Bio-spira question....

[WizardHowl]

Hey guys,
I basically just got a new 55 gallon tank, and I've heard wonders of this bio spira stuff. I want to set it up now, but I have an AC70 filter for the tank which is enough. My fuval 304 will be arrriving Tuesday.

My question is, if I set up my tank now, and used the AC70 filtration, and added the water AND the Bio-spira, and then I switched to the fuval 304 filter on Tuesday, will this basically get rid of the effect of the bio spira? Also, the AC70 I have doesn't have any sponge or ceramic balls or anything right now, what kind of media should I put in this to start my cycle? Thanks!
~Ben

 

[Musket]

Well, if you get the ceramic balls and a sponge, and add the biospira to the filter and some directly to the tank *then some will settle in the gravel and decor*. You will then have to run both filters together for at least a week to build the new filters "dudes*.. Or, you can put the sponge and ceramic balls into the new filter along with whatever else goes in there. Either of these ways will work.
Hope this helps.

 

[Guest]

you can just start with the filter you have, then add the other filter and run both for a few weeks. then slowly taper off the one you don't want to use.

 

[JustOneMore20]

Definitely run both filter for awhile if you start the tank up now. And don't forget to add some fish when you add the Bio-Spira (you didn't mention it so I thought I'd tell ya). Run the filters together for a few weeks like FishyPeanut suggested and you'll be good!

 

[WizardHowl]

great thanks for all the help!
Would adding 4 two inch fish be fine for now?

 

[JustOneMore20]

I'm not sure that 4 2 inch fish will be able to produce enough ammonia to keep most of the bacteria alive. It will work if you only add 4, but you'll have to be careful when adding more stock. I think you'll have to add the stock spread out and less at one time, if you only start with 4. If you started with 8 I think you'd be able to keep more of the bacteria alive, so that you could add more stock at one time.

Does that make sense? Usually when people use Bio-Spira, they add most of their stock. If you don't add alot to keep the bacteria alive, you have more of a chance of a mini-cycle when you add alot of fish later on.

I hope I didn't confuse you...

 

[WizardHowl]

No that really makes sense, thanks so much for all your help!

I'll run to the fish store tomorrow and grab a school of 8 tetras, and plus the four fish I have now. That should definately be enough hopefully. The tetra's are hardy enough for this right? Thanks!

 

[JustOneMore20]

What kind of tetras did you have in mind? Some aren't so hardy, like neons, rummynose and cardinals and even with bio-spira, I still wouldn't add them. Anything else should be fine though. You shouldn't see much ammonia and nitrite, so other tetras will work. I'd get some you want to keep though.

I've never used Bio-Spira though, so people that have may say that its ok to put in neons and cardinals first. I have heard of people having some ammonia though, so for me, I wouldn't risk the death of those more sensitive tetras.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Another thing to look at is the time between adding the Bio-Spira and adding the fish. There's a greater possibility that a portion of the bacteria will die off without an ammonia source, even just 1 day. The product is meant to be added at the same time as the fish.

Also to add, a fishless cycle is always better. Even with using the Bio-Spira, if you added 2ppm straight ammonia with no detergents or anything else in it, and the ammonia goes down in 24 hours or less to 0ppm, then the Bio-Spira did the trick. And can then add 2ppm daily to keep them alive til you add fish. I've cycled tanks both ways, and will never cycle with fish again. but that's just me.

 

[WizardHowl]

Is it more of a cruelty thing that made you prefer fishless over a fish cycle?

 

[Voodoo Chilli]

You should add the Bio-Spira and all the fish you're planning on keeping at the same time. This'll allow the B-S to "self-regulate" itself and develop/nourish enough bacteria for your tankload. Adding fewer fish at the beginning and adding more in later not only defeats one of the major benefits of B-S, but it could also lead to a small mini-cycle, as the bacteria has to play "catch up" with the newly increased bio-load.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Nope, it's not a cruelty thing for me. It's just a personal preference. For me, it just seems that when you cycle fishless, it goes by a lot faster, plus you don't have all the water changes. just so much easier.

 

[dnaelting]

Voodoo is right. You want to add your full load of fish when you add your B-S. If you wait the bacteria die off and you will have to cycle the tank. I used B-S on my 75 gallon tank and it worked great. I added the fish, waited an hour and added the B-S. No spikes, no problems. If you have waited to add fish for a day or so, you will have to dose more B-S or wait for the cycle to catch up.

 

[WizardHowl]

thanks for the replies!
Like eveyone suggested, I added 11 fish in my 55 along with the bio-spira all at the same time. It's only day two and I'm not seeing anything, but the real test will be later this week, am I right?

It's normal to not see anything the first few days right because in a regular tank that needs cycled, you won't see the spikes until after a few days...or is it more immediate?

 

[JRagg]

Technically with biospira you shouldn't see much of any spike at all. I've used it, but I didn't do water tests when I used it, so I can't tell you exactly what levels you should see.

 

[dnaelting]

I did water tests after using the B-S. There was a measerable amount of amonia, almost nothing, for a day or two I think, it has been almost 2 years since I used it. Then it went down, without any ill effect on the fish.

You should be able to measure Nitrates within a couple of days, which will show the cycle is working. If you start to measure Amonia or Nitrite, watch them close. If they get up too high, add another dose of B-S and you should be OK.

 

[Pleco]

I saw no spikes at all with Bio-Spira. Make sure that you add most the fish that you are going to add when you start the bio-spria cycle or you may start a mini cycle when you add more after the initial addition of bio-spira.

I have used Bio-spira 2 times, once for SW and once for FW. I wouldnt start a tank without it

-Pleco