Bacteria Dosing to Manage Nitrates

[john.m.cole3]

I've read here and there that some reefers dose a bacteria in a bottle to help keep their nitrates down.

What brand, how often, and how much do you dose?? Please state why, if for reasons other than nutrient control.

 

[jsker]

AquaForest
Np Pro, Pro Bio S. the dosage varies by volume of water.

 

[john.m.cole3]

AquaForest
Np Pro, Pro Bio S. the dosage varies by volume of water.

Those are a carbon source and a area for the bacteria to grow. They do feed the bacteria already in your tank, and have tried them. Personally, I did not like carbon dosing, but I may try it again. Good Morning! @jsker

 

[G8trBait16]

Same as @jsker
Aquaforest
3 drops - NP Pro - Carbon Source (every morning before lights come on)
3 Drops - Pro Bio S - Bacteria (every morning before lights come on)

 

[CoralNerd]

Dr. Tim's One and Only when needed

 

[john.m.cole3]

Dr. Tim's One and Only when needed

how do you determine when you need it?

 

[jsker]

Those are a carbon source and a area for the bacteria to grow. They do feed the bacteria already in your tank, and have tried them. Personally, I did not like carbon dosing, but I may try it again. Good Morning! @jsker

Top of the morning to you @john.m.cole3 I backed off the dose for the reason my nutrient were getting to low. I an currently tweaking the dose now.

 

[john.m.cole3]

Same as @jsker
Aquaforest
3 drops - NP Pro - Carbon Source (every morning before lights come on)
3 Drops - Pro Bio S - Bacteria (every morning before lights come on)

oh my bad. i had the descriptions mixed around for those products... dang memory!

 

[jsker]

oh my bad. i had the descriptions mixed around for those products... dang memory!

Must have caffee

 

[john.m.cole3]

Must have caffee

funny thing is... Maria was on her way back with some at that time, lol

 

[Fourstars]

I would not dose carbon unless your tank is very well established and you have high nitrates.

 

[john.m.cole3]

Not looking to carbon dose. I read someone dosed 1 cap of MB7 a day, for example. There doesn't seem to buch info out there on this topic (if it even is a thing that works...)

 

[Fourstars]

Never heard of dosing bacteria, I assumed everyone was dosing carbon to feed the bacteria already present. You want some NO4 and PO3 if you have SPS. I was dosing a new tank and had a case of RTN I assume it was due to such low levels of Nitrate and phosphate. Good luck!

 

[Wh00pS32]

I add 2ml of mb7 to my 55l nano twice a week for the last 18 months.
I set up my tank with real reef rock and siporax so started using the mb7 to help the bacteria get started and just never stopped.
I run the tank skimmerless and i'm a very heavy feeder, i don't have any nitrate problems so something must be working . One thing i have noticed is that the morning after adding the mb7 the water in the tank is so clear and polished it looks as though i have done a 100% water change.

 

[john.m.cole3]

I add 2ml of mb7 to my 55l nano twice a week for the last 18 months.
I set up my tank with real reef rock and siporax so started using the mb7 to help the bacteria get started and just never stopped.
I run the tank skimmerless and i'm a very heavy feeder, i don't have any nitrate problems so something must be working . One thing i have noticed is that the morning after adding the mb7 the water in the tank is so clear and polished it looks as though i have done a 100% water change.

this is the kind of information i was looking for! where did you come up with 2 ml, 2x/wk?

 

[saltyhog]

I have dosed MB7 as well for a couple of months on my 155 gallon tank. I too noted the increased water clarity but noted no appreciable change in my nutrient levels. Specifically no change in nitrate levels with bacterial dosing for me. My primary reason for doing it was to try to diversify the bacterial populations in my tank. I was carbon dosing and having problems with bacterial blooms. Randy thought the bacterial dosing might help with that and indeed it did seem to.

I liked the way my tank looked while dosing MB7 and probably will do it again in the future.

 

[Wh00pS32]

this is the kind of information i was looking for! where did you come up with 2 ml, 2x/wk?

The dosage amount (2ml) is roughly the recommended dose on the bottle for my tank (after displacement for rock etc) and the frequency of dosage was that i just copied what someone else on another forum was using and he had good success with it.
I honestly don't know if the tank is getting any benefit from using the mb7 but it also causes no harm either.

 

[john.m.cole3]

The dosage amount (2ml) is roughly the recommended dose on the bottle for my tank (after displacement for rock etc) and the frequency of dosage was that i just copied what someone else on another forum was using and he had good success with it.
I honestly don't know if the tank is getting any benefit from using the mb7 but it also causes no harm either.

yeah, and it's pretty cheap compared to other things we spend money on in this hobby

 

[Nano101]

I've read here and there that some reefers dose a bacteria in a bottle to help keep their nitrates down.

What brand, how often, and how much do you dose?? Please state why, if for reasons other than nutrient control.

Red Sea NOS POX-1

 

[john.m.cole3]

Red Sea NOS POX-1

I believe that is carbon dosing. Carbon dosing is a good way to feed the bacteria already in your system. I just want to simply add the bacteria in. My reasoning for this is, I have had some cyanobacteria in my tank in the past and I'm afraid carbon dosing would resurrect the red nasty stuff, lol!