Adding various bacteria supplements

[Landon K]

I started my tank a few weeks ago with with Microbacter Start XLM, ammonia, dry rock, dry sand. I thought it would be good to introduce more diversity so I bought Microbacter 7, Microbacter Clean, and Reefbrite's Live Rock Enhance. Should I stick with using one of these products at a time or can they be used simultaneously? The tank won't have any livestock for a few more weeks at least, so I will be doing weekly ghost feedings to fuel the bacteria.

 

[Nano sapiens]

I'll start off by saying that these 'bottled bacteria' products are designed for a specific purpose. Many are used to cycle a new aquarium, some are used as 'digesters' to digest organic matter and that's all fine and good for what they are intended for.

But none can contain the multitudes of species that a typical reef aquarium needs to function properly (only a very small percentage can even be cultured in the lab). You will only get all these microorganisms from substrate (live rock, live rubble, live sand, etc.) that comes from either a typical reef aquarium or from the natural reef, itself. And once they are introduced, they don't need to be reintroduced...unless the reef aquarium has had some sort of sterilizing treatment or event that has killed off some/most/all of the bacteria/archaea.

 

[Landon K]

I'll start off by saying that these 'bottled bacteria' products are designed for a specific purpose. Many are used to cycle a new aquarium, some are used as 'digesters' to digest organic matter and that's all fine and good for what they are intended for.

But none can contain the multitudes of species that a typical reef aquarium needs to function properly (only a very small percentage can even be cultured in the lab). You will only get all these microorganisms from substrate (live rock, live rubble, live sand, etc.) that comes from either a typical reef aquarium or from the natural reef, itself. And once they are introduced, they don't need to be reintroduced...unless the reef aquarium has had some sort of sterilizing treatment or event that has killed off some/most/all of the bacteria/archaea.

Makes sense. would adding 5lbs of Tampa Bay Saltwater's live rock be sufficient for introducing these needed species of micro fauna?

 

[Nano sapiens]

Makes sense. would adding 5lbs of Tampa Bay Saltwater's live rock be sufficient for introducing these needed species of micro fauna?

Theoretically, it wouldn't take much material as these micro organisms reproduce rather quickly and will continue to do so as long as conditions are favorable. The real advantages I can see to adding more of the live material all at once is a quicker seeding of the reef aquarium since you are starting off with more of the various bacteria and potentially more varied types of micro and macro fauna (both 'good' and 'bad').

 

[Lavey29]

I agree with the above. If you can add some live ocean rock to your new tank you will jump start your biodiversity and microfauna naturally. All the phases the tank goes through the first year will be much more manageable.