MousePotato

So, the use of Maracyn killed my cycle and I need it back! These 50% water changes are stressful on both me and the fish. So, I bought some Bio-Spira and I've been running the tank with fresh carbon in the filter for 96 hours now to remove the last remnants of the meds.

Questions:

1. I've been using Prime as my water conditioner. Should I do a water change using Stress-Coat 24 hours before adding the Bio-Spira?

2. Can I just add the Bio-Spira tonight since it's been 24 hours since I used Prime?

3. Do I just dump it in the tank or the filter or what?

I have some gravel from an established tank that I will hang inside the big one and I'm wondering if this will help with the fact that I only have enough Bio-Spira for a 90 gallon while my tank is a 110...?

Help!

MousePotato

Anyone? Please? I sure would like to have my cycle back before the hurricane makes landfall, if possible. I might be able to keep the filter going in a power outage, if I can find some sort of battery pack, but if we lose water I can't keep changing out 55 gallons every 24 hours. Please help!

Shawnie

if its been 24 hours since you used prime, yes go ahead and add bs ..right to the tank water...then remember for at least 7 days, NO CHECKING water parimeters, NO water changes..goodluck darlin!!!

MousePotato

Thank you, thank you!! Should I do a water change before I add it or no?

Shawnie

I did...because I couldnt do it for a week...but, I dont have chlorine in my water so I dont know about using a dechlorinator and bs...I know prime doesnt work with it and have heard amquel is better so not sure about stress coat ...when was your last water changes?

MousePotato

Last night. I've been doing them every night for a few weeks now. Very tired of this!

Shawnie

id just go and add the bs and then wait the seven days of nail biting...just remember to NOT test your water or you will go mental LOL (more mental than you are now, took me 9 weeks of daily changes on a 75 gal) goodlucK!

Lucy

Stay safe MousePotato

Christian Patti

Is this bio spira or tetra safe start? If it is bio spira then it is long since expired.

If it is safestart make sure you use their water conditioner they recommend. Prime will starve the bacteria even if its not supposed to. Also your fish will see ammonia with this product and it make take up to a few weeks for the bacteria to develop.

MousePotato

Thanks, Shawnie. I will add it in a few hours just to make sure the ammonia is back to normal. I remembered your "nine week" horror story - that's why I got the Bio-Spira!

Thanks, Lucy. I'm about 80 miles from the coast, so no fear of storm surge. They are saying we could get winds in excess of 100 mph, so I'm more worried about that! I have a lot of tall pine trees in my yard and I'd prefer they STAY in the yard as opposed to, say, my dining room. I've got about 5 days supply of bottled water, lots of canned goods and granola bars, some V8, batteries, battery operated radio and cell phone charger, and a BIG box of cheap white wine! If this thing hits us, I will be doing the following:

A. Fill the tubs and every container I can find with fresh water
B. Move the dog kennels away from the windows
C. Hunker down in a corner and get very, VERY drunk!!

Shawnie

praying nothing comes near you!!!!!! and if not, share the wine!!



christian patti you can still purchase bio spira

Lucy

MousePotato

Crapples. It's Bio-Spira. Is there an expiration date on the package? I just bought it this weekend!

MousePotato

Thanks. Good to know about the BS, too. If the storm comes, but I don't lose power, you might want to ignore any postings I make on Saturday. I'll be completely schnockered!

Lucy

If it was kept refrigerated, it should be ok. Check it for a date.

MousePotato

I will check it in a bit. It's wrapped in newspaper in the fridge. I've kind of been treating it like a holy relic.

MousePotato

I just added the Bio-Spira. I did not see an expiration date, but I DID see you can't run a UV Sterilizer with it. I didn't know that. I turned mine off. Is my filter still going to work without it?

clinton1621

Lol, yep your filter will work just fine... I have never even owned a uv sterilizer.

MousePotato

Cut me some slack, clinton! It came with the tank. I don't know anything about it except the water goes through it after it leaves the filter. I am completely scatter-brained right now due to a massive hurricane breathing down my neck. Honestly, I'm not sure if my tank will even survive if this beast hits us dead on. No power for a week means dead fishies.

Feel guilty yet?

clinton1621

They can live for a week with no power... all you need is a battery powered air pump =)

Trust me its much harder when you have ice storms that knock out the power in the middle of winter... then you have to worry about oxygen and heat!

The uv sterilizers are not really a necessity, they also dont discriminate between good bacteria and bad bacteria... to quote a movie, they kill them all and let god sort them out... lol

MousePotato

My office released us at 9:15 this morning so I hit Walmart and picked up some air pumps and batteries. Another $70. It would be cheaper to evacuate!

Heat definitely won't be an issue. It's 91 degrees right now with a heat index of 98. I've been picking up stuff in the yard and I'm sweating like a horse! I can't believe Husband got out of all this hard work. I am not designed for manual labor!