The Use of Probiotics in Aquaculture

[RD.]

Thank you RD!

I start dosing my tank with septobac late last year. I believe in the positive probiotic effect and was intrigued with what it might mean for my canisters. I run 2 FX 5's and an Ehiem 2217 on a very heavily overstocked 180 each filter is cleaned every 6 months with a one month gap between each ones cycle.

Well today I cracked open one of the FX 5's for its 6 month cleaning. Typically the foam pads are quite heavy with sludge.

The picture below says it all!!

View attachment 1247221

Burbotman - if you are still active here, just wondering if you are still using one of these septic cleaning products in your tanks? The pics in your post above were a pretty good testament as to how well these products can work.

 

[scottts210]

Almost 11 yrs & 105K views into this experiment, and I have to say that I believe I have got this dialed in right where I want it to be. I just cleaned my filter media in my midas tank, at 6+ months. Dirty for sure, but not so much that with the naked eye I could see any reduction in filter flow. I suspect that many tanks have dirtier media at 6 weeks. lol

Between the Bio-Clean bacteria, and my current intermittent fasting feeding schedule, I can easily go 6-7 months between cleanings in my midas tank. My feed reduction over this past year has been drastic, simply to see how much overall waste I could reduce, without creating any noticeable difference in the shape/form/overall health of my fish. These are all mature fish, with my male midas being approx. 14" and almost 12 yrs old now. Most weeks they get fed every 3-4 days, with no food a couple days before water change day, and often no food for a day after. Some weeks, I feed 2-3 days in a row - then back to fasting for a few days. No hard fast rule, just a LOT less food frequency, with the same amount of overall feed, that I used to offer at each feeding. A ballpark guess would be 30-40% less overall feed each week, than in years past. I rarely see solid waste in my tanks, and the midas tank has only algae for substrate. Other than settling under the edge of some rather large granite boulders, if it's there, I could always see it.

I believe that my current feed schedule would more closely mimic what these species would experience in nature, and the sludge bacteria work in the background to keep solid waste to a minimum. Water change schedule in this tank is the same, 80-90% weekly.

Since this has popped back up, can you give your current bio-clean dosage regimen per gallon of water? Thanks.

 

[RD.]

1/4 tsp twice a week in my 125’s

 

[RD.]

Too late to edit, should mention those are heaping measurements, so closer to a total of 1/2 - 3/4 tsp per week. Also keep in mind that that dosage will be bio load dependent. Some may need less, some may need more, depending on number of fish and waste produced.

 

[scottts210]

Too late to edit, should mention those are heaping measurements, so closer to a total of 1/2 - 3/4 tsp per week. Also keep in mind that that dosage will be bio load dependent. Some may need less, some may need more, depending on number of fish and waste produced.

THanks!