Prodibio for SPS Users? I HAVE QUESTIONS!

Shawnts106 · #1 07/14/2007, 01:00 PM

I have been thinking about using this product for some time now.. and I have decided to try it out for 3 months to see what results I see.

I hear alot of people who do not like either Zeo or Prodibio...
I at least want to try it out to see if it works for me.

This being said,
For people who use this product (Prodibio) what is your initial dosage for this product?

I am going to use BioDigest and Bioptim...
Would there be another recommended product by Prodibio that you would use in conjuction to these two?

Thanks for the help.

Henry Bowman · #2 07/14/2007, 01:18 PM

Try here for dosing info... Depends on the size of your tank etc....
http://www.prodibio.fr/anglais/accueil.htm

reefkoi · #3 07/14/2007, 04:35 PM

I would add reefbooster to that package. I was doing smaller than recommended dosage for the first few months because I wanted to ramp it up slowly.
After about 9 months now I dose everything full dosage according to the package directions. One week optim, no digest and the nect week digest and no optim, just like the package recommends.

The tank should be fairly established and not have too many problems going on otherwise you'll keep having problems and then want to blame the prodibio for the whole health of the tank.
Don't expect any miracles, but for now I am a believer in it.

Oh yeah and keep your alk down close to Natural Seawater level of 6-8, mine creeps up close to 9 but I don't let it get higher than that by using TM proreef salt, which mix's to a low alk

Shawnts106 · #4 07/14/2007, 04:43 PM

Is Zeovit that much better than Prodibio? Im seeing mixed opinions.

Shawnts106 · #5 07/14/2007, 05:13 PM

With Prodibio it says 1 ampule per 1,000liters(~265gallons)
If I only have, say a ... 75gallon aquarium, do I add a full ampule or do I divide the ampule up?

Henry Bowman · #6 07/14/2007, 05:29 PM

The mfgr recommends going ahead and dosing the entire ampule. I have a 90 and that's what I have been doing. Results are OK...no real issues, my corals are happy and colorful.

Shawnts106 · #7 07/14/2007, 05:33 PM

* Also is there any concern with ALK ballance?

I hear with ZEO you have to maintain NSW levels?
Is this true with Prodibio?

Also, Can I continue to use B-Ionics with Prodibio for Alk/Ca ballance?

I would have to immediatly start off with
Bioptim
BioDigest
and
Reefbooster

B/C I have undetectable Nitrates/Phosphates and already run a PhosBan Reactor...

Can I continue the reactor with the Prodibio. Or do I need to get rid of the reactor?

reefkoi · #8 07/14/2007, 07:05 PM

Not sure which method is better, most of the dosage rates are based upon 200 or 400liters except for the bacteris which is based on 1000l that one really cant be overdosed so just dump it all in and get the others close.
I can't see why you couldnt use the b-ionic, maybe just dose less of the alk side to keep that low.

As far as running a phos reactor I don't know. I have a reading of .10 with a hanna colorimeter. I tested another very colorful reef tank with very little fish and he had .21 so I am starting to wonder who really has 0 phos or is it that most test kits are inaccurate compared to a colorimeter.
I am going to be testing most of our clubmembers water next weekend to see what the average phos really is.
Chris

Shawnts106 · #9 07/14/2007, 08:53 PM

Hum... Interesting, Does anyone here use a phosban reactor in conjuction with the BioDigest ?

I would think this would be counterproductive because you are already removing phosphates with the Iron Oxide product in Phosban, then adding bacteria to deplete it more...

Marcio · #10 07/14/2007, 10:24 PM

I have just started to use biodigest and bioptim. My reef is 90Gal and i'm using 1 digest + 1 optim ampule every week. My reef is 37 days old and i got some boring algae, when they stop growing i'll use 1 digest ampule and 2 optim ampule every other week.

kirstenk · #11 07/15/2007, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Shawnts106
Hum... Interesting, Does anyone here use a phosban reactor in conjuction with the BioDigest ?

I would think this would be counterproductive because you are already removing phosphates with the Iron Oxide product in Phosban, then adding bacteria to deplete it more...

Correct, I would take the GFO off to start, you can always add it back.

Keep your ALK below 9. I shoot for 8dkh.

Shawnts106 · #12 07/15/2007, 05:12 PM

Ok.

So DKH does need to be at NSW levels in order to prevent RTN or STN with the Acros?

Ok, I seem to be having more and more of a problem understanding the exact dosage... I am hearing 10 different things about which to dose when...

