to nitrites. So you need ammonia in the tank for the Bio-Spira to work. It is supposed to work pretty fast though.

 

[sherry]

I tried it twice and it never worked for me.

 

[joannde]

I just learned recently that the bacteria in Bio-Spira works on nitrites and not ammonia. The bacteria is Nitrospira which is the bacteria that converts nitrites to nitrates. The other bacteria, Nitrosomonas, which converts the ammonia to nitrites. So you need ammonia in the tank for the Bio-Spira to work. It is supposed to work pretty fast though.

Respectfully disagree. this is from the marineland website (http://www.marineland.com/products/mllabs/ML_biospira.asp):
PRINCIPLE INGREDIENTS:
Purified water, patented and patent pending pure strains of Nitrosomonas, Nitrosospira and Nitrospira.

As you can see, both types of bacteria are in the culture.

 

[dalto]

I have used bio-spira 10+ times and it has worked everytime. Bio-spira DOES help colonize the bacteria which consumes ammonia. As long as you have a reasonable ammonia source you should see Nitrite development within 24 hours. The full cycle should take 2 weeks at most.

Doing partial water changes shouldn't hurt the bio-spira after the first day or so because most of the bacteria isn't in the water.

 

[Caincando1]

Updates

Last night at 9PM (52hrs since stocking)

Ammonia .1-.15 (really low but still detectable)
Nitrites .3 ( I thought this was a pretty big drop for just 9 hrs so I double checked it with another test to verify and that showed the same)

This morning at 7AM

Nitrites .3 (still questioning the fast drop in nitrites I did another test this morning to ease my mind. )

I have a PWC planned for tonight or tomarrow if I can't get at it tonight.

 

[Caincando1]

Updates

Last night at 5PM(72 hrs after stocking)

ammonia- .1-.15
nitrites- .3

Last night at 9PM

ammonia 0
nitrites- .25

I wasn't able to do a PWC last night so I will do it today after work. I'm thinking I should be completely cycled by then too.

 

[MSU Fan]

Hey, I really hope that Bio-Spira works...I just bought some and am going to use it to cycle my 75gal!

 

[JRagg]

I've read that it takes the bacteria that turn nitrite->nitrate around 40 hours to double in population. You're almost done with your bio-spira cycle. The stuff really does work wonders.

 

[Caincando1]

I'm hoping my nitrites are at 0 when I get home today. I'm planning to do a 30% water change. So even if they aren't all the way to zero they soon will be.

Then it's time to add a few more barbs. I don't want to add to many and over load it. I'm thinking maybe 4 more.

 

[joannde]

FYI, I just used it again 2 days ago because of my defunct (antibiotic killed) biofilter. It took about 36 hrs before I saw any changes in either ammonia or nitrites, but its starting to work now Love the stuff ! As long as you get a "good" batch (ie: not mishandled and accidentally warmed or frozen during shipping or hanlding) I firmly believe it works.