I just got some BIO-Spira at my lfs and was wondering, since the little bag says "One pouch treats 30 gallons" does that mean treating a 15 gallon tank is as easy as using half the pouch? The bag says "It's impossible to "over dose" with BIO-Spira so I could I put the whole bag in my 15 gallon tank?
Also, is it safe to put the BIO-Spira in the tank while the fish are in it?
Thanks.
Full Version: Bio-spira
Please? I just need to know if it's okay to put the Bio-Spira in my tank while my fish are in it???
You should probably post in the Compatible fish section-Winston
Sorry for you confusion Halloween. That happens to me sometimes when I read the labels. had the darnest time figuring out how much salt to add to make my tank .3 percent. I will pm you post to a mod to see if they can help.
Hi, I would just follow the directions and use half the bag.
As for adding the fish,they tell you that you can do that within 24 hours after using this product. You may want to read this.
http://www.marineland.com/products/mllabs/ml_biospira.asp
As for adding the fish,they tell you that you can do that within 24 hours after using this product. You may want to read this.
http://www.marineland.com/products/mllabs/ml_biospira.asp
Winston BIO-Spira is something for the cycle of your tank, not another kinda fish. 
As Devs said, follow the directions.
I haven't used Bio-spira before, but with Biozyme, its just a powdery substance that I sprinkle on the filter pads. It dosn't bug the fish any.
As Devs said, follow the directions.
I haven't used Bio-spira before, but with Biozyme, its just a powdery substance that I sprinkle on the filter pads. It dosn't bug the fish any.
After your tank is the right temp and properly dechlorinated (the company says with their product) you can add Bio-Spira with or without fish in the tank though the directions say to add it with the fish. I know some people wait 24 hrs. but if there is no ammonia in there for the bacteria to eat, it is not going to get them started very well IMO. I suppose if you have the option of waiting 24 hours after putting in the Bio-Spira you could either add a tiny amount of food or add 1 fish for the first 24 hours and then add the rest.
If you use it when adding more fish to an established tank it will help eliminate or minimize an ammonia spike from the extra waste being produced suddenly. It won't hurt your fish, so unless you can store it properly so the bacteria in the bag doesn't die, I would just add the whole thing. If you add half, make sure it is well mixed before pouring it out in something to measure it in. Proper storage is key to making sure you have a viable batch of bacteria in my experience so watch your handling temps.
If you use it when adding more fish to an established tank it will help eliminate or minimize an ammonia spike from the extra waste being produced suddenly. It won't hurt your fish, so unless you can store it properly so the bacteria in the bag doesn't die, I would just add the whole thing. If you add half, make sure it is well mixed before pouring it out in something to measure it in. Proper storage is key to making sure you have a viable batch of bacteria in my experience so watch your handling temps.
"Winston BIO-Spira is something for the cycle of your tank, not another kinda fish". Im sorry,It sounded like a fish they had for sale at the pet store,Thanks-Winston 
Winston - I know you want to help, but if you truly do not know the answer, please do not confuse the issues, ok?
BioSpira is a solution containing dormant beneficial bacteria - the Nitrosomonas that convert ammonia to nitrite, and Nitrobacter species of bacteria that convert the nitrite to nitrate. They are the two species of beneficial bacteria you are culturing in your biofilter to process the fish waste.
By adding BioSpira, you are adding a colony of both types of beneficial bacteria directly to your tank, rather than waiting for them to come from the environment. (you are lucky your lfs carries it - it is often quite difficult to come by!)
Typically, the dose is given for the amount of bacteria suggested to start the cycle for a low to moderately stocked tropical tank. Since you are dealing in goldies, you have to realize that you need a much greater population of beneficial bacteria in the tank to process the amount of waste the goldies create.
You hvae the option of doing several things with your BioSpira. It will cycle a tank. But, contrary to the advertisement, it will not be able to create an INSTANT cycle in your tank. It will go a loooooong way towards it, though.
