<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14575768#post14575768 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by spleify
Murray, thanks for the detailed explination of your experiences. It's definitely interesting what you are experienceing. I was curious how it was going to work with no LR in the system. I suppose what it sounds like from your testimonial, is that teh carbon dosing alone will not provide enough biological diversity and filtration, and there for "some" LR is still needed.
Thanks
All I can say definitively (and barely that) is that in my experience, you need a certain quantity of live rock in a Zeovit system, but may not need it in a Prodibio/VSV/ceramic rock system, assuming adequate substrate is present.
Interestingly, Aquaroche said the following:
"When you introduce aquaroche rocks in tanks, do not rinse them. It’s easier for bacteria to penetrate inside the heart of the rocks if they are dry: pour bacteria solution and small pieces of crushed live rocks in a small quantity of sea water in a bucket and soak rocks inside for a few minutes. Some bacteria booster can be useful. (Prodibio)
Then put the rocks and solution in the aquarium."
However, if I was doing it all over again, I would use the following protocol:
1. Make a solution of Prodbio, 1 gallon seawater and some crushed live rock, let sit for 30 minutes, agitate and and pour it slowly over the dry ceramic, soaking all surface areas carefully.
2. Repeat 1. until ceramic rocks submerged in curing vessel.
3. Add well-cured live rock in a 2:1 (ceramic to LR ) ratio in the vessel, dose 1 amp additional Prodibio and "cure" the ceramic rock for 30 days. Make sure vessel has a powerhead and heater. Add one amp Prodibio per week during process,. Start dosing VSV at week 2 (.1 ml per gallon of curing water/day).
4. Do a 50% water change weekly (prior to dosing Prodibio).
5. At week 2, dose one amp Bioptim.
6. I would use, at a minimum, 20-30% live rock in the system somewhere. As I previously stated, it may be that my success with ceramic rock/Prodi/VSV was due to introduction of additional bacterial strains through livestock, not present in Prodibio Biodigest but nonetheless somehow involved, at least tangentially, in the nitrification/denitrification (and perhaps other - phosphorus?) pathways. Or Biodigest may have all the necessary strains. I have no idea. I suspect the former, as it seems to me it is quite possible microbiologists and associated scientists haven't identified each and every strain of bacteria involved in nutrient cycling in the marine/reef ecosystem. But that is just layman speculation on my part.
Just my two cents anyway. :lolspin:
