Instant Ocean: BioSpira

tgfitz1 · Feb 5, 2016

I'm cycling a tank and looking at buying bacteria in a bottle (UK based) and I was wondering how much success people had with it? Does it really make it safe for fish/inverts/corals nearly instantly? The tank has been cycling for a week and just starting to get a diatom bloom.

Or is it more of a booster rather than an entire life supporting set of nitrifying/denitrifying bac?

I'm keen to get some life in this tank and any feedback or advice is welcome

.

reefwiser · Feb 5, 2016

Not near instantly but introduces the bacteria to the tank in a high concentration so it lets you get a head start on bacterial filtration.
These types of products need to be fresh as in they have not been sitting on the shelf for a long period of time. An properly handled so that they do not get to hot or cold.

Hawain_Rob · Feb 5, 2016

At what point do you put it in your tank?

tgfitz1 · Feb 5, 2016

How long would you give it until I introduced my clean up crew? And I plan to add 3 chromis. Thanks for replying

tgfitz1 · Feb 5, 2016

It can be put in your tank at any time, it can also be used as a booster when you increase the bio load etc

Salt Creep · Feb 5, 2016

I have always used it with every tank I set up. Of course, I still let it cycle first, but once one of my tanks sprung a leak in the lower corner and had to move everything over into a different tank. I used bio-spira and transferred 9 fish into a 40 breeder without a loss. It really should just be used as a back-up and not for an "instant cycle" though.

tgfitz1 · Feb 5, 2016

Salt Creep said:
I have always used it with every tank I set up. Of course, I still let it cycle first, but once one of my tanks sprung a leak in the lower corner and had to move everything over into a different tank. I used bio-spira and transferred 9 fish into a 40 breeder without a loss. It really should just be used as a back-up and not for an "instant cycle" though.

Sounds like it will do a job then. I've heard that once you've put the bacteria in the tank, you have to run it skimmerless for a certain period of time after. Is this true??

Hawain_Rob · Feb 5, 2016

Salt Creep said:
I have always used it with every tank I set up. Of course, I still let it cycle first, but once one of my tanks sprung a leak in the lower corner and had to move everything over into a different tank. I used bio-spira and transferred 9 fish into a 40 breeder without a loss. It really should just be used as a back-up and not for an "instant cycle" though.

I'm trying to transfer everything to a new tank myself. I'm a scared to do it tho :/ I'd transfer everything but the sand.

beaslbob · Feb 5, 2016

perhaps good but I consider it unnecessary.

macro algaes (or other algaes) consume ammonia directly so even if a new tank has no aerobic bacteria the algae will prevent ammonia spikes. Besides, the macros themselves will introduce aerobic bacteria anyway.

my .02

Chrisfish · Feb 5, 2016

Hawain_Rob said:
I'm trying to transfer everything to a new tank myself. I'm a scared to do it tho :/ I'd transfer everything but the sand.

I just transferred from an 8 gallon nano to a jbj 30 rl and let me tell you I was scared, but I had help from people here so , so far so good. I used my live rock and 50 percent of my tank water and I added bio spira and so far so good, my fish corals and cuc are doing good, diatoms have started, yuck but that's normal. My thread is " my 30 gallon jbj rl just arrived". Good luck.

Hawain_Rob · Feb 5, 2016

Chrisfish said:
I just transferred from an 8 gallon nano to a jbj 30 rl and let me tell you I was scared, but I had help from people here so , so far so good. I used my live rock and 50 percent of my tank water and I added bio spira and so far so good, my fish corals and cuc are doing good, diatoms have started, yuck but that's normal. My thread is " my 30 gallon jbj rl just arrived". Good luck.

Did you use new sand? I've been following your thread