Fishless Cycling With Bio Spira - Setup Correct?

[amcalab]

OK. I'm fishless cycling my 29 gallon with Bio Spira...

Filled Up Tank with Tap Water.
Treated with Tetra AquaSafe.
Added 10% Ammonium hydroxide (pure - no surfacants, etc). to obtain a 5 ppm reading.
Turned on Heater (78 degrees) and Filter (Penguin 200 with Biowheel and Filter Cartridge)
Waited about 5 hours.
Added ~ 1 ounce of BioSpira (still cold)
Now I just test and wait - hopefully not too long.

Anything wrong here?

 

[PaPeRo]

OK. I'm fishless cycling my 29 gallon with Bio Spira...

Filled Up Tank with Tap Water.
Treated with Tetra AquaSafe.
Added 10% Ammonium hydroxide (pure - no surfacants, etc). to obtain a 5 ppm reading.
Turned on Heater (78 degrees) and Filter (Penguin 200 with Biowheel and Filter Cartridge)
Waited about 5 hours.
Added ~ 1 ounce of BioSpira (still cold)
Now I just test and wait - hopefully not too long.

Anything wrong here?

Did you put the BioSpira into the filter or tank? It's usually better to add it into the filter. Other than that it looks like it's just sit and wait.

 

[amcalab]

I put the Bio Spira in the tank. But, I had extra so I put another ounce in the filter.

24 hours later - no change in ammonia levels. I know it takes awhile, but when should I some results. Won't the Bio Spira help accelerate things?

 

[PaPeRo]

Yeah the Bio Spira shoud've decreased the ammonia a little if not a lot since the manufacturer claims it does it in about 24 hours. I guess you just have to wait another day and test for ammonia again.

 

[amcalab]

It looks like I may have a minor change in the ammonia level (a little less green - though hard to tell). And I am registering a few nitrites (dip stick turning slightly pink). Does this mean I'm on my way? Or is the change more drastic?

 

[PaPeRo]

If you already have Nitrite then it has started. Nitrite won't peak until a couple more days.

 

[xoedusk]

Test strips are somwhat inaccurate. Can you get a liquid testing kit?

Also, I'm very curious to see how BioSpira helped out. Keep us posted on the results!!

Did you see the tank at all with media?

 

[amcalab]

I did not seed the tank with media because I don't have a reliable source. I was thinking about adding a potted plant or two. But, I was really hoping the Bio Spira would seed the tank.

I did a liquid test for nitrite. It is at 0.1 ppm.

 

[amcalab]

24 hours later and no change in the readings. Does the cycle ever stall? Could the Bio-Spira bacteria have died?

 

[PaPeRo]

I don't think the bacteria have died unless the pH is really low or there's not enough O2. What kind of a filter are you running?

 

[amcalab]

I'm running a Penguin 200 BioWheel. Plus I have a 4 inch airstone. My PH is 7.2.

 

[xoedusk]

Excellent. Keep on testing. Small water changes daily I'd say to keep your nitrites down.

 

[PaPeRo]

Small water changes daily I'd say to keep your nitrites down.

Huh? The Nitrites are barely there, also he/she is doing a fishless cycle.

I'm running a Penguin 200 BioWheel. Plus I have a 4 inch airstone. My PH is 7.2.

Make sure your biowheel is spinning. Is it spinning around 1 revolution per sec?

 

[amcalab]

24 hours later...Still no drop in ammonia (hovering around a 2.5). But the nitrite reading is a 0.2 (a slight increase).

On my liquid test kit, the next level down for ammonia is 1 ppm. On my nitrite, the next level down is 0.1 ppm. The ammonia step is 10x greater than the nitrite step meaning that it will require a greater change in ammonia levels to register on the test. Just a theory.

 

[PaPeRo]

Makes sense..not a very good ammonia kit though.