Why dose maintenance bacteria?

[Red2143]

What is the logic for dosing weekly bacteria in an established tank? After one dose doesn't the bacteria just grow subject to available resources or is bacteria somehow being consumed and not able to multiply?

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

It's absolutely pointless except for MAYBE certain probiotics. Don't waste your money.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Sorry, I just can't stand hearing people being misled into believing they need to spend money on products like nitrifying bacteria on a daily basis. Maybe we should all be ingesting E. coli daily so we don't run out of bacteria in our digestive tracts...

 

[fishface NJ]

Both the above answers

 

[Cell]

What seems like a straightforward question probably is a lot more complex. The Zeovit method is based on dosing bacteria. Researching Zeovit might provide some of the info you seek.

 

[Cell]

Here is a good thread to check out

One year of Bacteria Powered Growth

One year of growth. Aquarium details here: https://www.reef2reef.com/showcase/reefsite-rimless-reef-4-0.464/ I post video's daily on Instagram (@Reefsite), and have multiple threads here on R2R detailing my methods. Any questions....let me know! :) -Sonny What I dose

www.reef2reef.com

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

What seems like a straightforward question probably is a lot more complex. The Zeovit method is based on dosing bacteria. Researching Zeovit might provide some of the info you seek.

Isn't the bacteria essentially the same as other bottled bacteria and the system just entails carbon dosing from my understanding.

 

[Cell]

Isn't the bacteria essentially the same as other bottled bacteria and the system just entails carbon dosing from my understanding.

I don't know any Zeovit details, just that it relies on regular dosing of bacteria. My impression is that it's not nitrifying/cycling bacteria, but that would be a good question to ask in that thread.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

I don't know any Zeovit details, just that it relies on regular dosing of bacteria. My impression is that it's not nitrifying/cycling bacteria, but that would be a good question to ask in that thread.

I was actually interested in the system and from my understanding it's primarily a ULNS type method. I know carbon dosing is involved and I e actually used the product...i think the bacterial additives is simply your run of the mill bacteria but i could be wrong.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

I don't know any Zeovit details, just that it relies on regular dosing of bacteria. My impression is that it's not nitrifying/cycling bacteria, but that would be a good question to ask in that thread.

I just briefly read up on it and it is in fact essentially just a way to run a ULNS tank. I doubt the additional bacteria have any real value because you feed them directly with the many expensive additives required for the system. The bacteria multiply like crazy and drive down nutrients. I can't see any way that adding more of the same bacteria could possibly help.

 

[bushdoc]

Dosing maintenance bacteria plays very important role in US economy by increasing cash flow from individual reefers to mighty corporations.

 

[resortez]

Dosing maintenance bacteria plays very important role in US economy by increasing cash flow from individual reefers to mighty corporations.

 

[Moe K]

You guys might hate me for saying this but I think it does matter. The blend they recommend which is zeobak states on the bottle it is to prevent a monoculture bacteria. If biodiversity is important than if the claims are true it should be beneficial.

I have been trying to find similar types of answers as it seems my latest dry rock/bare bottom tank has been on a huge set back when I had the bright idea of dosing several different bottle bacteria to force inject biodiversity of bacteria. What really seemed to happen is that I got some kind of aggressive bacteria that seems to wipe out any bacterial biodiversity that is desired by the coral.

If lighting is par tested, water chemistry is optimal (icp tested regularly) along with balanced nitrate to po4 for months on end and coral growth seems stagnant what else could it be?

 

[Hats_]

I dont get the whole biodiversity claim. In the wild biodiversity is important to adapt to the everchanging environment or to exploit a niche as a species to ensure future survival. This just isnt the case in an artificial environment like a reef tank. All needs are provided for unless you plan to keep a very rare species that exploits a niche in the wild but usually those tend to not do so well in a reef tank (butterfly fish for example).

Also the bacteria dosing thing is a relatively new thing and i dont see much difference with tanks from 10-15 years ago that just did regular waterchanges and use a calcium reactor...

 

[Alexraptor]

But that's just it, our reef tanks ARE everchanging environments. Sure we may strive to keep parmeters steady, but we're always tinkering, always causing anomalies through our feeding and maintenence habits, which in turn is enough to upset the balance between different organisms.

Biodiversity ensures we have organisms that can pick up the slack from all the unexpected and unpredictable anomlies that arise throughout the life of a reef.

 

[littlefoxx]

What is the logic for dosing weekly bacteria in an established tank? After one dose doesn't the bacteria just grow subject to available resources or is bacteria somehow being consumed and not able to multiply?

I use a brand called seed, and I used it for initial set up then just treat water change with the seed (of Im changing 10 gallons Ill seed the 10 gallons. I honestly was just told by lots of people its important for corals and stuff! My brand new set up I dosed the whole for 7 days after set up as instructions said and then for WC. My tank I got established from another reefer I just seeded the water I added as I kept 50-70% of the water to not shock the whole system and now for WC only if this helps. Just want other reefers in my area suggested to do

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

"zeobak states on the bottle" @Moe K , I highly recommend that you read "The Dark Arts Of Mathematical Deception" - ,

I am not being sarcastic, nor am I being critical, I am being sincere. I suggest that read to everyone and refer to many of its case studies depending on the topic. I wasn't able to put that book down until I was completely finished, I actually took a day off to wrap up reading it and reviewing my notes.

Anyway, I do like their fancy colored glass bottles though

 

[Hats_]

But that's just it, our reef tanks ARE everchanging environments. Sure we may strive to keep parmeters steady, but we're always tinkering, always causing anomalies through our feeding and maintenence habits, which in turn is enough to upset the balance between different organisms.

Biodiversity ensures we have organisms that can pick up the slack from all the unexpected and unpredictable anomlies that arise throughout the life of a reef.

Im not talking about parameters tho, parameters swing in the ocean lots as well. In the wild certain animals compete for food sources amd that is how certain reef fish became dependant on certain animals to feed them (example, harlequin shrimp, no stars no shrimp). I just dont see how having x amount of bacteria y has become 'vital' to our tanks in the last couple of years.

 

[Moe K]

I think I am going to start looking at this at a different level. Seriously thinking of getting a microscope to take a look for myself. Down another rabbit hole I go.

 

[Alexraptor]

Im not talking about parameters tho, parameters swing in the ocean lots as well. In the wild certain animals compete for food sources amd that is how certain reef fish became dependant on certain animals to feed them (example, harlequin shrimp, no stars no shrimp). I just dont see how having x amount of bacteria y has become 'vital' to our tanks in the last couple of years.

Oh I think the bacteria craze is rather nonsensical myself. To me biodiversity is having as wide a variety as possible of microscopic and larger organisms, not chasing specific strains and cultures of bacteria. And that is best achieved by using 100% live rock when starting up a reef, or adding any rock for that matter.