The cycle won - my patience lost

[joannde]

I just couldn't take the fishless cycle anymore - when I started getting nitrites after only a few days I was SO excited. And those same nitrites (4ppm approx) are there today - 2 weeks later. I know, its not really a long time in terms of total cycling time, but I was driving myself mad with the constant testing and the "same old results".!

I just put Bio-Spira in the tank (and good GRIEF what a hunt I had to do for the product !). At least I feel like I did SOMETHING rather than just watch the bubble wand bubble with nobody to play in it.

My mom is coming to visit in exactly 8 days and I was really wanting to have the tank occupied by then. Hopefully the Bio-Spira does the trick.

Wish me luck !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JoAnn

 

[malkore]

good luck, but keep in mind that bio spira does not always work.

 

[joannde]

HUSH, not so loud - it may hear you !!! .... it'll work !!! it WILL WORK !!!! I'm giving the tank dirty looks (that "you'd better do what I want you to do or you're in trouble" look !!!).

JoAnn

 

[Yuri]

An all too familiar feeling. Good luck.

 

[AquaJoe]

Do you own another aquarium? If so, the next time you do a partial water change try emptying the waste water into your new aquarium and wait a couple of weeks. I did this with great success and it only took two weeks to complete the cycle. Also, I used the suggested dose of "Cycle" once per week while I was waiting to ensure a strong population of beneficial bacteria.

I wish you the best of luck on completing the fishless cycle on time.
Please try not to get impatient as it can lead to un-needed deaths.

One last thing. If you do have another aquarium and plan on using the same substrate in both, I suggest taking a few fist fulls from a well established tank and putting it in the new tank. This might help to speed up the process a bit.

Cheers,
Joseph

 

[IceH2O]

You know when you add Biospira you either need to add the entire fishload or the equivalent in ammonia within 24 hours. Otherwise the bacteria will just establish itself and then die from lack of ammonia.

Also follow the directions to the "T". Most times the reason Biospira fails is because the person using it does a pwc to soon or the Biospira wasn't kept cold at the LFS or the persons house prior to use.

From biospira website:
It is normal to have a small (<2 ppm) amount of ammonia or nitrate during the first few days after set-up. These concentrations are not harmful and will quickly drop to zero with proper use of BIO-Spira.

 

[joannde]

Hi - thanks for the feedback.

Ah if I had another established aquarium how much easier this whole cycling thing would have been ! LOL. But I'll have one the next time TT

I've had two shrimp rotting away it the tank as an ammonia source for some time, so I'm sure the little ammonia converters are well fed Just got too impatient with the second half of the cycle (the nitrite converters) - hence the use of the bio-spira.

I'm fairly certain the B-S was properly maintained at the LFS - they wouldn't even bring it out until I showed up at the cash register (said that too many people end up browsing for too long). And I brought a cooler with an ice block in it to take it home. And immediately refrigerated the remaining portion.

I have another thread going about adding B-S midcycle which explains my "plan of attack". It should be close to the actual directions (adding fish immediately).

Thanks again !!! I'll let you know how it goes !

 

[joannde]

update - Bio Spira was added 77 hours ago (but who's counting !) and the nitrites are still at the same level (~ 4ppm). But the tank is VERY cloudy and I'm hoping that's the little guys (the bacteria) multiplying and looking for a place to settle to start churning those nitrites into nitrates.