We’ve been active users of the Prodibio line of probiotic aquarium products for a long time now, but we’ve always been more than a little frustrated when explaining how to use the stuff based on the vague and general guidelines for instructions that are made available on each box of Prodibio vials. The basic instructions are given in just a few sentences to cover uses as broad as freshwater to saltwater and fish tanks to reef tanks.
Needless to say, if you wanted specifics for how to squeeze out low nutrient export from Biodigest and Bioptim you had to use good old fashioned trial and error and whole lotta observation to be able to get Prodibio to excel at keeping low nutrients in a heavily stocked reef tank. The case in point is the Rocky Mountain Reef tank whose biological cycle was started with heavy dosages of Prodibio Pro, and the tank continues a strong method of probiotic nutrient management using Biodigest, Bioptim and Reef Booster.
Now that Prodibio is being distributed in Canada by Aqua Digital, they’ve pressed Prodibio for some more specific instructions for using the glass vials to keep the algae away and the corals looking great through tighter control of nutrient levels. The full rundown of how to get the most out of Prodibio’s Biodigest, Bioptim and Reef Booster are after the break.
BIODIGEST
Biodigest is made up of natural nitrifying, nitrate reducing and facultative bacterial strains selected for their ability to convert ammonia into nitrites, nitrites into nitrates and nitrates into nitrogen. Biological filtration quickly gets underway thanks to nitrifying bacteria such as Nitrosomonas europaea and Nitrobacter.
Aquarium cleaning by waste matter digestion is helped by the presence of numerous different strains of heterotrophic bacteria present in optimal proportions such as Paracoccus denitrificans and Pseudomonas stuzeri … These bacteria work together with each strain finishing off the work started by the others. Some are capable of biosynthesising nitrate reducing enzymes in aerobic conditions. This enables water to be effectively purified, nitrates and phosphates to be reduced and prevents the spread of filamentous algae.
WHY SHOULD THE PRODUCT BE USED EVERY TWO WEEKS?
Biodigest is particularly effective in the first two weeks. The speed at which the bacteria develop differs from one strain to another. Biodigest guarantees optimal purification proportions for a fortnight. If you want to speed up the purification process, you should not increase doses but instead should use the product more frequently.Bioptim
Bioptim contains all the microelements needed for aquarium life (selected amino acids, enzymes, natural vitamins including riboflavin) and a natural plant surface active agent enabling better membrane absorption by cells). It also provides trace elements: sulphur for proteins, iron for plants and fish blood, cobalt for B vitamins and boron for many products metabolised during cell building, calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, molybdenum and potassium.
Bioptim is a natural product that affects cellular bioactivators. It dynamises the cellular metabolism of most of the bacteria living in marine water aquariums and reinforces the biological reactions by increasing the number of bacteria and therefore optimising water quality.
Bioptim speedily accelerates the digestion of organic matter, reduces the BOD – biological oxygen demand – and therefore contributes to a raised Redox potential. It also facilitates the elimination of nitrates and phosphates, which are an early warning sign of algae problems, and carbohydrates, and therefore helps to regulate decomposition odours and optimise water quality
Reef Booster
All types of coral, even those with zooxanthellae, which feed on light, require nutrient supplements. Reef Booster has been developed in partnership with aquaculture experts based on highly effective products that are used to start up crustacean, mollusc and bivalve larvae.
The product is a complete nutrient supplement containing all the elements required by the invertebrates that feed solely or partly on microplankton and for zooxanthellae carrying coral which need microplankton. Reef Booster favours the development of corals, clams and micro-fauna and the reduction of nitrates and phosphates by feeding and maintaining anaerobic bacteria on live rocks. After a few weeks of use, hermatypic corals (Plerogyra and Euphyllia) expand and the ahermatypic polyps (Scleronephthya and Tubastraea) and the Gorgonians flourish. Coral colour also stabilises. Reef Booster contains very high concentrations of the polyunsaturated w3-fatty acid groups which all marine organisms need.
A few drops in fish feed make it more appetising, making reef booster an excellent solution when starting to feed difficult or recently imported fish.
