For those dosing prodibio bioptim and biodigest

[sahin]

I just started using Prodibio again after trying several other nutrient reduction methods in the last year or two. I am just using the Biodigest and Bioptim to start with again. Prodibio seems to be the most effective and least hands on in terms of nutrient reduction. MB7 and RBF worked for me but I would often miss doses and did not achieve the results I got from Prodibio.

I got a bit lazy with my maintenance last year and my reef tank suffered. My SPS starting browning and also started getting cyano as well as some nuisance algae. I am certain my PO4 and NO3 levels are high. I will test in a bit and post the current levels.

Hey there Sammy. Nice to see you on this thread. Do let us know how you get on with the Prodibio. I found it very effective last time I used it, AND I didnt get any of the usual cyanno etc issues like with other carbon dosing.

FWIW I have finished cycling my tank which has about 35lbs of Key Largo Rocks from Marco. Phosphate reads about 0.01ppm (down from 0.03ppm by using Prodibio). I am using nothing else. No GFO etc. Some people do end up using some GFO, I'll see how long it takes before I need to use it.

 

[sammy33]

Hey sahin. What are using for test kits?

I just tested for PO4 with my Deltec kit and it was about 0.05ppm. :hmm2:

NO3 was around 10ppm. :hmm3:

I started Prodibio on 1-19-12 so I am guessing it will take about a month (two doses) to see some results.

 

[sahin]

Hey sahin. What are using for test kits?

I just tested for PO4 with my Deltec kit and it was about 0.05ppm. :hmm2:

NO3 was around 10ppm. :hmm3:

I started Prodibio on 1-19-12 so I am guessing it will take about a month (two doses) to see some results.

I am using the Hanna ULR Phosphorus meter. I am very particular about the testing procedure and time myself to the nearest second, as well as using a lint free tissue (used to clean DSLR Camera sensors!) to handle the test vial etc etc. The meter is very very consistent for me.

I got a slight coloration for nitrate on my API test kit. To be honest I am not too bothered about nitrates because EVERY single reef tank I've ever had adequately processes nitrates to almost 0 after a few months (ie once the bacterial process are adequate).

Also, most forms of carbon dosing systems are very good at reducing nitrates anyway. Its phosphates I worry about. But it looks like with the rocks I have they are not leaching anything - at least not in significnt amounts. I estimate that even if my rocks are leaching a small amount, in 3-5 months it will ease off to almost nothing.

With regards to the phosphate, yeah anything over 0.03ppm (see Randys Article) means that phosphate is no longer a limiting factor for algae growth. It is probably also responsible for the browning of your corals.

If your nitrates are around 10ppm, thats not too bad to be honest. I know of UK reefkeeper who had TOTM and really good SPS colour with nitrates over 40ppm!

Anyway, hope the Prodibio works for you. Your level isnt too bad. Keep us posted.

 

[sammy33]

I got some new test kits. I noticed all my kits are long expired. I got the new Red Sea Pro combo kit for reef foundations (Ca, Mg and Alk) and the Algae Control combo (NO3 and PO4). Pretty nice tests!

My PO4 is still up at .08ppm and seems higher than I initially thought. NO3 is around 0 to .2ppm best I can tell with the new test kit. I did make some changes to my refugium about a week ago by taking out a frag rack that was all clogged up with macro algae. This seems to have improved the flow around the DSB in the refugium and may be helping with de-nitrification. I also did a 10% water change which seems to have dropped the NO3.

I have noticed a couple changes in the aquarium with just one dose of Prodibio - skimmer is going nuts and am not having to scrape the glass as often. I am going to change out my GFO (it's old) and see if that helps drive my PO4 down a bit more. Will report more soon.

 

[gdubs97]

I have read through this entire thread and I am more confused.

I have a 120 gallon mixed reef tank and I actually dosed before. Unfortunately I cannot remember if it was 3 vials of bioptim to 1 vial of bio digest or the other way around. When I was using the probidio I also ran my gfo and the phosphates were always below 0.05. I ran out of probidio and have not run it in 3 weeks and phosphates were 0.10 last night.

The back of the boxes tell me to dose 3 bioptim to 1 biodigest. I'm reading the reverse in some of these threads. Can someone please clarify this. Also should I stagger the dosing one day apart,etc? I used to do them all at once.

Thanks

 

[ZR1001]

2-3 vials of bioptim and 1 vial of biodigest. I doese bioptim one week and biodigest the next.

 

[gdubs97]

Thanks zr. I will start up again next weekend after my next water change.

