anyone used BioSpira?

[fishwatcher]

I just purchased some in hopes of cycling my new tank ASAP. I wonder, what kind of readings should I be getting, and for how long? The lfs told me to put the bio in, and the fish in right after it, within 10 minutes or so. That's what I did. I had started a fishless cycle last night by adding 1 tsp of ammonia. this morning the amm level was 4. I told the lfs this, and he said it'd be fine to just as it is.
I put it in about 5 hours ago, and so far the ammo has only come down to 2. Is this how it's supposed to be? Are the fish stressing? They appear fine, but I don't want to leave them over night if it could kill them.
What kind of experiences have you had with this?

 

[rdd1952]

It's too late now but you should have done a 100% water change (or as close to it as possible) before adding the Bio Spira and fish so that there was good water in the tank from the start. Depending on the type fish you put in, you may lose some of them becasue of the ammonia. Since it has dropped from 4 to 2 in just five hours though, it definitely sounds like it is working. You may not have any problems with your fish. i really want to try it myself and see if it works. I guess that means I have to buy another tank.

 

[lizard]

I don't have any specific advice for your tank, but I wanted to relate an experience with BioSpira.

Long story short, I sold enough fish to stock a 20-gallon tank either yesterday or the day before. It's a newly set-up tank, been going for a couple days to get the temperature regulated, make sure everything works, etc. I sent the people off with their fish and a packet of BioSpira. One fish died and the lady brought it back in, along with a water sample. I ran tests on the water. Ammonia was zero. Nitrite was zero. Nitrate was probably zero, too, but I don't remember. It was in the safe range, anyway. I was impressed.

Doing a small water change on your tank might not be a bad idea. What size tank do you have?

I agree with rdd - sounds like the BioSpira is working.

Hmmm, I guess I did have some advice/comments on your particular set-up after all

Good luck!

Pamela
aka Married Lizard

 

[fishwatcher]

I'll test again now, and if it's still up around 2 I'll do a small change. I just don't want to remove the Bio Spira.
Thanks!

The tests still show amm at 2, but now the nitrites are .25. They were 0 before. Does this mean it's working? Should I still do a small water change... about 1 gal? (It's a 10-gal tank)

 

[krash]

I've completely cycled 4 tanks using Bio-Spira, and I'm in the process of cycling 2 more (nearly complete). 3 were 5 gallons, 1 a 10 gallon, and the current 2 are a 3 gallon and a 20 gallon. Every tank has cycled differently. What has been consistent is that they have cycled *very* quickly - the longest was 13 days, but it showed 0.00 for amm, nitrites and nitrates for the first 6 days - the shortest was 8 days. The other consistency was that the cycles were all very gentle. The 10 gallon was the harshest cycle - ammonia peaked at 2.00, went down with a water change and never went back up, nitrite peaked at 5.00, was back to 2.00 the next day and 0.00 the day after that. The other 5 tanks never went above 0.50 for ammonia and 1.00 for nitrites. Most have shown nitrates from the very beginning. The tanks that had the quickest gentlest cycles were the ones with a bio-wheel in the filter.

I'm not sure how the added ammonia in the beginning would effect the Bio-Spira, but my experience with it has been very positive, and I would think that it will be fine. For the most part, the water changes that I did during this process did not seem to impact the nitrate level, only the other levels, so if I were you I'd do a larger water change in the morning to get your ammonia back down to levels that are safer for your fish.

Lovely stuff, this Bio-Spira. I'm looking foward to having "mature" tanks, but I'll happily settle for "cycled"!

Stacey