Pro-biotic reefing

[stunreefer]

Yeah, an ATO should def help with that, but we might come up with something else to keep it perfectly stable... I'll roll out here soon enough (less snow maybe, UGH!) - need to see the tank anyways bro!

You can dose the whole vial. There was some talk on another forum (don't remember where, RC maybe?) where Prodibio noted you could stick the vial in a Potato (just to keep upright) in the fridge and save it for "X" amount of days (a week I think). Check that Prodibio thread I linked you in a PM...

Dose into a high flow area in your display. I don't turn the skimmer off, but I wouldn't recommend dosing right in fornt of it... it will either kill the head or skim it out!

[schminksbro]

Just a heads up Rob. As I am sure you know Probiotics is basically a way to increase your skimmer's efficiency. The bacteria consumes nutrients and your skimmer skims it out. I would get the skimmer working properly prior to starting with the dosing.

Well I got my stuff so I am ready to start. Im still nervous. If it aint' broke don't fix it mentality is holding me back. My tank is rocking, skimmer never works properly and I think that will be solved with the Tunze Osmolator. So what ever nutrients I had been missing, i won't.
Is it a bad idea to start a nutrient reduction program, when nutrients aren't really an issue??

I guess I don't want to ruin what good I have going now!

[ReeferRob]

It skims very good to great, I just need to be constantly adjusting it. It deffinetely pulls some nasty stinky stuff when its in the "sweet spot"

[Mike]

I adjust mine every so often too (minor). With the probiotic approach I can feed my fish like the pigs they are and in turn feed the corals.

I have trace nitrate from time to time and my PO4 get's in the 0.03-0.05 range (not to worried about that). I have been happy with the system I am using.

I keep my POtassium between 380-400 also.

[Sir Patrick]

Couple things I have been meaning to add-

Vodka- even a small drop/day is pretty pottent on a small tank. I have heard that VC is an inferior carbon source. I am going to see how the VC works on a small tank, and see if it might be a good sustitute for the VSV's of probiotics on small tanks. Will keep things posted.


It was bound to happen, but I got a lil lazy on the vodka dripping. Somthing that as usual, I should have known better....I got some cyno/slime in the tank. Backed of the carbon dosing, but wont go away. Still dosing MB7. Gonna take mikes advice- and siphone the stuff out, and keep up on it till its gone. I have dripped a bit more than I should have a few times...oops! Gonna be, and stay, more cautious from now on.

I dont think my cpr bakpak (on a 10 gallon) is cutting it either. Sure its airating the water fine, but just isnt doing the nesicary waste pulling it should. Might be a contributer to some of my issues too.

Let me know what you guys think about these couple statments/observations I have come across!


Side note- My green slimer looks better right now than it did when I first got it!! Zoas are all happy and colorful too!

[ReeferRob]

Still to much of a wuse to get started on this. I need to yank up the skirt and do it, I know. Just nervous, don't want to ruin a good thing.

Are you guys still carrying on with regular scheduled water changes while on a bac driven plan?

Do you change anything to your routine? For example lesser volume more frequently?

[stunreefer]

Chris, if your skimmer isn't doing much I wouldn't be dosing any carbon bac/source. As Andy mentioned an effiecient protein skimmer is crucial to any of these systems. I think growing some macroalgae to suck up nutrients would be a better route in the absence of a skimmer.

Rob, if your levels are sittin' pretty I would mess with anything. I've honestly backed down almost completely on Prodibio after switching everything over to the big tank... even though I feed a lot I just don't have a big bioload. I use and like probiotic methods so I can feed the **** outta fish and not worry about excess nutrients, but right now my bioload is quite low. Keep up on your water changes as normal. I don't change anything in my routine, just make sure the ksimmer is working properly, if not it's counter-productive. The point of a probiotic system is to introduce certain bacteria and carbon source(s) to feed on PO4 and NO3, then skim it all out (with some being consumed by corals). If your not efficiently skimming it out, your polluting your tank.

[ReeferRob]

Chris, if your skimmer isn't doing much I wouldn't be dosing any carbon bac/source. As Andy mentioned an effiecient protein skimmer is crucial to any of these systems. I think growing some macroalgae to suck up nutrients would be a better route in the absence of a skimmer.

Rob, if your levels are sittin' pretty I would mess with anything. I've honestly backed down almost completely on Prodibio after switching everything over to the big tank... even though I feed a lot I just don't have a big bioload. I use and like probiotic methods so I can feed the **** outta fish and not worry about excess nutrients, but right now my bioload is quite low. Keep up on your water changes as normal. I don't change anything in my routine, just make sure the ksimmer is working properly, if not it's counter-productive. The point of a probiotic system is to introduce certain bacteria and carbon source(s) to feed on PO4 and NO3, then skim it all out (with some being consumed by corals). If your not efficiently skimming it out, your polluting your tank.

I do feed like crazy and want to increase the bioload here very very soon.

Params are great, but I do have little tufts of hair algae in the most random places. In fact their are a few bundles that blow around on the sand like tumble weeds in the old west!!
My glass needs to be cleaned almost twice a day too. Would like to cut down on this too.

by the way the skimmer is banging better than ever now that evap is better controlled with the Tunze Osmolator!1

[ReeferRob]

Austin

I know I asked you this once before, but don't remember. Do you think it would be okay or not worth it to split the dose half and half with the DT and the grow out tank? Or should I just go full vial on both?

[stunreefer]

Then your likely justified in starting this scheme up - give it a go! Nothing negative (quickly) will happen with Prodibio.