bio spira didn't work

[gale]

I bought the bio spira from the fish store mentioned on here. It was with a cold pack and was still cold when it arrived. I put it in the fridge right away and about a week or 10 days later I used it. I had my 10 gallon tank ready to go with new gravel and water treated with bio coat. I got my fish-4 pristella tetras and one female betta plus 4 ghost shrimp (the bio spira says to fully stock the tank-it's not fully stocked but more than if I was starting or cloning a tank). While I was acclimatizing them to the water I put in the filter cartridge which had been in the filter of my established tank plus enough bio spira for a 15 gallon tank (I was sure to shake it well first as it said on the pkg). That was on monday.

Today I checked the water and ammonia is .25. Nitrites is zero and nitrates were around 5. So only the ammonia spiked like it would with a cycling tank. I did a 30% water change and will check again tomorrow. Hopefully I won't lose any fish. Should I put some gravel from my other tank in a sock and put it in there too? I did not clean the gravel in the 10g tonight, nor did I clean the filter. However I did cut out the carbon since it's been in there for a while now. Oh also I have only fed on monday, tuesday and today. They were not fed yesterday.

The only thing I can think of is that the bio spira was bad in the first place or maybe mishandled somewhere at the webstore or between them and me. I *think* I did everything right. I'm kind of worried-the smallest of my pristellas is spending a lot of time near the top of the tank.

 

[asparagus]

Hi!
Im actually anxious to hear the replies to this one. I used biospira and lost a total of 1 male betta, one ADF, 2 female bettas and 4 panda cories (the male betta and the adf were in a sep. tank from the others). I too used biospira for all the tanks and wondered if I did it wrong. I did just what you did.
Hopefully you wont lose any fish like I did. It was so sad.

 

[BobK]

I suspect it is only a mini-cycle and your ammonia will soon go down, but don't be surprised if you have a nitrite spike as well. The filter cartridge would probably have been fine to start-up the new tank. I've never used Bio-Spira or any other product to speed up cycling. I suspect it does work, or at least assist in jump-starting the nitrogen cycle but how can you tell if you have a viable bottle or not? I'd put a sock of gravel in there. I did that in my 10 gallon. The water change is a good idea and keep a close eye on your readings. You're biofilter is probably just playing a short game of catch-up and everything will soon be well. Keep us posted.

 

[freddyk]

This is more for future reference, gale, as would and should haves don't solve problems, but-

Should I put some gravel from my other tank in a sock and put it in there too?

This is the best way to do it in the first place. Adding existing bacteria from an established tank is just as effective as adding bio-spira, only it is cheaper and less risky. When I set up a new tank I run the new filter on the old tank for a couple of weeks, generating a healthy bio-filter. When I get fish and transfer the filter the tank becomes instantly cycled - it works every single time.

So, as you can reason out, adding anything at all from your old tank is a good idea. Place filter media from the other filter, or gravel, right into the new filter for best efficiency (rather then just hanging it in the tank), as water is forced through at a high rate, exposing all the water to it more often.

 

[yvez9]

I would use media from the other tank too
i don't trust bacteria in a bottle..

 

[pendragon]

I think I speak the concensus opinion of most experienced fishkeepers when I say "bacteria in a bottle" is always a dubious proposition and should be regarded with a skeptic's eye. Now having said that, I don't think it will harm anything if you want to try it (and many people do), but you should never-ever rely on it. Never put a larger bio-load in the aquarium than you can safely manage should the bio-starter do nothing.

To some extent, bio-starter is a 'Your Mileage May Vary' thing. Some people report that they sometimes have success with them, and other people report that they don't. So if you want to give Bio-Spira a swing, I think that's fine; just prepare in such a way that you won't lose a tankful of fish in case it fails. It's not a guaranteed thing. Contrary to what marketing departments want us to believe, there is no such thing as 'Miracle Cycle In A Bottle'. B)

pendragon!

 

[gale]

At the time I ordered the bio spira my tank was going through a mini cycle due to my stupidity (I gravel vac'd and also changed filter cartridge at the same time) so at that time I didn't feel there was enough beneficial bacteria in the gravel or filter. Since then it seems to have stabilized but I figured if the filter being in the big tank was good, then with bio spira it would be even better. Maybe not the case. IF I get another tank (which is doubtful unless it's a small betta tank in which case I'll use old gravel) then I'll just clone when my big tank is going well.

The good news so far is that the little tetra is no longer staying near the top of the tank.

 

[gale]

Oh and also, after reading about how new fish should always be quarantined, I really liked the idea of being able to stock all at once. Not to mention that I have to drive over an hour to get my fish (local lfs doesn't have the pristellas which is what I am stocking the 10g with). As it stands I'm only planning on the 6 tetras and the one betta in the 10g tank and once I move my 2 from the big tank it'll be stocked unless I need to replace the bottom feeders (currently shrimp).

I am, however, thinking of getting a sponge filter to run all the time in my big tank so I can use it in any smaller tank if needed. It's just that I hate the sound of an air pump (and I have the whisper pump which is supposedly quiet).

 

[gwlee7]

What has worked like a champ for me has been to keep an extra "biomax" bag in with one of the filters on my community tank. I use Aquaclear filters and the "biomax" insert is simply some ceramic looking pebble type stuff that bacteria grow on. When I wanted to set up my thirty gallon tank, I put one of the biomax bags in that filter and never had any ammonia or nitrite spike at all. I also took my time adding the tiger barbs starting with six and then adding two at the time on consecutive weeks.

Now, I have ten gallon that is a little hospital tank. The biomax bag for that filter sits in the thirty gallon filter all of the time. That way, I can instantly "cycle" the hospital tank anytime I need it.

 

[gale]

tonight the ammonia was slightly worse than before. Everything else was ok. We did another 30% water change and will check it again tomorrow. Should I get some ammonia reducing stuff or just stick with the water changes?

 

[BobK]

Are the fish gasping at the surface? I'd try to stick it out with the water changes if possible.

 

[freddyk]

Ammonia damage is not always immediately visible. do water changes, but if it's high enough that even water changes won't bring it down to reasonable levels (.5 or less) then an ammonia removing substrate or similar may be a good idea.

 

[gale]

There has been no gasping at all. Just the one fish hanging about 1-2" below the top surface of the tank instead of down below with his buds.

Tonight ammonia was .25 and we did a 30% water change. Tomorrow I'm going to go and see if I can find some of the zeolite ammonia removing stuff-I'd prefer to avoid chemicals unless absolutely necessary. OH today I also put a big netful of gravel from my established tank into this tank. Didn't even bother with a stocking, just put it right in there. How long might it take for the gravel to start working? A day or two? Luckily it takes almost no time at all to do a PWC on a 10g tank.

 

[freddyk]

How long might it take for the gravel to start working? A day or two?

The bacteria will start working and multiplying immediately.

 

[Angry_Platy]

Whatever happened to cycling the regular way? i.e. with or without fish or using filter media/gravel from another tank. It is all too easy to add a packet of bacteria to yur tank then HEY PRESTO, I can fully stock my brand new tank within a day of putting water in the tank (if that).

Nature doesn't work like that. Things take time. Why add something to your tank that is not needed anyways? Yes, it may be an hour drive to the LFS but wait till the tank has cycled properly and all your readings (aside from nitrate) have gone to zero. Then buy your fish. At least this way they aren't being put into a toxic tank!!!