Field Trial of PRODIBIO Jan 1
 

After a year of using UltraLith products, I am going to a field trial of Prodibio products. There is nothing wrong with the Ultralith line, in fact it works very well. As does the Zeovit products. Once you figure out the manuals( in both cases) I had a side tank running Zeo for comparison purposes. Just takes some patience. I went off of UltraLith for a couple of months to see the Ultralith system was real. Well, yes it was and if your on one of these systems don't do it cold turkey. I found all the SPS had immediate withdrawal symptoms via loss of color. All the Seriatopora and Pocci's turned white...like RTN white but they came back.Then it was the monti's. I also had the worst algae bloom ever(thank god for sea hares) and a couple good nitrate spikes. Since I am Ultralith free so to speak and the tank is more or less stable, I have decided to give Prodibio a try. I have heard some good things about the product and want to see for myself.

Still haven't seem my Hare anywhere. Wondering if the thing is still alive...

It is still there I see mine occasionally and it is the size of a hardball

same with mine hes about the size of a baseball lol:)ive had him for months now lol:):)

I'm interested to hear how it compares to the other systems you've tried and look forward to updates :biggrin:

So this is what came in the mail today. I believe Blue World Aquatics is the only store in Edmonton own carrying the product at this time.

http://i496.photobucket.com/albums/r...o/HPIM1498.jpg

http://i496.photobucket.com/albums/r...o/HPIM1497.jpg

Dosing Regimen
based on 50 gal / vial
1 vial every 2 weeks( Bio Digest, Iodo+,Stronti+and Bioptim)
Reef Booster is introduced 4 weeks after
Skimmer can be left on except when using Reef booster

The water prams are as they were with Ultra except Ultra use has been discontinued over a month. Any after effects from Ultra should be small if any at all

Wayne,

You are correct we do carry the full line in stock. Glad to see a full test, have had many promising results from customers in the past.

And, it's so easy to use!!!!

Ken - bwa

Wayne, you will love PRODIBIO. THE REEF SHOPPE stocks and uses it in-house too. We have had great success with it as have our customers with new and old reef tanks. A few good noteworthies here are that most of the product needs to be dosed weekly or bi-weekly, no bulky reactors and it cannot be overdosed unlike the zeo. I just wish that we had access to the big ampules for larger systems. Enjoy!!!

Starts Today.....
I have acquired a few coral colonies from the local stores. These will serve as controls( they haven't had any contact with ultra) during the trial. My tank system basically has 400 l of free water, so it is two vials every 2 weeks. Snapping glass vials with the rubber tube included is not safe enough for me. Just subbed that with something stiffer

im looking forward to hearing bout this too wayne i picked up the reefbooster today at blue world its true about the skimmer keep it off lol. put in one vial into my 50 gal 4 hours ago and if i try to start my skimmer it overflows in about 5 mins

Here is the link to reef booster product sheet

http://www.prodibio.fr/library/pdf/prod_pdf_enr_11.pdf

Thanks for sharing Wayne, I will be following along too. I have also been considering the Prodibio line, but I won't start until spring. Thanks for being our Guinea Pig! :p

How is the cost for the Probdibio products you bought? How long do you expect the vials you have to last? I have seen these in bwa before but never thought much about it.

I will post final cost in a few months when this the tank is stable with Prodbio.
Right now at the start: based on 400 litre system and 2 week dosing cycle
The retail cost works out to 2.00 / vial
7 vials used each cycle = 14.00

OOPs I used and extra vial of Biodigest....

i think the pack with 30 vials runs you about 60 dollars each. one vial of biotipm per 50gal and 1 vial bio digest per 250 gal (i think)every two weeks (old formula, not sure about the new) and a vial of reef booster every week per 100gal. not sure about the stroni and iodine

AquaDigital posted a dosing chart, looks like 50-100g tanks use 2 vials of BioPtim, Reef Booster, Iodi+ & Stronti+ very 15 days and 1 vial of BiDiget every 15 days for tanks 0-250g. Looks like an interesting and easy to use prouct and can't wait to see some results Wayne!

