Bacteria Starter Test

pyackel

pyackel

Medium Fish
#41
May 30, 2003
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#41
If the ammonia and nitrite levels aren't at zero soon I don't know that I would consider Cycle® to be of much value - especially now that BioSpira® is out stealing all the accolades. I'd rather spend $5 - $10 more for BioSpira® which definitely works - and in only 2-3 days (3 days for me). Some people experience a completely cycled tank in 3 weeks without any bacterial supplements - so for me - I cant see any value in Cycle®. Here's another point - The Nitrosomonas and Nitrospira will need food (ammonia & nitrite) in order to survive. There is none of that in a bottle of Cycle® and since Cycle® is kept at room temperature they will be active and quickly starve once they are put in the bottle. If it is not refrigerated then you are wasting your money. I saw a bottle with an expiration date of 2007. LMAO - that bacteria was already dead I assure you. The bacteria in BioSpira® is in stasis due to the low temperature of refrigeration and therefore will not need food until they get warm.
 

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FroggyFox

FroggyFox

Forum Manager
Moderator
#42
May 16, 2003
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43
Colorado
#42
Pyackel...I don't think anyone expects the cycle to be an overnight miracle like the bio-spira is. The point is to test it and see IF there is any advantages to using it. Personally I can't get ahold of BioSpira around here because there is only one direct distributor left in Colorado, who doesn't sell it (something like that) one of my lfs guys explained it to me when I asked him why they didn't have it, and whether they could get it. BUT I can readily get cycle...which is why I'm interested in these results

I think we all realize that the bacteria needs food to stay alive...but with the miracles of modern science don't you think that it would be possible that they found a new way to package it so that it would still be beneficial as they claim?
 

Fishman_2000

Fishman_2000

Large Fish
#43
Feb 18, 2003
190
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16
Durham, NC
#43
Froggy are you stalking me or something I was just about to reply first! Froggy is correct not everyone can get Bio Spirra. I still haven't found it in my area. Yet Cycle is readily available. My point to this test is to determine if cycle really does anything or not since I have the time to test it. I have heard mixed opinions on the product. The fact that the bucket without cycle is at 5.0 ppm of ammonia and 0 nitrites, the bucket with cycle is at 4.0 ppm of ammonia and .50 of nitrite would indicate that Cycle is actually doing something after all. However as I stated before, after the buckets cycle I am going to clean everything and re test it again for consistency. Cycle states it speeds up the creation of the bio filter. They also have small levels of ammonia in every bottle. I have kept mine in the refrigerator since I opened it. You are correct Bio Spirra is the best "IF" you can find it near you.
 

Fishman_2000

Fishman_2000

Large Fish
#45
Feb 18, 2003
190
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Durham, NC
#45
Adding to what SuperFishy said earlier in this post about Bio Spirra. I went by another fish store today and inquired about Bio Spirra. The guy said that they have to buy a special refrigerator to keep it and that it's very expensive. Unless they order a really huge batch of Bio Spirra and then they would get the refrigerator for free. So that's probably why so many places don't carry it. But if it must be stored in a special refrigerator I wonder how long it will hold up in a normal household refrigerator. That would be an interesting test. Which I probably won't be able to do. Unless a fish store outside of my town happens to carry it!
 

pyackel

pyackel

Medium Fish
#46
May 30, 2003
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#46
I spoke with a Marineland support representative today to ask about this. They said that any refrigerator will do. There is no "special refrigerator" requirement. The place where I bought mine simply had one of them mini-fridges. In fact, the package says simply to refrigerate it until ready for usage. Fishman_2000, that guy in the LFS was apparently making an excuse for not carrying BioSpira® - for whatever reason. If I were you, I'd go back and tell him - even give hime Marineland's phone number to verify it for himself. Then maybe they'd get it - who knows - couldn't hurt.
 

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Fishman_2000

Fishman_2000

Large Fish
#48
Feb 18, 2003
190
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Durham, NC
#48
That particular lfs has been getting on my nerves more and more everytime I go. I don't usually go to it much but I happened to be on that side of town yesterday. They've done other stupid stuff like sell canister filters and quit stocking the filter media for them! If I had the money and knew about Saltwater tanks I'd start my own lfs and hopefully watch the others dwindle down! One can dream right :) !
 

pyackel

pyackel

Medium Fish
#49
May 30, 2003
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#49
I know you were probably kidding but I'll say this anyway; I would guess that exposure to sub-freezing temperatures would cause a breech in the cell wall - the intrinsic expansion of freezing water within the cell - no different than the obstacles of cryogenic applications on human tissue...
 

