Bio Spira still cycling?

[Eskielvr]

I did another water reading today, and it says Ammonia is 1 ppm, Nitrite remains the same, at .25 ppm, and Nitrate is 5 ppm. The water is still a little cloudy, and has been since I added the Bio Spira. I thought this stuff was supposed to cycle within a day or two? I added it late Sunday/early Monday morning.

The guy at the LFS told me to stop feeding Spartacus for 3 to 4 days to reduce the waste levels. Is this necessary? How much longer is it going to take? :-\ I asked if I needed to add more Bio Spira and he told me no.

 

[nmwierman1977]

It does an instant cycle for you, but it usually takes a full week. Give it one more day. My measurements with ammonia have been showing a lttle bit longer then usual also, but it's only because the fish are being fed and they are producing waste. I'd say do a 25% water change, but I don't want you to lose your nitrates reading. Wait one more day and see if the nitrates get up to atleast 20 and if they do you can probably get a way with doing a 25% water change to reduce the ammonia and nitirites. I had to do that with my 3 gallon and my tank was cycled the next day after the water change. The ammonia was at 2 and the nitrates were at 40, so I wanted them lowered. After the water change I checked them that night and they were as follows: Amm.0,nitrites 0, nitrates 5.0. Natalie

 

[Eskielvr]

Oh really? I was told not to do any water changes for a full 7 days after adding the Bio Spira. :-\

I noticed later tonight that Spartacus's tail has shredded more now. I was going to give him one more day but at such a high ammonia reading I just can't chance it. So I filled my vase with water, treated it with AmQuel+, Novaqua+, and a small amount of Stress Coat, floated him for about 18 minutes, then released just him (not the water) into the vase and treated him with a small amount of Bettafix. This has gone on long enough. He's going to stay in the vase for 7 days while I treat with Bettafix, and that time should give his 5 gallon a chance to cycle fully. I have 2 snails in the 5 gallon so there will still be some waste produced to keep the cycle going. Hopefully by then he'll be better, the tank will have cycled, and no more fin rot. My other Betta lived for well over 6-7 years in that vase and no, it didn't need a heater because the water stays a few degrees below the room temperature, so if you keep the room warm the water will be too.

I'll give an update in either a few days or a week to let you know how everything worked out.

 

[voiceless_kat]

Man this fin rot is a terrible thing to deal with. I will be monitoring your progress, and keeping you abreast of mine, since Spartacus & Neptune are really going through the same thing.

It will be interesting to see how it goes, you with Bio Spira, me with an uncycled tank.

Let's keep our fingers crossed - for sure we know we are doing the best we can. Good Luck Spartacus! Val & Neptune

 

[COBettaCouple]

Man this fin rot is a terrible thing to deal with. I will be monitoring your progress, and keeping you abreast of mine, since Spartacus & Neptune are really going through the same thing.

It will be interesting to see how it goes, you with Bio Spira, me with an uncycled tank.

Let's keep our fingers crossed - for sure we know we are doing the best we can. Good Luck Spartacus! Val & Neptune

Anyone's Betta NOT dealing with finrot and/or torn fins? Seems like everybody's got it lately.. I think our Aslan is starting to have fin regrowth from self-nipping at torn fins (and making us treat him for finrot since we weren't certain it wasn't finrot) and now Sora's making us wonder about his fins. We wish everyone good luck with knocking out the finrot and may all our Bettas have healthy fins soon.

 

[nmwierman1977]

It say's not to for 7 days, but obviously with the waste in there too the readings could get a bit high and if it get's danger level you would want to do a small one. My tank is stillvery much cycle even after doing a water change. I did a very small one only 25% and it was fine. Natalie