 

[sammy33]

Bioptim dosing is based on water volume. The dose rate is 1 vial per 50g. For a 120g tank I would do two. I use two on my 125g.

I have been dosing one vial of Biodigest and one of Bioptim at the same time. I then dose the second vial of Bioptim about a week later.

 

[plankton]

I recently added one vial of BioDigest to a 2mo old tank and lost an echinata. All other corals are fine. Prodibio says you can't overdose using BioDigest. I have a 25G tank (35G total volume) and yeah one vial 'treats 50G' but do you think the 'overdose' of bacteria caused the RTN?

Can you dose half and save the other half in refrig or something? Anyone try?

 

[sahin]

I recently added one vial of BioDigest to a 2mo old tank and lost an echinata. All other corals are fine. Prodibio says you can't overdose using BioDigest. I have a 25G tank (35G total volume) and yeah one vial 'treats 50G' but do you think the 'overdose' of bacteria caused the RTN?

Can you dose half and save the other half in refrig or something? Anyone try?

Echinata's can be difficult to keep. I highly doubt that an extra bit of bacteria is responsible. I used to sometimes dose 2 vials of the Biodigest in my old 28G tank which has lots of Acro frags (25+). Excess bacteria if anything are food for the corals. Most of it probably gets skimmed out.

Was your Echinata an Icefire or the Aussie variety? I have a large frag of a wild Aussie Echinata. Its been 2 weeks and it hasnt done anything. Just looks pale cream all over. I also bought a wild frag of the Strawberry Shortcake, this is a smaller frag than the Echinata and the SSC has already finished encrusting onto the rock (ie over the superglue that is holding it down). I also use Prodibio - both Biodigest and Bioptim in my tank.

 

[plankton]

Thanks for the reply Sahin. It was an ORA Hawkins (blue echinata). It had a small white spot at the base, then next day just went. Full RTN with no tissue left of skelton - pure whte. Obviously there was some change in the tank conditions the echinata didn't like. Just wondering what it was? Will let the tank mature a few more months then try again.

Do you alternate BioDigest, Bioptim every 1 week?

Forgot to add current tank conditions: Tank is 1.5 months old. Radion at 50% 12K at highest peak.

temp=77, salinity=1.026, alk=9.6 (normally 10.0), Ca=452, mag=1440, phosphate=0.53, Nitrate=2.5, Nitrite=0

All test kits Salifert except phosphate which was measured using Hanna. Will recheck phosphate again.

 

[sahin]

Plankton: The Hawkins Echinata can be a sensitive coral. I've seen many threads where the owner says they bought it day one, following day its RTN'd. Just like in your case.

My paramters are as follows:

Ca: 420ppm - API
Alk: 7.5dKH - Torpic Marine
Mg: 1250ppm - Salifert
NO3: Undetectable - API
PO4: 0.006 to 0.01ppm (Hanna ULR Phosphorus).
Temp: 79-80.5'F daily
pH: 7.9

I use a hybrid T5/LED ATI Sunpower.

Your phosphate is very high. At that level I think it would take more than 6 months to get it below 0.03ppm with the Prodibio system! :worried:

At this level, I would utilise small amounts of GFO alongside the Prodibio. At levels below 0.03ppm if you utilised GFO, I'd say the GFO would compete with the bacteria, but at ths level there is too much of it. Prodibio is a slower working system, than say Zeovit (which can take a year to sort out excess nutrients).

So my advice would be use small amounts of GFO (ie a 1/4 of the reccommended amount of GFO for your tank size). Check the Phosphate level a few days later. Then replace or leave in until you get the level near to 0.03ppm. Once at or close to 0.03ppm let the Prodibio work on its own.

DO NOT use a whole load of GFO or you risk RTN of your corals. - Using too much GFO at once will lower your Alk and also strip the water of phosphate so fast. Both of those events will cause RTN, either together or seperately.

 

[plankton]

Hey Sahin - Yes, I'm actually running two cups of GAC already with 1/5 cup of GFO in a reactor. I think it might be user error. I used my salifert phosphate test kit and basically the phosphate is undetectable (<0.03ppm).

The picture below isn't very clear but I just reran using hanna and got 0.36ppm. Then, put the salifert test result (clear) on top of 0.25 and 0.5 and there is no way the salifert solution falls between these two results. So, I'm wondering if I'm using the Hanna correctly?

I do this:

0) press button to turn hanna phosphate meter on
1) fill test vile with tank water up to mark ~10ml
2) press button that reads C1
3) open package of powder
4) when button reads C2 I transfer powder to vile and start timer
5) I mix for up to 1.5 min then put into meter. Instructions say max 1.5 cuz meter shuts off at 2min
6) I press C2 then get result.

