65gallon

Ok so I used the product Cycle and have since done a few 80% water changes. the Cycle was only in my tank for a day or two before i did my first 80% water change. I just got my biospira and did another water change. will it be ok for me to add my biospira now?

I think the Cycle is out of my tank as I have been getting an amonia reading

susitna-flower

Should be fine....what is in the tank? Fish?

65gallon

it is a new 55 gallon freshwater tank with no fish in it.

Shawnie

AWESOME job cycleing without fish!!! I wish I knew about it before...now, either feed your tank a lil bit of fish food or cut a small piece of fish or raw shrimp, and put it in the tank for the bacteria to eat and grow...goodluck!

65gallon

I added the biospira about 3 hours ago and now im getting a reading of

amonia - .50ppm
nitrite - 0.0ppm
nitrate - 7.4ppm

lilsoccakid

make sure u hav a source of ammonia for the bacteria until u add fish, and u should be all set!

make sure u dont change the water for a week, and DONT CHECK UR AMMONIA LEVALS! these levals will come up CRAZY. often people get scared when they see them and change the water, and dump the bacteria they spend a lot of money on right down the drain.

65gallon

i fed the tank some betta flake fish food. should i still put in a raw shrimp?

Peterpiper

The raw shrimp would be better IMO, as it will produce more ammonia, you dont need the flake food if you add the shrimp,
Good to see your cycling fishless!

65gallon

So i put a shrimp in this morning and checked my water. my readings are

ammonia - 1ppm
nitrite - 0ppm
nitrate - 5ppm

Shawnie

you shouldnt check any readings for 7-10 days after adding bio-spira..u will have a ton of different crazyness while the bacteria take over...patience and you will find just what you need....also, no water changes in that time either...and if its absoulutely necessary, just skim the top of the water so not to disturb the process..

65gallon

i plan on checking my levels again tonight but i was wondering if i should leave the shrimp in or take it out

voiceless_kat

Bio Spira is a wonderful product. How much did you add? If you added the correct amount, you should be adding fish now - at the same time as the Bio Spira as per instructions.

Don't do any water changes for at least 7 days, and no need to keep checking the water parameters, they will be going goofy and you will make yourself crazy! The fish will however be able to handle the water right now.

I have always added my fish within an hour of the Bio Spira and never lost one. I don't know about the shrimp...suppose it would be a bacteria source if there are no fish....Personally, I would add fish.

Good Luck...keep us posted!!

Val

65gallon

thanks for the info im going to remove the shrimp and go buy some fish

Shawnie

with the shrimp in the tank, you can wait to have it cycled before adding fish...that way they dont get the high ammonia, nitrite spike it has to go thru....glad you are doing this fishless as I said before...

65gallon

do the spikes affect the fish at all?

Shawnie

any intake of ammonia or nitrites is poisionous to them..although bio-spira says you can add fish within 24 hours, or even with it, I waited once I knew about it till I had zero on both ...but that was my preference something does have to be added to feed the bacteria tho..whether a piece of fish aka shrimp or some fish food daily, the bacteria needs something to eat