YEAHHHHHH!!!!!! Found Bio spira!!

[fishgirl30]

Hey, just wanted to say that I finally found some bio spira!! I am so happy for my fishies! I found a store up in Portland, Or. A place called 'The Wet Place'. I found it today, and as soon as my daughter got out of school, ZOOM, I was up there Just wanted to let everyone know about it. So those that live around northern oregon or southern washington, have a place to go. My tank was cycling, the ammonia was finally coming down yesterday, but those darn nitrites were so high-almost to 40ppm, and that was after I did a 50% water change. But, I feel alot better knowing that hopefully tomorrow it will be better. I was not sure if you just dump it in the water, or put it on the bio wheel, or what, so I put some on both bio wheels, and the rest in the water. All it said as far as instructions were to shake it well and add to water. Did I do it alright?
Thanks to everyone for there wonderful advice!

 

[Aquarian]

I just dumped mine into the tank... I guess we'll see! I did a test a few hours ago and my ammonia was absolutely 0 and my NO2 was definitely down to 20ppm from 40ppm lastnight (just before adding the bio-spira).

Good luck!

 

[TankGirl]

Please read my article on Bio-Spira - check at the top of your screen or on the home page for articles.

There needs to be fish in there for Bio-Spira to work, and it works the best when added to a new tank with the full load of fish. When you add it to the tank you are adding two bacteria, one that needs ammonia and one that needs nitrIte to live. If there is already a load of ammonia and a load of nitrIte in the tank when you add it, it takes a day or two to get rolling. If you add it when you add all of your fish, the bacteria are able to keep up with the gradual rise in levels, and all you see after 24 hours is trace nitrAte - a cycled tank.

If this is a tank that was being fishy cycled, it might take a couple of days for it to work, but it will help immensely, and your fish will thank you! If it is a fishless cycled tank (I typically get stalled out for a good long while on nitrIte when I fishless cycle) then the bacteria in the packet will die off in a few days, without the presence of fish.

I don't mean to rain on your parade - now you know how I felt when it was finally available around here for me. Next thing you know you are going to be purchasing it for friends who live just a bit too far to drive, and you will find yourself making excuses for how often you show up to buy it! Not that I would know anything about that...

 

[Aquarian]

I don't mean to rain on your parade - now you know how I felt when it was finally available around here for me.

I'm not sure how you thought you were raining on our parade! We both have fish in our tanks!

I'd love to read your article, but can't find it... can you shoot us a link?

 

[fishgirl30]

hehe, definatly not raining on the parade! Like aquarian says, theres fishies in there. My tank is a 46 gal bowfront. I have 4 zebra danios, four mollies, one chinese algea eater, and three minute ghost shrimp that my daughter thought just had to be in there.
By the way aquarian, where do you get you weather loach at, I would LOVE one, but they are illegal to sell here in oregon. I love those loaches. I had one when I was a kid, and he was so awesome!
lol, tankgirl, I could definetly see myself going to the store and getting lots of it too, for friends of course, but I am sure they would be thinking 'yeah right, can't get it right lady' LOL I already told them to expect me back when I have more money. They have some awesome fish there. They have this pleco that is black with small white dots all over it, and its supposed to only get six inches or so. But expensive. Like $39 for one. But he was so pretty, it just might be worth it. Its nice to go into a lsf store and have the people there acually know what they are talking about. The people at petco here don't seem to have the answeres for anything.

 

[patryuji]

Cruise up to seattle if you want some weather loaches...

 

[Aquarian]

I got my weather loach from Petcetera, here in BC Canada. Why the heck are they illegal to sell there? 8O

 

[Christmasfish]

Woohooo...good news everybody!


I keep meaning to get some..but then I may get ANOTHER tank! 8O :?

