# Bio Spira???



## nycvr6 (Apr 30, 2003)

When i was switching from my 55 to my 125 i had a big mishap, the 55 fell over. I lost all my cycled water, i was able to save the gravel, and i used the bio balls from my old smaller wet dry and put them in my new bigger sump, to hopefully retain some of the bacteria. Anyway the tank is definately going to need to recycle itself. I was thinking about throwing some bio spira in the tank to speed the process up. Is this a good idea? The chemicals i have in the tank now are water conditioner, salt, and PH buffer. Will any of these affect the bio spira's performance? Thanks i appreciate any help.


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## DonH (Jan 25, 2003)

Since nitrifiers are not free-floating/swimming organisms, you will not find them in great numbers in the water. So you don't have to worry about losing that many. The advantage to cycled water is that it has stable water parameters so the fish or nitrifiers are not shocked when placed in their new environment. That being said, most of the nitrifiers reside in your filter bed, the top layer of the gravel bed, and the aquarium/decor/plant surface.

As long as you move all of these things to the new tank, and do not any more fish to increase the existing bioload, you will experience nothing more than a "hiccup" in the cycle. This is due to the nitrifiers adjusting to the changes and the obvious loss of some during the move. As always, feed sparingly for the next couple of weeks.

I have heard good things about Bio-Spira and if it gives you peace of mind, then go ahead and use it. In your situation, I would just save my money and monitor your water parameters.


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## nycvr6 (Apr 30, 2003)

I expected a hiccup as well, but after testing the water this morning it looks like a fresh start, some ammonia (not a lot), no nitrite, and no nitrates. Maybe it will catch up. Just trying to see if maybe adding some bio spira will quicken it up, and if any of the chemicals i have in my tank can possible adversely affect the bio spiras performance. Thanks for the response.


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## DonH (Jan 25, 2003)

nycvr6 said:


> The chemicals i have in the tank now are water conditioner, salt, and PH buffer. Will any of these affect the bio spira's performance?


 The products that you are using should not affect Bio-Spira (since it should be the same species of nitrifiers that is found in your tank). Just make sure if you are using a pH buffer to make the changes slowly.

What kind of water conditioner are you using? AmQuel and Ammo-Lock gives false high readings in most ammonia test kits (you need to buy an ammonia test kit that uses salicylate reagents if you are using these ammonia removers).

Also, how high is "some ammonia" because a slight spike is expected. Did you add any new fish since the move?


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## nycvr6 (Apr 30, 2003)

DonH said:


> The products that you are using should not affect Bio-Spira (since it should be the same species of nitrifiers that is found in your tank). Just make sure if you are using a pH buffer to make the changes slowly.
> 
> What kind of water conditioner are you using? AmQuel and Ammo-Lock gives false high readings in most ammonia test kits (you need to buy an ammonia test kit that uses salicylate reagents if you are using these ammonia removers).
> 
> Also, how high is "some ammonia" because a slight spike is expected. Did you add any new fish since the move?


 For water conditioner i used Aqua Plus Tap water conditioner and a little stress coat. I used Proper Ph 7.0 buffer, and aquarium salt. I dont use any type of ammonia detoxifier. This mornings tests showed .0035 ppm of ammonia, no nitrites, and no nitrates. Also i have added one fish since the change of tanks. Thanks for taking time to help me out.


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## Raptor (Jan 3, 2003)

Amquel and ammo lock will kill bio spira. I just used bio spira on my new 190 gal after 14 hrs of running the filter with 75 small feeders,a catfish and a pleco.. Already getting nitrate


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## DonH (Jan 25, 2003)

nycvr6 said:


> DonH said:
> 
> 
> > Raptor said:
> ...


Is it a coincidence that Bio-Safe is also made by Marineland? hmmmm.....

I don't see how Bio-Spira will be kill by AmQuel when all it is supposed to be are nitrifiers species. If that's the case, wouldn't AmQuel have killed the nitrifiers that are already in your tank?


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## nycvr6 (Apr 30, 2003)

DonH said:


> Is it a coincidence that Bio-Safe is also made by Marineland? hmmmm.....
> 
> I don't see how Bio-Spira will be kill by AmQuel when all it is supposed to be are nitrifiers species. If that's the case, wouldn't AmQuel have killed the nitrifiers that are already in your tank?


 Well of course they are going to push the use of their tap conditioner over other brands, that's understandable. Bio safe also is not a ammonia remover, just a tap conditioner. I agree that if amquel should kill bio spira, then why wouldnt it kill any nitrifiers when used in an aquarium. But, maybe it has to do with when the bio spira is originally placed into the aquarium, because i am sure they dont want you to never use those ammonia removing products again, even though you shouldnt have to with good bio filtration. It seems to imply that the ammonia removers would only be an issue when first using the bio spira. Im not sure though.


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## nycvr6 (Apr 30, 2003)

Raptor said:


> Amquel and ammo lock will kill bio spira. I just used bio spira on my new 190 gal after 14 hrs of running the filter with 75 small feeders,a catfish and a pleco.. Already getting nitrate


 Nice, i dont use any amquel or ammo lock so i should be ok. Im going to pick some up today at shark aquarium. Thanks all.


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## Raptor (Jan 3, 2003)

The package is where i read that ammonia removers will kill the bacteria in bio spira. I would think that the strain out of the package will not eat the converted ammonium. Being that it is targeted for ammonia. I am far from any understanding of biology. As for amquel i thought that it converted ammonia to ammonium also.
I have tested the ammo lock and biospira. From not reading the instructions till i added. Only to have a do a 100 percent waterchange. And restarting the biospira a couple of days later when it did not work. Now as for conditioners as aqua safe by tetra. It will work with it just like biosafe by marineland. As for the rest i have not tried.


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## nycvr6 (Apr 30, 2003)

Raptor said:


> The package is where i read that ammonia removers will kill the bacteria in bio spira. I would think that the strain out of the package will not eat the converted ammonium. Being that it is targeted for ammonia. I am far from any understanding of biology. As for amquel i thought that it converted ammonia to ammonium also.
> I have tested the ammo lock and biospira. From not reading the instructions till i added. Only to have a do a 100 percent waterchange. And restarting the biospira a couple of days later when it did not work. Now as for conditioners as aqua safe by tetra. It will work with it just like biosafe by marineland. As for the rest i have not tried.


 I will give an update on how it worked in my tank with Aqua Plus conditioner, PH buffer, and aquarium salt.


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## DonH (Jan 25, 2003)

Raptor said:


> Amquel and ammo lock will kill bio spira.


 I've never heard this before... Can you please expand on this? My understanding is that AmQuel and Ammo-Lock detoxifies ammonia by converting it to ammonium. Ammonium is still an available food source for the nitrifiers so I have no idea how it can kill Bio-Spira.


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## nycvr6 (Apr 30, 2003)

DonH said:


> Raptor said:
> 
> 
> > Amquel and ammo lock will kill bio spira.
> ...


 I have heard that amquel and chemical like it will kill bio spira. Today when i bought some i read the package, and sure enough it says on it : "Certain ammonia removing products will kill BIO-Spira bacteria. For best results use exclusively with BIO-Safe."


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