BIO SPIRA experiences ?

[Ryan Rioux]

Wondering about other people’s experiences with bio spira!! Do other people have success with it ? How long does it take for them to cycle a tank with it ? What method do you use ? Fish less or dosing ammonia ? Etc

 

[Ryan Rioux]

 

[tankstudy]

The product works as good as dr tim'S one and only. I use both oftenly, just depends on which one I can get my hands on first.

I prefer dosing a known concentration of ammonia cause you can actually calculate how much nitrate should appear based on how much ammonia you start out with.

 

[reeferfoxx]

It works. If you order from dr. Foster and smiths site they send it to you refrigerated.

 

[Ryan Rioux]

The product works as good as dr tim'S one and only. I use both oftenly, just depends on which one I can get my hands on first.

I prefer dosing a known concentration of ammonia cause you can actually calculate how much nitrate should appear based on how much ammonia you start out with.

I know they work because I’ve used them multiple times , but I’m at the point where ammonia is dropping to 0 ppm in a day but nitrites aren’t. I just wonder how people cycle tanks in 5 days with it

 

[Ryan Rioux]

It works. If you order from dr. Foster and smiths site they send it to you refrigerated.

I’ve literally dosed a 50g cube with enough for 300 gallons of water and I’m getting brown diatoms everywhere past couple days. Nitrites sky high tho

 

[reeferfoxx]

I’ve literally dosed a 50g cube with enough for 300 gallons of water and I’m getting brown diatoms everywhere past couple days. Nitrites sky high tho

Thats whats great about this product is its enough bacteria for a fish to help provide ammonia AND nitrites aren't toxic to fish. So if you're curious when you can add one, I would say today is a good time . Then wait 30 days for the next fish.

 

[Ryan Rioux]

Thats whats great about this product is its enough bacteria for a fish to help provide ammonia AND nitrites aren't toxic to fish. So if you're curious when you can add one, I would say today is a good time . Then wait 30 days for the next fish.

I plan on adding my livestock from 20 long into the cube! So I didn’t plan on one at a time . I also used ALL liverock thinking it wouldn’t really need to cycle but I guess I didn’t use enough pounds for the volume of water .

 

[Pntbll687]

I used bio spira when I initially set up my first cube. I just dumped it in, waited a week and added a clean up crew and two clowns on days 6 and 7. I never tested anything and still have 1 of the two clowns 4.5yrs later, the other died during a power outage.

 

[reeferfoxx]

I plan on adding my livestock from 20 long into the cube! So I didn’t plan on one at a time . I also used ALL liverock thinking it wouldn’t really need to cycle but I guess I didn’t use enough pounds for the volume of water .

I assume you added dry rock and dry sand also? Those things have to cycle. How many fish are you adding from the 20?

 

[Ryan Rioux]

I assume you added dry rock and dry sand also? Those things have to cycle. How many fish are you adding from the 20?

Not an ounce of dry rock. I bought about 30 pounds of live rock and used some from my 20 long . The sand was caribsea live sand . I’m only adding 3 fish. 2 clowns and starry Blenny along with any inverts I have in the 20. Also will the brown diatoms affect my livestock at all?

 

[Ryan Rioux]

I used bio spira when I initially set up my first cube. I just dumped it in, waited a week and added a clean up crew and two clowns on days 6 and 7. I never tested anything and still have 1 of the two clowns 4.5yrs later, the other died during a power outage.

That’s pretty awesome. I am in the northeast and a few weeks ago we had a storm that was pretty serious and I lost power in the middle of the night . Went 2 days without power but luckily bought a generator for fridge and fish tank

 

[reeferfoxx]

Not an ounce of dry rock. I bought about 30 pounds of live rock and used some from my 20 long . The sand was caribsea live sand . I’m only adding 3 fish. 2 clowns and starry Blenny along with any inverts I have in the 20. Also will the brown diatoms affect my livestock at all?

Nope. You are good to go!

 

[Ryan Rioux]

Nope. You are good to go!

Do nitrates affect fish ?! I know they will be high because of dosing ammonia. And how long for diatoms to disappear .

 

[Ryan Rioux]

Nope. You are good to go!

I do know also that randomly one day nitrites drop suddenly when using the biospira. It’s happened every time I’ve used it but don’t want a stalled cycle .

 

[reeferfoxx]

I do know also that randomly one day nitrites drop suddenly when using the biospira. It’s happened every time I’ve used it but don’t want a stalled cycle .

High nitrates can have some effects. Typically once nitrites drop to zero and nitrates are high, thats when we should perform the large water change to reduce nitrates.

 

[reeferfoxx]

I will add, if you over dosed ammonia, there is a good chance of a stall. Hopefully that isn't the case.

 

[Pntbll687]

Do nitrates affect fish ?! I know they will be high because of dosing ammonia. And how long for diatoms to disappear .

If they are high enough they can. I wouldn't introduce a fish from a low nitrate environment to a high nitrate environment and not expect something. If it's in the 10-20 range, you're probably safe. Fish can tolerate high nitrates, especially if they rise in a tank over a longer period of time. Some people can test in the 100+ range and things look and act fine in the tank.

If you ever need to cycle a tank again, check out Dr Tim's One and Only. Its a great bacteria product. Used it to cycle my 220g when I set it up. I dosed enough for 280g and had the cycle done in 6 days. It will definately be more expensive then the bio-spira, but I liked it as a product better.

 

[Ryan Rioux]

I will add, if you over dosed ammonia, there is a good chance of a stall. Hopefully that isn't the case.

Never went above 3-4 ppm for ammonia. I don’t believe it’s stalled if ammonia is dropping daily. I test everyday around same time .

I will add, if you over dosed ammonia, there is a good chance of a stall. Hopefully that isn't the case.

 

[reeferfoxx]

If they are high enough they can. I wouldn't introduce a fish from a low nitrate environment to a high nitrate environment and not expect something.

I agree with this too. Thats why we start with one or two hardy fish. This instance is different and I'm starting to get concered that something became over complicated in a procedure. That said, i would wait to add the fish till nitrites hit zero and the 50 - 75% water change has been performed.