 

[fishgirl30]

Well, aquarian, according to the guy at my lfs, they are illegal here in oregon since some time in the late 90s. He said its because they are a cold water fish, and I guess there were reports of people letting there fish go in lakes and streams here in Oregon, and since they are a cold water fish, they can survive I guess. They are worried of hurting the native fishes I think. Athough in my opinion I don't think that would happen. But what do I know...lol. I think most of the other states sell them. So, I think I will cruz my behind up to washington some time in the near future. : P

 

[LAGlocker]

Wow I am glad they arent illegal here, I love mine. Its soo cool to watch it cruise around, even if it did try to jump out of the tank once. It actually looks like it watches me sometimes, sit there and stare at me, and if I move it moves and does it all over again. Course my puffers do the same thing too, but I love it.

 

[fishfreek]

Burnie from The Fish Store (a sponsor here) is setup to ship this stuff. So for those of you who cant find it locallly.

 

[Aquarian]

Fishgirl... what's the verdict? Did it work for you?

 

[fishgirl30]

Aquarian, well, not yet so far. But it has not been 24 hours yet. I checked this early afternoon, and everything same. Tankgirl said that it might take a few days for it to work being there are fish in there and only partially cycled. So I will give it two days. I have a lot of hope this cycles it Although my fish seem happy, which makes me feel better. How are your fish faring with this?

 

[Aquarian]

Oh they're all happy and seemingly healthy! I just thought I should be cycled by now... I'm such an impatient girl!

 

[Aquarian]

Any luck??

 

[fishgirl30]

No, unfortunatly, not yet. It seems like I should be seeing something by now. The ammonia is almost zero though, but the nitrites are sky high. Athough I am showing some small nitrate. I was wondering if someone knows the answer to this, can I do a water change. I don't want to take out any good bacteria that I just put in. I am worried about my fish being exposed to such high nitrites. Everything else is good, the ph and ammonia almost. How much longer till I see an improvement in the nitrites does everyone think? Aquarian, how is your water doing, any changes?

 

[fishgirl30]

Aquarian, just saw your post on your topic. Congrads on it working. Looks like it took three days or so, so maybe mine will be showing something tomorrow or the next...will be crossing my fingers lol. So there is hope still!

 

[Aquarian]

I put the bio spira in on Monday night and had 0 nitrite by Thursday night. I did a 10-15% water change without vacuuming on Wednesday night. If you've noticed your ammonia going down then I think that's a good sign! Keep us posted!

Oh, I almost forgot, I'm not sure if it helped or what... but I left a piece of romaine lettuce in all day for everyone to munch on! After I took it out and tested lastnight... we were cycled!

 

[Beacious]

Whats "Bio-Spira"?

Thanks, Beacious.

 

[fishgirl30]

Hi, beacious. Bio spira is live benificial bacteria. When you cycle a tank, you end up with bacteria that keeps your water parameters in check. I suggest to you that you read up on cycling in the articles section, it explains is really well. Sorry if you know all about cycling already, but if you don't, it will explain it better than I can. I put bio spira in my tank a few days ago, in hopes of cycling faster. It is supposed to make your tank all cycled in 24 hours. When you set up a new tank, you put in the bio spira and then add your fish. It has wonderful results everyone has said. I couldn't find any bio, so I started the cycle the natural way. But I found some and added it to my 46gal. It has not worked yet, but I think that is because I was in mid cycle and it is meant to be used at the begining. I am expecting things to be normal soon. When you start new aquarium, everything is at zero-your ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. Once you put in a few fishes to start the cycle (you have to have something in there to get ammonia up) your ammonia goes up, pretty high usually, and then bacteria form and eat the amnonia. The bacteria then turns it into nitrite, which begins to go up while ammonia starts to go down. And then, another form of bacteria starts to grow and eats the nitrites turning it into nitrate. Then, hopefully, your ammonia is zero, nitrites zero, and small amounts of nitrate, and it means your cycled! It useally takes 2 to 6 weeks. So, the bio is live bacteria. I am somewhat new myself here, so I hope you can understand it...lol. Also, again, sorry if you already know about this. Good luck with starting up!