All the powder normally does not dissolve and is suspended in solution. I wonder if this is giving me false reading?

 

[sahin]

Hi Plankton, according to that photo your reading is well below 0.03ppm it seems...if you can get a friend to test a sample of your water.

Other than that, I dont know why your hanna meter tests so high? Maybe get test someone elses water with it?

 

[sammy33]

Full tank shot from 2-8-12...just about a month ago. Notice the green stuff? It is almost like a green cyano? Arrrghh. :headwally:

Prodibio has helped in terms of nutrient control. My NO3 is down to zero and PO4 is now down to ~0.06. SPS still have some browning but colors are slowly returning. Green stuff is also going away...very slowly.

My RO/DI system was pretty much shot. I have been basically topping off with tap water. I have replaced all the filters including the RO membrane and DI resins and am now back to 0 TDS.

Will post another FTS soon.

 

[Reef_Noob]

Iv been dosing Bioptim and Biodigest from the outset. I believe it is the main reason my nutrients are in control.
I also run 1/4 the recommended amount if GFO in a phosban reactor as I do feed regularly.
Based on tests iv also modified the dosing to weekly dosing if necessary and haven't observed any adverse effects on SPS or LPS.
If parameters are in check I revert to the biweekly dosing.

This is the first time iv attempted carbon dosing, so far so good

Happy Reefing!!

 

[Reef_Noob]

Iv been dosing Bioptim and Biodigest from the outset. I believe it is the main reason my nutrients are in control.
I also run 1/4 the recommended amount if GFO in a phosban reactor as I do feed regularly.
Based on tests iv also modified the dosing to weekly dosing if necessary and haven't observed any adverse effects on SPS or LPS.
If parameters are in check I revert to the biweekly dosing.

This is the first time iv attempted carbon dosing, so far so good

Happy Reefing!!

 

[sabbath]

I have been dosing Diodigest and Bioptim for a few months now. My algae has cleaned up nicely. I still get some small patches of green and or red cyano once a week or so yet.(I then turkey baster them) I have been also dosing Zeo coral snow at a 2/3 dose a few times a week for the cyano. I think or hope that it is helping to get it under control.. I do add small amounts of aminos once a week. I'm concerned about keeping and improving the coral colors. What are you thoughts on the cyano?

 

[chercm]

salifert is plain rubbish when measuring po4

 

[terri_ann]

Hey Sahin - Yes, I'm actually running two cups of GAC already with 1/5 cup of GFO in a reactor. I think it might be user error. I used my salifert phosphate test kit and basically the phosphate is undetectable (<0.03ppm).

The picture below isn't very clear but I just reran using hanna and got 0.36ppm. Then, put the salifert test result (clear) on top of 0.25 and 0.5 and there is no way the salifert solution falls between these two results. So, I'm wondering if I'm using the Hanna correctly?

I do this:

0) press button to turn hanna phosphate meter on
1) fill test vile with tank water up to mark ~10ml
2) press button that reads C1
3) open package of powder
4) when button reads C2 I transfer powder to vile and start timer
5) I mix for up to 1.5 min then put into meter. Instructions say max 1.5 cuz meter shuts off at 2min
6) I press C2 then get result.

All the powder normally does not dissolve and is suspended in solution. I wonder if this is giving me false reading?

I use the Hanna phosphate meter without any problems. Bed, Bath & Beyond sells mini funnels...I bought them. I filled a test vial with 10ml water, put the vial on it...where vial spout touched the water, I cut that part off as the reagent willl stop where it meets the water and clog the vial.

Here's my regime:
Set timer to 3 minutes.
1)Fill test vial with 10ml tank water. Cap and invert bottom to top until any bubbles are removed (invert slowly).Make sure no fingerprints are on vial...I only touch the cap and the bottom of the vial.
2) Turn on meter and open reagent package.
3) Meter says add C1. Add.
4.)Meter says add C2. Turn on timer. Add reagent to vial using funnel. Make sure all reagent goes into funnel. Shake the vial vigorously for 1 1/2 minutes. Then begin to invert vial slowly top to bottom to finish dissolving reagent and removing any (micro)bubbles inside the vial. At 15 seconds left on timer...
5) Place vial in meter. "PRESS AND HOLD BUTTON" until 3:00 displays! (This is a timer on the meter which allows an accurate reading.)
6) Be ready to read the reading as soon as the timer goes to 0 as the reading is displayed only for a second or 2.

Hope this helps:wave: