Greetings everyone:
I just wanted to give something back to this board and let everyone know I had a very successful experience with Marineland BioSpira beneficial bacteria. If you haven't heard of this product, it is nitrifying bacteria pioneered by MarineLand for starting up a new tank (or even used when adding new fish).
I let my new 26 US gallon bowfront tank filter and heat for about a week before adding a few zebra danio and some red eye tetras at the same time as the BioSpira. MarineLand says fish can be introduced at the same time as the BioSpira but my lfs advised just starting with a few fish at first and then gradually building up the stock. After the addition, I checked the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates every other day thereafter with an API master test kit. I never really saw the ammonia go above 0.25 ppm (and even this was very briefly - perhaps one day) and the nitrites only briefly spiked to about 0.25 -0.5 ppm (and then down to zero after another day). Now, that the tank is cycled, I am simply addressing nitrates with weekly 20% water changes.
I believe starting with a FEW fish in a relatively large volume (26 US gallons) was the key to the success. The bacteria was not swamped and the large water volume helped to dilute ammonia and nitrites.
My conclusion is that BioSpira is a fantastic product and I would whole-heartedly recommend this product to anyone starting a new tank. My understanding is that with the BioSpira in place, these ammonia loving bacteria are already present when the fish start to do their business. Although I have never done a fish-less cycle with the ammonia technique, I can't imagine going this route with a product like BioSpira out there. One pouch of the material was only $10 USD at my lfs. I even stored it for about two weeks in my refrigerator before I was ready to use it. And no, I don't work for MarineLand!
I hope this information is helpful to folks out there that may do a search on BioSpira or cycling a new tank.
Cheers!
http
/www.marineland.com/products/mllabs/ML_biospira.asp
I just wanted to give something back to this board and let everyone know I had a very successful experience with Marineland BioSpira beneficial bacteria. If you haven't heard of this product, it is nitrifying bacteria pioneered by MarineLand for starting up a new tank (or even used when adding new fish).
I let my new 26 US gallon bowfront tank filter and heat for about a week before adding a few zebra danio and some red eye tetras at the same time as the BioSpira. MarineLand says fish can be introduced at the same time as the BioSpira but my lfs advised just starting with a few fish at first and then gradually building up the stock. After the addition, I checked the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates every other day thereafter with an API master test kit. I never really saw the ammonia go above 0.25 ppm (and even this was very briefly - perhaps one day) and the nitrites only briefly spiked to about 0.25 -0.5 ppm (and then down to zero after another day). Now, that the tank is cycled, I am simply addressing nitrates with weekly 20% water changes.
I believe starting with a FEW fish in a relatively large volume (26 US gallons) was the key to the success. The bacteria was not swamped and the large water volume helped to dilute ammonia and nitrites.
My conclusion is that BioSpira is a fantastic product and I would whole-heartedly recommend this product to anyone starting a new tank. My understanding is that with the BioSpira in place, these ammonia loving bacteria are already present when the fish start to do their business. Although I have never done a fish-less cycle with the ammonia technique, I can't imagine going this route with a product like BioSpira out there. One pouch of the material was only $10 USD at my lfs. I even stored it for about two weeks in my refrigerator before I was ready to use it. And no, I don't work for MarineLand!
I hope this information is helpful to folks out there that may do a search on BioSpira or cycling a new tank.
Cheers!
http
/www.marineland.com/products/mllabs/ML_biospira.asp