Week 2
What I have noticed:
-white film on tank glass is more frequent
-water is clearer
- control corals are starting to color up...but not enough time to determine whether probio is responsible for this
- corals that were colored have maintained their color(mind you they also look better)
-stags growth rate is definitely better
-I haved noticed that the acans have their polyps out more than usual
What was done:
-10% Water and Carbon change 2 days ago
- Ca reactor put back on line after one month of downtime( FYI: never put a deltec pf601 in an place that you can not reach easily)

- will test for nitrates and phosphates on week 4
-reef booster comes on line in week 4

Hey Wayne,

I was surfing and seen this. Thought you might be interested.

http://reefbuilders.com/2011/01/14/p...ns/#more-28781

and

Do you think you will ever try a combo method like Iwan Lasser ?

As of FEB 1 all water prams are OK( simliar to what I had when I was on Ultra). Although I feel it is more important to have a stable prams rather than prams in a certain range. I introduced Reef Booster ( 2 vials ). It did cloud the system a milk white..sort of like when you put purple up in the tank. I had the skimmer off for 4hrs( the tank was clear by that time). I checked the skimmer cup and it was not excessively foaming. Reef booster mixes very well in water. None of the softies closed up. Notes: The water in the tank is very clear( no yellowish tinge when I had a water change. I notice that the Stags are growing faster and the colors are starting to come out. The control corals( these are not stags)are also responding. I will be changing out lights by the end of Feb.

Thanks for the link John. I like the idea of a hybird method like Iwan Lasser's. I think each ulns product lines have some very good products. I have some thoughts on how to combine Zeo and Ultra products in to a very effective UNLS dosing system. John do have any more links to Lasser's? I want to read more about his setup.

Here is another link I found
http://www.coralmagazine-us.com/cont...cs-demystified

Awesome little journal mate, looking forward to keeping track of this one !

Great review :)

Took me a while to realise this was running, but if anyone has any technical questions then let me know.

FEB 16
This is the 4th cycle of using prodibio. And the second cycle of using reef booster

Things continue to do well in the tank. I have noticed:
1. Growth rates of the sps are noticeable esp with the stags more so than when under ultra or zeo
2. Colors are starting to come out on the browned out SPS...a gemmifera I rescued is responding to prodibio...this Acro did not respond as fast using Ultra
3. The SPS that had colors prior to trial have either maintained their color or have changed color( a deep water that always had white body with blue tips now sports a yellow body) and become more vibrant
4. Polyp extension is more apparent
5. I have seen no outbreaks of flatworm ( this sometimes was accelerated by the addition of certain ultra or zeo products)
6. I am cleaning my glass every two days and water is still clear( based on last water change)
7. pictures are coming...I bought a new stylus....next posting
8. This Prodibio is way easier to use than either Zeo or Ultra

Fencer so what is it costly you to run this set up?
is it jsut for SPS?
Can this unit run for softies and LPs?
What does it exactly do?
what happens if you suddenly stop?
How much Algae do you need or do you need any?
So for a 250 gal tank-
what would it cost is it monthly or semi monthly
Start up costs too.

Think I am qualified to answer this (I hope ;) )

is it jsut for SPS?
No its for all system corals and inverts including live rock fauna

Can this unit run for softies and LPs?
YES

What does it exactly do?
It is a ULN system so it lowers your nutirents as well as providing increased growth of corals and colouration as well as providing a diverse food source for your whole micro eco system

what happens if you suddenly stop?
In time your nutrients will rise and your tank will go back to pre dosing conditions, no it wont create any crash.

How much Algae do you need or do you need any?
?? None

So for a 250 gal tank-
what would it cost is it monthly or semi monthly
Start up costs too.

each 30amp kit is $59.95 for your size tank you would be dosing every two weeks

1 x Bio Digest
5 x BioPtim (or 1 x gamma size vial)
5 x Reefbooster (or 1 x gamma size vial)
same for stronti plus and Iodi+

Gamma size is $119 for 10 vials.

