When you look at your reef tank, what do you see? If your aquarium is like so many others, your eyes are treated to the exotic colors and life of coral, fish and other beautiful inhabitants. From the delicate branching arms of your chosen coral species to the vibrant and active life of marine life, it’s easy to forget that the most important organisms are the least visible.
Like so many of you, my first experience in reefing was filled with excitement, confusion and a constant supply of new information. Starting my aquatic journey in freshwater environments, I was amazed by the level of involvement saltwater aquariums required compared to its less-salty counterpart. Of course, this was exactly what I yearned for due to my endless curiosity.
Author:
As a lifelong aquarist, Yuliya has an endless curiosity about our underwater universe. After graduating with a bachelor’s in Environmental Engineering, she transformed her passion into a successful career. While working at the Institute of Environmental Protection in Moscow, her passion for saltwater and reef aquariums only increased. Moving to the United States in 2013, Yuliya embarked on another impactful journey by sharing her unprecedented experience for all aquarium hobbyists ... Read More.
While I was familiar with the concept of microorganisms and its role in reef tanks, it wasn’t until my watery adventure brought me face-to-face with a hyper-experienced aquarist that the value of these invisible guests became known.
Of course, this was many years ago, and thanks to the wondrous knowledge of the Internet, novice reefers now have access to information that used to take months of digging through library books and attending seminars to learn. Nowadays, I’m astonished at the level of knowledge beginners have.
With this being said, few reefers fully comprehend the actual impact microorganisms have within their aquarium. Many become overwhelmed by the care requirements of larger marine life, that they fail to pause for the little guys. Or, as is the case for some of my closest reefing buddies, taking the time to learn about establishing ideal environments for microorganisms was simply too much to add on their already hefty learning list.
Regardless, let me distill this fact in your mind: Failure to support the health and development of microorganisms will slow, inhibit or completely stop the health and development of your entire tank.
Yes, like a popular saying, size really does matter. At least, when it comes to cultivating a vibrant reef tank.
The Prodibio Program - Supporting the Smallest Creatures for the Biggest Results.
Okay, I know what many of you are thinking, “How can you possibly expect me to dedicate more time and money when I’m already up to my eyeballs in tank care?”
Oh, dear reefer, if you’re thinking this, then you must’ve forgot where you are. My goal isn’t to add unnecessary tasks and complications, but to minimize them. After all, this is Reef Hacks, and when it comes to caring for your tank microorganisms, few hacks are as potent as The Prodibio Aquarium Care Program (but, I’ll simply call it The Prodibio Program for ease).
In short, this company specializes in the establishment, maintenance and refinement of the smallest organisms all tanks require for optimum health. While there’s several options in the current marketplace for microorganism support, few offer the personalization and quality as Prodibio.
Before diving into the various elements of this complete care protocol, let me first introduce you to what may reefers consider to be among the most trustworthy resources within our hobby, Prodibio.
Prodibio - A Giant in the Realm of Microorganism Care.
Founded in 1998, Prodibio was among the first companies I became familiar with as a novice reefer. Based in France, this international supplier has one of the coolest philosophies out of any aquarium company. In short, their entire operation is about supporting the health of microorganisms.
Their passion for microscopic aquarium inhabitants is responsible for the creation of multiple products. However, what I truly appreciate about Prodibio is how they’ve raised awareness about microorganisms throughout the amateur and professional reefing community. Without their continued presence and research into the role these invisible organisms play, our beloved hobby wouldn’t be where it is today (at least, in my opinion).
Of course, I’m not simply promoting this as an impactful system. I’m an avid user of Probidio. In all four tanks myself and the Reef Hacks team maintain, we use this company to care for our unseen inhabitants. As we’ll discuss in a moment, Probidio offers a variety of products based upon tank needs. In our frag tanks and Innovative Marine nano tank, for example, we employ the full BioKit Reef Program (NANO Version for the IM tank), while other tanks are treated with only the BioClean Salt pack.
I’ll be posting a more thorough review of the BioClean Salt product shortly, but until then, this ingenious formula contains Bioptim and BioDigest. Without giving too much away, this product has completely changed the way we think about allergy and bacterial control. The coolest part, this program doesn’t conflict with other filtration methods, which means it can be used in an already-established aquarium.
In short, it’s one of the secret ingredients in our recipe to kill dinoflagellates. I know, this sounds like a fake promotional statement, but just wait until we share with you the full recipe on how to kill dinoflagellates in only 10 days. Winning this common battle one-and-for-all is surprisingly easy. Stay tuned!
Myriad of Options for a Variety of Reef Tanks - Prodibio Program Types.
Just because it’s dubbed “The Prodibio Program” doesn’t mean it’s a single protocol. As you’ll soon uncover, it’s actually quite the opposite.