The pitfalls with BioSpira are that you are adding the beneficial bacteria in a liquid slurry to your tank water. They are then free floating, circulating in your tank. They are NOT attached to your biomedia in your filter. It takes time for them to sort it out, attach to the biomedia and start multiplying. Warmth, food, type of biomedia, circulation, etc. all are factors determining the time it takes for this to happen.
If your tank is cycling with fish, the fish are adding ammonia to the water. In order to protect the fish, you need to change out large quantities of the water - probably once a day or so - to protect your fish from ammonia. But if you change the water, you are dumping that expensive BioSpira right down the drain. So you cannot really change the water during the 1-2 weeks it takes for the bacteria to colonize the bio-media platform you have provided in the filter. Not changing the water for a week may work for a lightly stocked tropical tank - but a goldie can polute a tank in a day!
You can add half the BioSpira, and some Prime , replacing the Prime every day, testing the water and perhaps feeding exceedingly sparingly during the week, then change out the water, add more BioSpira and Prime and give it another week. At the end of the second week, you should have enough bacteria residing in your filter that it will start to grow, and, with care, you will have a cycling tank in another weeks or so.
Or, you can do as I have often done. I like to do a fishless cycle with BioSpira as a jump start. I feed the bacteria with clear ammonia, testing each day, until I see the beneficial bacteria grow in numbers capable of processing the daily addtion of ammonia. Then I add in one fish - and slowly add more fish, to slowly raise the amounts of ammonia in the tank.
The colony of bacteria will grow to meet the food quantities (ammonia) that it is fed, but it cannot do it overnight. the BioSpira is safe for the fish - it simply consists of cultures of the same beneficial bacteria you are striving to raise in your biofilter.
BioSpira is a solution containing dormant beneficial bacteria - the Nitrosomonas that convert ammonia to nitrite, and Nitrobacter species of bacteria that convert the nitrite to nitrate. They are the two species of beneficial bacteria you are culturing in your biofilter to process the fish waste.
By adding BioSpira, you are adding a colony of both types of beneficial bacteria directly to your tank, rather than waiting for them to come from the environment. (you are lucky your lfs carries it - it is often quite difficult to come by!)
Typically, the dose is given for the amount of bacteria suggested to start the cycle for a low to moderately stocked tropical tank. Since you are dealing in goldies, you have to realize that you need a much greater population of beneficial bacteria in the tank to process the amount of waste the goldies create.
You hvae the option of doing several things with your BioSpira. It will cycle a tank. But, contrary to the advertisement, it will not be able to create an INSTANT cycle in your tank. It will go a loooooong way towards it, though.
The pitfalls with BioSpira are that you are adding the beneficial bacteria in a liquid slurry to your tank water. They are then free floating, circulating in your tank. They are NOT attached to your biomedia in your filter. It takes time for them to sort it out, attach to the biomedia and start multiplying. Warmth, food, type of biomedia, circulation, etc. all are factors determining the time it takes for this to happen.
If your tank is cycling with fish, the fish are adding ammonia to the water. In order to protect the fish, you need to change out large quantities of the water - probably once a day or so - to protect your fish from ammonia. But if you change the water, you are dumping that expensive BioSpira right down the drain. So you cannot really change the water during the 1-2 weeks it takes for the bacteria to colonize the bio-media platform you have provided in the filter. Not changing the water for a week may work for a lightly stocked tropical tank - but a goldie can polute a tank in a day!
You can add half the BioSpira, and some Prime , replacing the Prime every day, testing the water and perhaps feeding exceedingly sparingly during the week, then change out the water, add more BioSpira and Prime and give it another week. At the end of the second week, you should have enough bacteria residing in your filter that it will start to grow, and, with care, you will have a cycling tank in another weeks or so.
