# tank cycling



## cichlids _killer (Apr 13, 2008)

any idea how to cycling big tank fast ??? 225gallon .....gonna do hard plum this weeken and fill the water but dont want to waiting forever to cycling...anyone with good idea??? Bio-Spira will that help cycling faster? where to get that? thank
cichlids_ killer


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## moto_master (Jun 23, 2006)

Interesting name there :lol: 
Any ways... I've heard good things about Bio-Spira but I've never used it before, and I couldn't tell you where to get it. What I would do is try and find some one with a tank cycled already, and see if you can borrow some of their filter media to seed your tank. Just make sure you get rid of all the chlorine in the water before you add the Bio-Spira or seeded filter media. Also adding some amonia to feed the bacteria and help them multiply. If you don't have a test kit, get one and watch the amonia and nitrIte levels. Your tank isn't cycled until you don't see either of those in there any more (if you're adding amonia). Good luck and keep us posted! :thumb:


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## cichlids _killer (Apr 13, 2008)

ok i found some bio-spira at dr foster and smith 3oz for 29.99$ plus shipping 19.99$ ( gotta be over night) with the size of my tank i'll need 2 bag.....is it worth it? how that work ? have anyone ever use that .......just add that and then add fish right the way?


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## f u z z (Mar 19, 2008)

I believe the shipping is so much is beacuase bio-spira has to be refrigerated, since It contains live bactercia. My LFS keeps theirs in a small fridge. But i could be wrong about that, from what i was told is has to be kept cold before put in the tank.


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## edouthirt (Jan 22, 2008)

i've ordered bio-spira from dr. foster and smith and it worked out great!! Yes it is very expensive but it saved me from my ignorance about the cycling process at the time. Not to mention saved my fish!!

If I were you (and if you can afford it) buy an extra package of it or two and keep the extra ones in your fridge. After you add the correct dosage for your tank along with your fish... be sure to monitor ammonia and nitrite levels closely. If you see a spike in either over the first week or so... add the extra dosage of bio-spira.

It seems that the nitrite eating bacteria can die off before the ammonia eating bacteria can turn ammonia into nitrite which will cause a spike in nitrite. I'm not saying that this will happen for sure but it has happened to me and the extra package of bio-spira came in handy once nitrites were present.

Dr F and S will ship it overnight in a box with cold packs, but if you are going to be at work with nobody home... you may want to leave a cooler outside with a note for the delivery man to put the box inside of it... or at least tell him to put it in the shade or something. The cold packs worked great... but I'd rather be safe than sorry, especially after spending that much money on it.

Couple other notes:

Don't skimp on the fish... especially with a tank that size... if you don't have enough fish to produce enough ammonia, the bio-spira will die off completely and be useless... that being said, don't go over board... 10 or 12 sub-adults might be a good place to start

Also... water must be dechlorinated before adding bio-spira... it will die from that too


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## cichlids _killer (Apr 13, 2008)

""Also... water must be dechlorinated before adding bio-spira... it will die from that too""<<<< what's that mean "dechlorinated" sorry i dont get that words .....so after i add bio -spira i can add the fish right the way?


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## cichlids _killer (Apr 13, 2008)

i dont mind to pay just want to get it over with and add about 15 fish from 2" to 3" in there my 55gallon right now got 25 fish (over stock) so y'all help with some 411 asap ..thanks


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## mittzgame (Oct 3, 2006)

Wait, you have a 55 gallon tank and you're going to spend $100 on biospira to cycle your tank????

Are _all_ the fish from the 55 going in the bigger tank? Just transfer all the filter media/filters over to the new tank. You're not cycling the tank you're cycling the filters, so your new tank will be cycled. You can remove the old filters after a few weeks once your sump gets the bacteria built-up.

OR, if you're just moving half the fish over to the new tank, put half of your old media into the sump. Same deal- the media is cycled so your new tank will be cycled.

:thumb:


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## Basolisk (Oct 11, 2007)

cichlids _killer said:


> ""Also... water must be dechlorinated before adding bio-spira... it will die from that too""<<<< what's that mean "dechlorinated" sorry i dont get that words .....so after i add bio -spira i can add the fish right the way?


Clorine is in your water from your tap. It is added to kill off bacteria that can be harmfull to you and me. The citys add this in. Unfortinaly what is safe for us is not safe for the fish, so you have to remove it. This is generaly the first thing you do after adding the water into the tank. A water conditionar is added to remove the chlorine. Ask any fish store employee and they will point it out to you and just follow the instructions on the bottle. I personaly add 10gal to my tank size when I add it in. Example... I have a 40 and a 125gal tank. The 125 gal tank I will add in enough for 140gal. Also the extra wont hurt for a new tank.


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