DO YOU start off with 1 ampule of Digest & Optim weekly? or
Do you start off using 1 ampule of Digest the first week, next week do Optim, next week to digest etc... for 4 sessions then start using Reef Booster?

This method needs to be DISCUSSED MORE and explained more, because the company doesnt exactly explain it well on the Prodibio Site...

wentreefgirl · #13 07/15/2007, 05:29 PM

I highly stress the 6-8. Otherwise youll get the rtn disaster.

kirstenk · #14 07/15/2007, 05:44 PM

Read this:

http://www.robsreef.com/Merchant2/me...t_Code=pbkreef

My packages say what this says.

Shawnts106 · #15 07/15/2007, 05:57 PM

Only 6-8dkh karen?
Wow thats low

Marcio · #16 07/15/2007, 06:08 PM

I didn't know the dkh must be low in order to prevent RTN using prodibio. Why it happens?

Shawnts106 · #17 07/15/2007, 06:22 PM

OK, so on the dosing...
Digest needs to be dosed every other week to start off.
The Optim needs to be dosed the same.

On the Optim... 1 Ampule per ~50 gallons, so If I have a 75 gallon aquarium, do I use 2 ampules or 1.5ampules? Can you overdose this?
Can you use these two in conjuction with each other? Or do you need to add these separatly? ... If so, how far apart do you add them?

Do you need to stop your skimmer/Filtration for the bacteria additions?/ Bacteria food additions?

Can you Overdose on the Reefbooster?
Same as above - 1 ampule does ~100gallons...
so again, 75gallon tank... 3/4ampule or a full ampule? And can you save the left over 1/4 unused portion?

If you do have RTN/STN happen should you continue use or stop, frag the coral, and move it to another system?

nikonosis · #18 07/15/2007, 06:56 PM

I don't understand why the dKH has to be so low, whats the reason for this?

Flint&Eric · #19 07/15/2007, 07:09 PM

keep your dkh 7-9, 6 is too low you'll experience stn/rtn. prevent swings too.

why is not known, it effects the bacs somehow...

do not run gfo or the system will not work...i also wouldnt save the left over ampules...

i'd go with zeo due to the support available, but jmo.

Flint&Eric · #20 07/15/2007, 07:09 PM

keep your dkh 7-9, 6 is too low you'll experience stn/rtn. prevent swings too.

why is not known, it effects the bacs somehow...

do not run gfo or the system will not work...i also wouldnt save the left over ampules...

i'd go with zeo due to the support available, but jmo.

reefkoi · #21 07/15/2007, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Flint&Eric

do not run gfo or the system will not work...i also wouldnt save the left over ampules...

Why no GFO??? Where did you hear this? I run it because I didn't know I wasn't supposed to.
Thanks
Chris

wentreefgirl · #22 07/16/2007, 05:40 AM

"If you do have RTN/STN happen should you continue use or stop, frag the coral, and move it to another system?
"

Once you experience the rtn of the high dkh. Your corals that are effected dont look smooth anylonger. They have a roughness too them. Those that do, wont do you any good to frag. I have 3 still with that roughness to their skin. They didnt fully rtn then, and i have tried to save them. They are stning i suppose. Or they have died already and havent shed the skin yet. My purple bonsai for one. And my superman porites is hangin on but not hopeful at all. Another that is not so special but working at it. So in any event. Try not to get there because i must have lost 8-10 colonies in just 2 alk doses. Youll know almost right away something is wrong as soon as you dose the alk. If you hand dose.

Flint&Eric · #23 07/16/2007, 08:57 AM

went reef, i've never heard of that roughness before....? the only time i've seen that is when nutrients are too high and algae is very dense within the coral tissue. could you explain more...?

you dont want to run gfo. you will be removing phosphate which doesnt allow the bacteria to export it. that's the entire point of prodibio, to export nutrients....via the bac's being skimmed out.

nikonosis · #24 07/16/2007, 10:08 AM

I was thinking about running prodibio but I don't think I will because I like to run my dKH at around 10-11.

Serioussnaps · #25 07/16/2007, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Shawnts106
Hum... Interesting, Does anyone here use a phosban reactor in conjuction with the BioDigest ?

I would think this would be counterproductive because you are already removing phosphates with the Iron Oxide product in Phosban, then adding bacteria to deplete it more...

It will slow the exhaustion of the GFO IMHO. This is a good thing as GFO aint cheap. Also, the GFO acts as a backup and GFO doesnt only remove phosphates it removes heavy metals, silicates and what else I dont know. I would run both(if i bothered with the prodibio)

Why are you trying prodibio?