Or, you can do as I have often done. I like to do a fishless cycle with BioSpira as a jump start. I feed the bacteria with clear ammonia, testing each day, until I see the beneficial bacteria grow in numbers capable of processing the daily addtion of ammonia. Then I add in one fish - and slowly add more fish, to slowly raise the amounts of ammonia in the tank.
The colony of bacteria will grow to meet the food quantities (ammonia) that it is fed, but it cannot do it overnight. the BioSpira is safe for the fish - it simply consists of cultures of the same beneficial bacteria you are striving to raise in your biofilter.
I have used BioSpira several times while doing a fishless cycle (as daryl described). Fishless cycles are great because you don't stress the fish out while the cycle is getting established.
And BioSpira cannot be beat. I've tried Cycle and Stability and neither of them even came close to the results I've had with BioSpira.
Good luck.
And BioSpira cannot be beat. I've tried Cycle and Stability and neither of them even came close to the results I've had with BioSpira.
Good luck.
Daryl or Fantail Fan - question..(and probably a dumb one) - if you were to take the bio spira and put it on the filter media (the extra media, like the cylinders) - would the Bio Spira be able to attach right away to that, or would it just flow right through it into the tank?
Hope you don't mind if I answer that?
Yes, some of the biospira will stay in the filter and start feeding instantly, the majority will flow back into the water. But don't worry, it keeps going through the filter media several times an hour so it won't take long to get a foot hold.
Yes, some of the biospira will stay in the filter and start feeding instantly, the majority will flow back into the water. But don't worry, it keeps going through the filter media several times an hour so it won't take long to get a foot hold.
No..I don't mind at all! Thank you! Now..if you are medicating the tank - what if you added Bio Spira to help the cycle get less disrupted? Is that dumb? Would that take away from the medications? Maracyn I/II?
IT will not detract at all from the medications. The BioSpira is simply a collection of semi-dormant Nitrosomonas bacteria and Nitrobacter bacteria - the same ones that create the nitrogen cycle in your tank. Any extra bacteria that are added to your bio-filter in the tank will work and process fish waste, whether they are in the filter or the water. If the medications you are using kill this type of bacteria (tri-sulpha, etc.) then the medications will kill the BioSpira you have added.
In general, Maracyns will not kill all the beneficial bacteria in your filter. Some bio-filters, particularly new ones, are not as solid or strong as others, and the addition of medications can "stunt" the cycle. In any population of bacteria ( or more living things) you will find individuals that are more immune to problems and weaker individuals that succumb to many things. If you have medicated many times, you will have an overall effect of killing off the weaker bacterial colonies and keeping the stronger ones so that they will multiply. Before too long, you have a cycle built like I do - it is almost impervious to just about anything I can throw at it!
Since your cycle did not die completely during medication - just was "bumped" (some bacteria was killed or slowed, but not all - the strong still survive), it should bounce back fairly quickly - with stronger, more resistant bacteria for the future. Adding BioSpira may help goose the bacteria to do this. Many of the bacteria in the BioSpira may, also, be affected by the meds, but many may not, either. They will set up shop in your filter and go to work, cleaning the water for your fish.
In general, Maracyns will not kill all the beneficial bacteria in your filter. Some bio-filters, particularly new ones, are not as solid or strong as others, and the addition of medications can "stunt" the cycle. In any population of bacteria ( or more living things) you will find individuals that are more immune to problems and weaker individuals that succumb to many things. If you have medicated many times, you will have an overall effect of killing off the weaker bacterial colonies and keeping the stronger ones so that they will multiply. Before too long, you have a cycle built like I do - it is almost impervious to just about anything I can throw at it!
Since your cycle did not die completely during medication - just was "bumped" (some bacteria was killed or slowed, but not all - the strong still survive), it should bounce back fairly quickly - with stronger, more resistant bacteria for the future. Adding BioSpira may help goose the bacteria to do this. Many of the bacteria in the BioSpira may, also, be affected by the meds, but many may not, either. They will set up shop in your filter and go to work, cleaning the water for your fish.
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