dosing: best practices and guidelines
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Journeyman - Posts: 8
- Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2022 6:36 pm
dosing: best practices and guidelines
I'm starting to think that some of the product amounts we add to our tanks are a bit over the top. I'm currently using Aqua Care Bio Boost, and the instructions for maintenance say to use half a cap full per 10 litres of water. My tank is 125 litres, but let's say I account for the gravel, wood, and rocks - that's 120 litres. If I follow the instructions, I'd need 6 cap fulls for routine maintenance, and since one cap full is 5mls, that's 30mls. To me, that seems like a lot. Am I being too cautious, or is this just a normal dose?
Re: dosing: best practices and guidelines
Honestly, I think any of these products are overkill. Once a tank is cycled, you've already got all the bacteria you need, so there's no point wasting your money on 'bottled bacteria' products.
I mean, I was looking at the Maidenhead Aquatics website and it says these products are for "replenishing bacteria whenever they become depleted", like after water changes or changing filter media. But the thing is, water changes don't actually deplete bacteria - they're attached to surfaces, not floating around in the water. And when you change filter media, that's when you can lose some bacteria, which is why it's better to wash it instead of replacing it. Although, I suppose there are some exceptions, like those white Juwel pads that don't give bacteria a chance to grow if you're changing them all the time.
At the end of the day, the only things you really need to add to your tank are a dechlorinator if your tap water's got chlorine or chloramine in it, and maybe some plant fertiliser if you've got live plants.
I mean, I was looking at the Maidenhead Aquatics website and it says these products are for "replenishing bacteria whenever they become depleted", like after water changes or changing filter media. But the thing is, water changes don't actually deplete bacteria - they're attached to surfaces, not floating around in the water. And when you change filter media, that's when you can lose some bacteria, which is why it's better to wash it instead of replacing it. Although, I suppose there are some exceptions, like those white Juwel pads that don't give bacteria a chance to grow if you're changing them all the time.
At the end of the day, the only things you really need to add to your tank are a dechlorinator if your tap water's got chlorine or chloramine in it, and maybe some plant fertiliser if you've got live plants.
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Journeyman - Posts: 8
- Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2022 6:36 pm
Re: dosing: best practices and guidelines
You've got a point there, I was taken in by the claims of it helping the bacteria, guess I'll just have to be more careful and keep an eye on my wallet in the future.sSjey wrote: ↑Tue Jun 27, 2023 5:19 pm Honestly, I think any of these products are overkill. Once a tank is cycled, you've already got all the bacteria you need, so there's no point wasting your money on 'bottled bacteria' products.
I mean, I was looking at the Maidenhead Aquatics website and it says these products are for "replenishing bacteria whenever they become depleted", like after water changes or changing filter media. But the thing is, water changes don't actually deplete bacteria - they're attached to surfaces, not floating around in the water. And when you change filter media, that's when you can lose some bacteria, which is why it's better to wash it instead of replacing it. Although, I suppose there are some exceptions, like those white Juwel pads that don't give bacteria a chance to grow if you're changing them all the time.
At the end of the day, the only things you really need to add to your tank are a dechlorinator if your tap water's got chlorine or chloramine in it, and maybe some plant fertiliser if you've got live plants.
Re: dosing: best practices and guidelines
I've never been a fan of those products, and I don't plan on using them anytime soon. What's the point of using it for maintenance, exactly? The product claims it reduces ammonia and nitrite, but isn't that what our beneficial bacteria do for free? The rest, like nitrates and other waste, is what water changes are for. And let's be real, 8 oz for $10.99 is just not worth it.
Re: dosing: best practices and guidelines
The aquarium industry's a fascinating case study in creating revenue streams. By the turn of the century, it had achieved high levels of technical efficiency - filters were reliable, lights were decent. Once your tank was up and running, you only needed basic supplies like dechlorinator and food.
However, this efficiency created a problem for businesses - they needed to keep generating revenue after the initial sale. So, we started seeing filters that required frequent media replacements, and a plethora of bacterial supplements and water treatments flooded the market. Many of these products worked well, but they were essentially solving problems that didn't exist.
It's all about creating small, ongoing revenue streams. Businesses thrive on selling us things we don't necessarily need, rather than providing products that work flawlessly for years. We've all fallen for it at some point - you're in good company.
However, this efficiency created a problem for businesses - they needed to keep generating revenue after the initial sale. So, we started seeing filters that required frequent media replacements, and a plethora of bacterial supplements and water treatments flooded the market. Many of these products worked well, but they were essentially solving problems that didn't exist.
It's all about creating small, ongoing revenue streams. Businesses thrive on selling us things we don't necessarily need, rather than providing products that work flawlessly for years. We've all fallen for it at some point - you're in good company.