The Puffer Forum

Thank you for the write up RTR, a good explanation.

If you unchill biospira how long until it's potency is compromised? I've heard of stores not keeping it in the fridge before.

Thanks in advance for the answer, I was thinking about mail ordering some.

My Bio-Spira was mail ordered to Toronto, with great results. It was ice-packed and shipped over ~2 days. It was no longer chilled when I received it, but I added it to my tank within a few hours, and it worked wonders. I ordered mine from HERE.

Has anyone had any luck getting 32 oz bottles of FW Bio-spira? I have a 925 gallon sturgeon tank that needs cycling and I have had absolutely no luck with Marineland (or "Aquaria" as their auto phone system answers). According to an email I received from their pass-the-buck "Customer Service", large sizes must be ordered from their "commercial division". I have wasted hours on the phone (800-322-1266) listening to their loud music and I'm really fed up with them. If there was a competitor for live nitrifying bacteria, I would certainly try them.

You might want to try contacting them via email. I've sent two emails to them and they have been very responsive.

Yep, I've tried that and they just say to call the commercial division.

This kind of customer service will result in my avoidance of anything Marineland. Goodbye IO.

Has anybody used Fritz Zyme 7 or Fritz Turbo Start?

http://www.fritzpet.com/article_comparing.html

http://www.fritzpet.com/study.htm

http://www.fritzpet.com/nitrifying_bacteria_main.html

Nothing like getting mad enough to boycott a company for finally getting through on the phone.
My quart ($100 + overnight shipping) should be on the way.

Let's put my hours on hold to good use: If anybody else needs "commercial" sizes of Bio-spira, call them at 800-322-1266, then extension 4474 for Matt Bennett. Unless you really want to hear "if your biowheel is stuck, press 4 now".

Still, I'm curious about the Fritz Turbo Start 700 (available online from Poseidon's Realm or Everythingfishy.com).

I have read about a temporary cycle w/this product, only crashing a week or so later.

There are many, many nitrification bacteria in the world, and still many in aquatic to bog environments. But if those are not the species which will establish in aquariums, why are you spending money to do the same thing that a water change will do? In other words, for an aquarium, you must have two species (one for oxidizing ammonia to nitrite, a second species tp oxidize nitrite to nitrate), and they each must be capable of establishing a colony in our tanks. The bacteria in BioSpira are such species, and their use in such a preparation, along with the storage medium and handling, is all patented and copyrighted, so that selection for us is limited to that one product. Other species of bacteria might be shipped alive and might still be so when added to your tank, but it they cannot live there indefinitely, you are throwing your money away, might as well just change water as needed.

All that is exactly why Tim Hovanec is the lead scientist at Marineland today. As a sidelight/spinoff from his PhD research, he found out which bacteria really are the right ones. Grabbing him was a no-brainer for a company with ambition. All that remained to be done was production scale up and perfecting storage and shipping (all non-trivial, but standard parts of biological production development). As ususal, the first step was the biggie. The rest just takes investment and not-uncommon smarts.

Nothing like getting mad enough to boycott a company for finally getting through on the phone.

This is OT but your comment reminded me of a problem I had getting through to Cingular's customer service a few months ago. Every call was met by an automated selection menu, followed by 45 minutes of hold time, then the call being dropped. This happened 4 times in a row. I finally got mad, called back and responded "cancel service" at the first voice prompt. I was connected to a customer service rep within 30 seconds!

Hey, I gotta remember that one!

The loud music while on hold was like throwing gasoline on my smoldering temper. Weird. What a shame when you have a good product to risk alienating customers.

On the plus side, I read (rumor?) on an Oscar forum (had lots of time to lurk while on hold) that Petco has started carrying Bio-spira. Unfortunately, not the 2 in my area.

Marineland is really missing the boat with Bio-Spira in Canada. Many many potential buyers are unwilling or unable to order it in. I for one would have purchased much more product, were it available at my lfs.

Pufferpunk wrote:Hey, I gotta remember that one!

I've used that trick several times now (I hate Cingular) and it works every time.

ChesapeakeSwellfish wrote:On the plus side, I read (rumor?) on an Oscar forum (had lots of time to lurk while on hold) that Petco has started carrying Bio-spira. Unfortunately, not the 2 in my area.

Not at Petco in Manassas or Falls Church either AFAIK.

Canada does not normally allow the transit of live cutures into the country. It is not the company, it is the country.

Same situation with us in the US not being able to get Tropica plants, which are all potted - all plants into this country must be bare root.

lisalisa wrote:My Bio-Spira was mail ordered to Toronto, with great results. It was ice-packed and shipped over ~2 days. It was no longer chilled when I received it, but I added it to my tank within a few hours, and it worked wonders. I ordered mine from HERE.

Hi Lisa,

thank you very much for that link, I will look into it further.