On a 100 gal system it comes out to about 30 / month
- you also save money on less frequent water changes...Ultra was once a week
- I have seen no problems with the softies (acans palys) in the system
- did not cause an algae bloom( my system is very seasoned )
-if you have calerupa in in your system if won't cause a die off

What are you doing for WC's with the Prodibio dosing?

wc 10% every 2 weeks

Some Photos taken on Feb26 with new stylus..not very good at it yet

http://s496.photobucket.com/albums/r...view=slideshow

here is a sample:

http://i496.photobucket.com/albums/r...o/P2260043.jpg

Notes:
1. If you look at the deep water corals you can see lots of new budding formations. This is true of stags. There is one clear example of this where the stag has multiple buds at the tips.
2. The pictures were shot in 15000k lighting (URL and Pheonix bulbs)
3. All the subtle colouring on the deep waters has come out since using Prodibio

Holy corals fencer!!
OMG, they are just stunning. Great pics too!!
Now I really want to see the tank in person.:biggrin:
So when is the next tank tour??

And anytime you feel the need to prune, call me!!

I just dosed for the first time today, added all five products and left the skimmer off for 2 hrs. I turned the skimmer back on two hours ago and I have no foam what so ever...almost like when I have skimmer running in vinegar and fresh water to clean it...Is this what you experienced?



:question:

After 4hrs...there is no foaming. Everything except reef booster you can add with the skimmmer on. I was told to add reefboaster 1 month later at the start. Not sure if you did this

You MUST wait 6 weeks prior to adding Reefbooster, I mention this in all my guides. It is quite an important detail. If you do not have your system at ULN proportions you are just adding very high nutrients before the system has burnt out the bad stuff. Just like other ULN systems, the food sources are only added once the system is on a ULN state.

Reefbooster is heavy in Omega 3 it will shut a skimmer down just as you say.

I dose mine over night and turn the skimmer back on in the morning on low settings until the evening.

If you find the skimmer over skims after this time the system has not absorbed all the nutrients in the ReefBooster so set the skimmer to min flow for 24 hours.

The high benefits of reefbooster is in the visibly high Omega3 content, but your system has to have enough life to soak it up and low enough nutrient loading (why you wait 6 weeks). If you find the skimmer does not come back online as quickly as hoped, dose only half next time.

You are also using a Skimz skimmer that draws a heap load of air so it will likely over skim when it comes back online.

OK, My mistake. :lol:

I didn't scour the interweb long enough to find, or missed this "important detail". I bought this product and foolishly assumed the included, although ambiguous instructions would be enough. I'm now assuming there are others out there who are not BB savvy who are buying this product with very little info, I went through the PRODIBIO website and couldn't find any more than what was printed on the packaging ...So I ask, would it not be nice to receive some included guideline when purchasing these products, maybe a sticker on the box with a web link...Just saying.

are you still field testing Skimz?

LOL - In my defence

This has been on my forum for months
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=70500

And I pm'd you an exact dosing schedule :(

I do agree however ProdiBio should put it on the marketing and not rely on me to inform. I will bring this up with them

Yes you did, you sent me two sets of instructions,....One for an established system and one for a new system...My mistake, I read them as not to start the reef booster in an established system for 6 week...This system is a 99gal+45gal sump - displacement, 100lbs of new rock, 100lbs of new sand and 50+ pounds of coraline encrusted LR from another one of my systems...


Skimmer is foaming again this morning but she's still al little cloudy


Define "field testing"...
Did I retail purchase a new skimmer that didn't work? yes.
Did the Wholesaler assist me in getting the faulty parts replaced once they were available? yes.
Was there offer of compensation made? yes...

...but that's another story which hasn't drawn to a conclution yet:wink:

If still cloudy then for sure the system was too young for it, give it 24 hours and the water will be sparkling. No damage has been done, no ill effects only corals with full bellies ;)

I was asking Michael if he was still field trialing the skimz

I do have a well established ULNS....clouding ends in 4 hrs