What’s simply known as a program is actually a collection of various products designed to treat, establish, maintain or control a variety of scenarios, such as BioDigest for biofiltration or Chloral_Reset for water conditioning. Although it’s difficult to determine which product to highlight, I think it’s best to start at the beginning.
The Prodibio Start_Up is the first protocol I recommend reefers investigate. Essentially, Start_Up is exactly what you may think. Its purpose is to swiftly cycle and populate your reef tank with the necessary bacterial strains needed to maintain balanced nutrient export and organic waste removal.
Here’s a brief rundown of the Start_Up Program:
- BioDigest Start - Brimming with live bacterial strains, this solution introduces a multitude of heterotrophic bacterial strains charged with the task of reducing phosphates and nitrates by triggering the ammonia > nitrogen cycle (ammonia > nitrites > nitrates > nitrogen). Essentially, this solution supports greater water purification via biofiltration and actively reduces the threat of filamentous algae.
- Stop Ammo Start - In addition to BioDigest Start, this formula enhances the aforementioned cycle by literally capturing and ceasing ammonia production/concentrations. It’s an effective means for reduced nitrite production, and my personal favorite feature, is its ability to prevent marine life (aka, fish) from experiencing potentially deadly shock due to a variety of ecological changes.
- Faster Fish Introduction - Due to its unique chemical and biological interactions within a newly established aquarium, the Start_Up Program lets you introduce up to 1/3 of your hearty fish population into a new saltwater tank after just 12 hours. Simply follow the setup recommendations based on tank water volume and range (nano or standard). [ ! ] But always check your water parameters first before adding any livestock!
So, what about the other options? Let’s dive a little deeper and explore some of the other options most reefers may find most interesting…
All-in-One Solution That You’ll Actually Use - BioKit Reef Program.
As I mentioned earlier, we use the BioKit Reef Program in two of our tanks. To say that this program is worth every cent is an understatement.
Basically, this dynamic program is integrates all the Prodibio products needed to maintain a vibrant tank, which include:
- BioDigest - Introduces live bacterial strains.
- Bioptim - Enhances necessary micronutrient parameters.
- Reef Booster - Nutrient supplement explicitly formulated to boost corals and live rock health.
- Coral Vits - is a multivitamin supplement for your corals and fish.
- Iodi+ and Stronti+ - Specialized supplementation for the unique needs of both coral and live rocks.
Along with its refined formulation, what separates the BioKit Reef Program from similar products is its simplicity. Not only will your tank be fed high-grade supplements for deep-level coral and live rock health, but integrating this system into your aquarium is incredibly easy. Each kit comes with everything you need, which makes it one of the rarest finds of them all: an all-in-one program that’s actually all-in-one.
Within this singular kit, you receive live bacterial strains, necessary carbon sources to promote healthy bacterial growth and all the essential trace elements (or food) coral require. This program encapsulates your tank with substances needed to produce healthy coral from the inside-out.
Reef Booster, for example, reduces nitrates and phosphates and introduces the necessary amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids, while Iodi+ reduces the risk of coral bleaching and introduces the perfect amount of iodine hard corals require for growth and coloration.
As with the previously mentioned program, integrating the BioKit Reef Program is fairly straightforward. Simple dose your tank based upon tank range (nano or standard) and total water volume. It’s hard to believe that a system as simple as this can produce such dramatic results. However, after using it in two different tanks for quite some time, sometimes something that seems too good to be true is actually as good as you’d hope.
Product Hack: When dosing the Reef Booster and Coral Vits, the added supplements will make your skimmer upset, and ultimately cause it to overflow. Make sure to turn OFF the skimmer before dosing the full program and leave it OFF for approximately 2-3 days. After that, turn the skimmer ON and let it resume its normal function.
The Prodibio Program - Final Thoughts.
I wish I had more time to fully explore each of the unique product offered by this thorough company. But, alas, there simply aren’t enough pages to give every product the attention it deserves. While this is a frustrating moment, as I’m passionate about the potential of Prodibio, it’s also a rare moment. How many times can we actually sit back in awe because a company not only offers a range of products, but each product is worthy of individual attention?
Ultimately, The Prodibio Programs hold a unique set of keys. Whether you’re looking to safely transport fish while reducing stress and pathogenic bacteria (Safe Travel Program) or elevate the overall health of your reef tank (Pure Ocean Expert Reef Salt), Prodibio has a program designed for precision.
If you’re interested in elevating the health and vitality of your saltwater aquarium, I definitely recommending taking time to review the various products offered by this unique company. Of course, if you aren’t sure where to begin, the entire staff at Reef Hacks is here to help answer your questions and guide you to the perfect program.
Don’t hesitate to visit our Facebook Page and send us a message. Along with the helpful staff at Prodibio, we’re here to transform this once-confusing hobby into one filled with more beauty and less headaches.
Happy Reefing!
by Yuliya Ivanova for ReefHacks.