Help with New Set Up & Bio-Spira

[JessiMommy]

OK I am new to Tropical Fish & learned the hard way about cycling a tank. I thought it was as simple as treating the water & throwing in some fish. Nice of the pet store to clue me in. I also blame myself for not doing my homework. However I can't go back now & have read up on fishless cycling & will now do nothing else. I started out with a 2 gallon tank with 2 many fish. I had a Dalmatian Molly (didn't make it) I still have my cory albino catfish, a platy and one neon tetra. (Lost 2 others) I know now that this is way too many fish for a 2 gallon tank. I have since purchased a 12 gallon tank to move the 3 fish that I have left over. Ideally I would like to add a few more tetras and maybe another cory cat but I do not want to overload so I don't know. I just don't want the current guys to be lonely.

My big question is... what is the deal with Bio-Spira? As of right now my 12 gallon is full or proper pH water & decor. I don't know if I should or how to use the Bio-Spira or if I should just do a straight fishless cycle. Also when is it safe to move my current fish from the 2 gallon? They are in the middle of a cycle in the 2 gallon tank now. Any help would be greatly appreciated!! nod:

 

[Alien Anna]

I'm very sceptical of any of these so-called "live bacteria" products, including Bio-Spira. However, I might just be about to eat my words because Tri-Mar in Cornwall, UK are doing a product called "Bactinetts" and I know they know about fish-keeping (their website actually includes fishless cycling information, using matured filter media which they sell you with the tank or fish).

However, the difference is that this product is fresh (has to be ordered and is delivered the next day) and even so, it takes about 2 weeks for a 30 gal aquarium. Which isn't actually any faster than ordinary fishless cycling IMHO.

I'd probably say skip the Bio-Spira but if you've bought it already you might as well bung it in. Still do fishless cycling, however - check my post on "Avoiding New Tank Syndrome" in the Beginners section. You can radically speed up the process by maturing your new filter in the old tank and taking it across after about a week.

 

[JessiMommy]

Out of curiosity do you have any actual experience with Bio-Spira? What makes you skeptical if I may ask? I'm not trying to be a wise guy I just want to get all the info. so I can do the best thing for my fish. Also regardless of how I decide to cycle my new tank... should I let the fish I have now finish out the cycle in the 2 gallon tank before moving them over? Or if I do use the Bio-Spira would it be safe to take them from a tank that was in the middle of a cycle to a new tank with Bio-Spira added? Am I making sense? I know my fish are stressed now because of the high ammonia level (ammonia spike) is it better to leave them be to finish that cycle or move them to a more stable environment? Thanks for any help you can offer.

 

[Alien Anna]

I'm sceptical because I studied biochemistry and microbiology at university and have had quite a bit of experience with culturing bacteria (usually bad experiences, in my case).

As I explained before, the beneficial bacteria in aquaria (I believe it's nitrosomonas and nitrobacter, although I'm rather rusty) require oxygenated water and a source of ammonia to survive. Unless your prepared bacteria supplement contains an air-pump and ammonia in it, I'm not quite sure how its supposed to keep the bacteria alive? And if it's not alive, but suspended in some way, how is that any different to the natural bacteria that colonise your tank when you add ammonia (as in Fishless Cycling)? It's no good having dormant bacterial spores in your tank - you have to have living, growing bacteria that colonise your filter and gravel and take over the tank. They can't do that instantly - it's microbiology, it isn't magic!

Well, you did ask

Now, to your question. If your fish are living in an un-cycled tank of course they'd be better off being moved to a cycled tank. But you don't actually have a cycled tank as yet so the question is rather a moot point.

I do not believe that putting Bio-Spira, Cycle, or any other bacteria product in a 10 gal tank is going to cycle it over night, so therefore putting your fish in that tank is simply putting them in yet another uncycled tank. It is not a matter of the fish "finishing the cycle" in the 5 gal - it's not a washing machine! The 5 gal will cycle provided it has a source of ammonia. If you removed the fish, you could simply provide another source of ammonia, such as a little food in the water every day.

The 10 gal is not "in the middle of the cycle" since it has neither fish nor an alternative source of ammonia in it. You could choose to do fishless cycling in that tank, while continue to cycle with fish in the 5 gal, but by the time it was cycled, so would the 5 gal, in all probability. The only (major) advantage is that cycling with fish is a lot safer in a larger amount of water. So, its up to you which tank you wish to put your fish in - whichever, you're going to have to work hard with frequent partial water changes etc. until it is cycled. Good luck!

 

[JessiMommy]

Thanks again for your help and for the biology & chemistry lessons..LOL! What you said makes sense. I think you misunderstood some of my post. I have a 2 gallon & a 12 gallon. I know the 12 gallon is uncycled. It's the 2 gallon that is in the middle of a cycle. I think I will leave the current fish where they are in the 2 gallon until it cycles while simultaneously fishless cycling the 12 gallon. Then I'll move them. Sound good?