Have you ever heard of BioSpira?

[Kathleen]

I've been lurking for a couple of weeks trying to soak up as much info on keeping Discus as I can. Lots of great information here!

The short version of this story is I'm trying to get my new tank ready to keep Discus. I'm having trouble with patience right now -- waiting for the tank to cycle. The tank has been running for 2 weeks with 1 clown loach and 3 dwarf guaramis. The guy at the fish store talked me into buying BioSpira (at $25!!!), which is supposed to "instantly" cycle your tank. It's live bacteria. I followed his instructions, did my water change, added the BioSpira. He told me I could come back the next day and buy my Discus and everything would be fine.

I tested my water this morning and I still have a little ammonia. Ammoia tested 0.5-1.0. My Ph was 7.0 and my nitrites were 0. Any other information you need?

I have a feeling I already know what you all are going to say, but I'm going to ask anyway. Am I good to go? Am I taking a big risk? All I need is one person to tell me I'm okay and I'm on my way to the store! LOL I just want to get 2 little Discus. ;)

Thanks in advance.

[Carol_Roberts]

Hi Kathleen and Welcome to SimplyDiscus :wave:
I have heard that BioSpira does work. It has to be refrigerated and does have a limited shelf life.

If you are showing up to 1 ppm ammonia with those few fish I don not believe it worked in your case.

The only other test I would recommend is for nitrAte. IF you are showing nitrAte (the end of the cycle) your tank will soon be ready for discus.

What are you going to do with the gouramis and loaches?

And . . . PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE DON'T BUY JUST TWO LITTLE DISCUS. It is a sure receipe for disaster! Juvenile discus do best in groups of 6 or more. Please, Please, Please . . .Wait until you can buy 6 little discus. Is there a breeder or hobbyist near you? Many times you can buy 6 discus from a hobbyist or even a breeder for less than you will pay for two at the pet store. Look in the buy sell trade section here or post where you are and we can point you in the right direction.

[Kathleen]

Thanks for the welcome!! Well, as far as I know, there aren't any breeders nearby, but I could be wrong. I live in Thomasville, NC. I was thinking slowly adding fish would be better?

I had the same opinion about the BioSpira. I would've thought the ammonia would be gone if it had worked.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do with those other fish yet, but they're not staying.

[Carol_Roberts]

Pat is in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He has some very nice discus
http://forum.simplydiscus.com//index.php?action=viewprofile;user=Pat_in_NC

[MonkeeFish]

In order for Biospira to work you have to load your tank up with all the fishes you want and then put the BioSpira in or else it's a waste of 25 bucks. I heard this does work but big risk better just wait and save the money to get more fishes!!!

Go complain to the guy and get your money back : ) and save that money whiling your cycling the tank to get more than 2 or 3 discus

[Anonapersona]

You have to follow the directions if you buy it, you messed up by adding the fish, letting he ammonia build up, then adding the BioSpira. It will work, just be patient, but it is designed to attack the ammonia as it shows up, not after it has built to high levels.

I don't think you have any complaint with the company, though the store might have steered you wrong if they said to add fish, wait a few days then use the Biospira. But, you still should have read the directions. I would excuse them if you added fish, then came back complaining and they said to use this stuff, it will solve the problem, for it will, just not instantly like it would have in a tank full of new water and new fish.

I have only heard of this failing when 1.) people added fish, waited, then added biospira or 2.) people added biospira, added no fish but added ammonia to some large ppm.

I don't think you have any grounds to complain to anyone, really.

[Dkarc@Aol.com]

I used Bio Spira in 5 of my new grow-out tanks. What I did is I put enough ammonia in the water to equal about 3-4 ppm. Then I added the Bio Spira. It worked perfectly. A few days later I added about 75 1.5 inch fish in the tank and did not suffer the "new tank syndrom". Of course before I put the fish in, I did a 50% w/c. In my opinion, it works very well. I wouldnt use it all the time due to its cost. HTH


-Ryan

[MonkeeFish]

of course u can complain.go out and buy a dead goldfish which is like a 1 buck or less and then bring it to the store and look for the guy dat told u to get it and show him and say "looked at what happened you steered me the wrong way and now i got a dead fish" : )

[Brian-pdx]

I've had good luck with the biospira both ways. In a goldfish tank with a major ammonia problem, it cleared to 0 in 72 hours, so give it some time. For my community tank w/Discus, I added all but the discus at the same time as the biospira, and no ammonia built up...
Like Carol says, watch for Nitrates each day, if they are there, the breakdown is working.

[Gunnie]

Hi! I'm new to discus but not to bio spira. I was wondering how many of you used it, and didn't think it would be suitable for a discus tank because you aren't supposed to do a water change for at least 2 weeks. The bio bugs are free-floating for about that long until they find their spot in the substrate, filter, etc. It works great for emergencies though.

[ronrca]

Interesting Gunnie! I have not used BioSpira but have heard that it works and to me it does make sense (refrigeration and expiry date). Thanks for the info! ;)


you aren't supposed to do a water change for at least 2 weeks. In this case then, I would be using fishless cycle meaning adding BioSpira and ammonia for 2 weeks and letting the system 'settle down' before adding fish. Then after taking ammonia, nitrite and nitrate readings to ensure that the cycle is operating, adding discsu! Remember, in this hobby, patience is the key and there are no short cuts! ;)

[M0oN]

BioSpira's worked fine for me every time, what filter media do you have/filters, what sized tank etc.?

I recently lost all of my filter media with 8 discus, 10 cory cats and two pleco's in a 100 gallon, added BioSpira and my readings were back to normal in 24 hours...

Maybe you don't have enough to handle a decent sized bio-load? Although it doesn't sound like it...the instructions on the BioSpira say to add it with your fish...I've done this every time and my ammonia reads from 0-.25 ppm and nitrite is at 0.

Are you using dye based tests or the strips? I've come to realize the strips are not accurate at all and you may want to invest 20 dollars in a Fresh Water Master Test kit at PETCO...

[Tito]

BioSpira worked for me every single time I used it. I never lost any fish. I also used the salt water version and it worked as well. You must follow the instructions period. I can't stress that. you must add your fish at the same time with the BioSpira. You must not make any water changes until the bacteria colonize and settle. You must refrigerate it if not using immediately.

This is IS live bacteria - it will die if the bag gets warm and no oxygen is supplied. The bacteria are in suspended animation.

If you follow the instructions you cannot go wrong. Also - you cannot cheat. You must obtain the right amount for the amount of gallons in your tank. If you try to use a smaller amount of BioSpira rated for a small tank into a larger tank - you will more than likely get a spike.

This stuff works - if you do it the right way.

[Eddie]

Tito.....get me some tissue



Sorry man, had to do it.

(Eddie Murphy)

Eddie

[minajaguar]

An advice .... Don't buy little discus as u said ... as discus be adult as they can survive ... small discus have week immunity

[CajunAg]

An advice .... Don't buy little discus as u said ... as discus be adult as they can survive ... small discus have week immunity

Haha well if she did buy little discus in 2003, they should be nice and big now...