Flex26

Flex26

Large Fish
#50
Apr 21, 2003
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#50
Originally posted by pyackel
I know you were probably kidding but I'll say this anyway; I would guess that exposure to sub-freezing temperatures would cause a breech in the cell wall - the intrinsic expansion of freezing water within the cell - no different than the obstacles of cryogenic applications on human tissue...
Click to expand...
Geez, pyackel....where do you come up with this stuff?! haha...but it makes sense. When things freeze, they expand. Thus, spitting the cell wall.....kinda like freezing a bottle of water.

Anyway, I read somewhere that marineland required you to buy some refrigeration unit from them in order to carry Bio-Spira. But who knows....

By the way, Bio-Spira works!! Period. *celebrate
 

GuppyGuy

GuppyGuy

Small Fish
#51
May 31, 2003
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Franklin, TN
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#51
Bio-spira lol I got some put it in hasnt touched my nitrites. in 2 days nitrites still peaked. 10 gal tank added 30 gallon bio spira pack 2 days ago. nitrites were 5.0+ did a 30% water change yesterday vaccumed 1/2 gravel and still today 5.0+ nitrites. guess well see how long it takes bio spira to reduce peaked nitrites :)
 

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Fishman_2000

Fishman_2000

Large Fish
#52
Feb 18, 2003
190
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16
Durham, NC
#52
More news on the cycle process in the buckets. The water in the bucket without cycle is still at the normal level. Ammonia is 5 and nitrite is 0. In the bucket with cycle, the ammonia is 3 and nitrite is 2! This is the 3rd week. I had hoped it would be done by now. I'm just surprised the other bucket hasn't even changed at all.
 

Fishman_2000

Fishman_2000

Large Fish
#54
Feb 18, 2003
190
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16
Durham, NC
#54
Hey GuppyGuy how is the tank cycling? Well here is an update on the cycle process. The cycle bucket has 2 ppm of Ammonia and what looks like 5 ppm of nitrite. The bucket without cycle is still the same, 5 ppm of ammonia and 0 nitrite. This whole test has been going on for almost a month! I read on the cycle box they say that the first two weeks of cycling the tank to add double the amount of cycle per week for the first two weeks. Then after that they reccomend switching to just the regular dosage each week. I have not added cycle since this was started so I went ahead and added the double dosage. I figured the other bucket would have at least started to cycle being it's set there for a month. With all the chlorine in my tap water I wonder if it's killed the bacteria responsible for cycling. But I have heard it can sometimes take up to two months to cycle a tank without help.
 

Fishman_2000

Fishman_2000

Large Fish
#56
Feb 18, 2003
190
0
16
Durham, NC
#56
The last time I tested the buckets was on July 5th. I also added another dosage of cycle to the bucket with cycle. I haven't tested the water until yesterday (7/15). When I tested the water I was shocked to see the no cycle bucket had 0 ammonia and nitrites were off the chart. When the other week that bucket had like 5.0 ppm of ammonia. The bucket with cycle had 1.0 ppm of ammonia and nitrites were around 5. I was very baffled and then noticed that the filter in the bucket with cycle wasn't getting any air. Somehow the gang valve got bumped or something and shut off air to that filter. I'm still surprised that the bucket without cycle lost all the ammonia within a week but it had all the air from the pump. So I did say I was going to retest for consistency again so when I go to the LFS tomorrow I'll get another pump just like the one i have and some more substrate for the filters. I'll put new airline tubing on the filters and the heaters have been washed and are airing out. I'll wait at least 2 or 3 days before even starting the test again. To make sure all the bacteria is dead. I'll also add cycle into the bucket once a week like they say to do which i didn't do before.
 

B

Bernie

New Fish
#57
Jul 17, 2003
7
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Evensville,TENN
www.fishstoretn.com
#57
Bio Spira

Since I'm new here and also a moderator on another forum, I don't want to do anything against any rules here (since I'm also an LFS owner with an On-line Store).

But, I did want to post some info regarding Bio-spira.

We do sell it (and ship it refrigerated with a coldpack via
USPS Priority for a nominal ship fee).
Many stores do not carry it because of the investment
in $$ required in amount of product/refrigerator supplied by Marineland.

It does work when used properly; as we have had many
satisfied customers as well as a ton of posts and long
threads discussing its applicability and successes.

All the other cycling agents are prepatory in nature and
DO NOT contain the actual live nitrifying bacteria that Bio-spira does.

It is meant to put in Freshwater aquariums followed by
a FULL LOAD of fish that would normally be kept in that
particular size tank. 1oz treats 30gal ($7.99);
3oz treats 90gal ($17.99).

Much more info available if anyone wants to e-mail me.

Again this is not meant as an advertisment, but informative....and I would certainly first suggest that
anyone interested in Bio-spira should first contact their
local LFS and ask them.

Hope to stop in from time-to-time and post anything I
would consider constructive.

Thanks

Bernie
 

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