This snake oil?

[ataller]

Respectfully, how do you know that? Both Empirical experience and actual data show that is not the case.

Could you elaborate on why the bacteria need to be continually added ?
Once the tank is seeded with your special blend of bacteria, why can they not sustain their own populations ?
I understand nutrients will wax and wane and so will to the populations of bacteria. If they can go dormant in the gel, why cannot they go dormant in the tank when their food source is depleted ?

Adam

 

[DrTim]

Could you elaborate on why the bacteria need to be continually added ?
Once the tank is seeded with your special blend of bacteria, why can they not sustain their own populations ?
I understand nutrients will wax and wane and so will to the populations of bacteria. If they can go dormant in the gel, why cannot they go dormant in the tank when their food source is depleted ?

Adam

This is a 2 part answer that depends on where the bacteria are located. In general there are two areas the bacteria live in - 1) the water and 2) surfaces located within the aquarium.

For bacteria located in the water - they get removed by the skimmer, UV, micron filter socks, etc. If you have a tank full of corals the bacteria are removed by the corals which filter feed 24/7.

For the bacteria located on surfaces - they get eaten. Everything is food for something else. There are even bacteria that eat other bacteria.

The bacteria can and do go dormant when there are not enough nutrients but, unlike in the gel, there are still subject to predation.

 

[SaltLifer]

Dr. Tim, I restarted my tank about 3 months ago. All new dry rock, new sump, added a fuge, and took out the sand bed. I have a marine pure block in the sump that I seeded for about 2 months before doing so and when I changed the rock and took the sand out I put in an ounce or two of fritz turbo start (sorry, that’s all they had on hand at the LFS). I try to dry skim, my chaeto doesn’t really grow, nutrients are non-existent from what I can tell. It’s lightly stocked and I feed one cube of frozen mysis a day. Probably about 10-15 mixed corals but none of them are much past frag size. 100 gallons, by the way. I mix my own 0-TDS water and do a 15% water change every week.

I’m having a small issue with hair algae and just recently noticed some sort of green slime. I do have some small specks of coraline popping up but obviously not growing like crazy. I’m obviously nitrifying and I think the nitrate and phosphate are taken care of but I’m curious about what you said about not having enough bacteria to clean the surface and to outcompete these undesirable algae’s. I have a UV sterilizer in-line on one of my returns (I have 2 returns) for what that’s worth. I will probably turn it off after reading this. Would you recommend the waste-away gels in my situation?

 

[Rakie]

@DrTim -- I wanted to ask what you suggest for dinoflagellates? I've had them come after dosing an algaecide, allowing the dinos to take over. They're pretty light for now but growing.

 

[srusso]

I am a man of my word, giving it a try, tank is a few months old. Has a little cyano and diatoms. Filter floss removed, used the whole bottle labeled for 30 gallons. (30 gallon tank)

Added it last night and took these photos just before lights out.

 

[m0nkie]

Hi @DrTim I purchased a few of the Large packs and put 4 tubes into my 560gal. It's been almost a week now. I noticed 3 of these packs started building up a thick gel like layer around. There are these grey round balls forming inside the gel layer. Do you know what these are? I only see them on 3/4 of the tubes. The last tube which is located in a different section of the sump does not have this.

is it due to lack of flow? should these be placed in a higher flow area of the sump?

 

[hart24601]

I got a floating thick gel with one gel pack. Figure it is a bacterial mat. I scooped it out.

 

[DirtDiggler2823]

Can anyone explain the difference between Dr. Tim's saltwater bacteria, and the reef version? I need to cycle a tank that i intend to have corals in, but i assume that I'd have to wait a while for corals. Anyway, what's the difference between the two?

 

[HomeSlizzice]

Any recommendations with your products for Bubble Algae?

 

[m0nkie]

Can anyone explain the difference between Dr. Tim's saltwater bacteria, and the reef version? I need to cycle a tank that i intend to have corals in, but i assume that I'd have to wait a while for corals. Anyway, what's the difference between the two?

I think he addressed this a few pages back. basically nothing

 

[DirtDiggler2823]

There is no difference - some stores/customers who have reef system want a 'reef' labelled product.

Wow. Amazing. Thank you!

 

[DirtDiggler2823]

I think he addressed this a few pages back. basically nothing

Found it. Thanks!

 

[bhuyett]

Hi @DrTim I purchased a few of the Large packs and put 4 tubes into my 560gal. It's been almost a week now. I noticed 3 of these packs started building up a thick gel like layer around. There are these grey round balls forming inside the gel layer. Do you know what these are? I only see them on 3/4 of the tubes. The last tube which is located in a different section of the sump does not have this.

is it due to lack of flow? should these be placed in a higher flow area of the sump?

Kind of along the same lines, I just received my two gels for a Large Tank and was curious as to where I should be placing both of them in my sump? Should it be in a lower flow section like the first chamber where my socks are in front of the skimmer section. Or would it be better in the second chamber with the skimmer where there is more turbulent flow due to the output of the skimmer? Or of course in the return section with the return pumps.

Both mOnkie and I would appreciate the guidance.
Thanks,

 

[dragon99]

I added a 10g tab of the waste-away gel to my 17g nano. The next day I found that it caused the skimmer to overflow, which got water into the stand and shorted out my light's power supply. So that was fun.

It definitely increased skimmer production, to the point that I have had to almost completley close the air valve on my skimmer (red sea max nano). Going to give a couple more days, but it's looking like I need to pull the waste away out.

 

[DirtDiggler2823]

I added a 10g tab of the waste-away gel to my 17g nano. The next day I found that it caused the skimmer to overflow, which got water into the stand and shorted out my light's power supply. So that was fun.

It definitely increased skimmer production, to the point that I have had to almost completley close the air valve on my skimmer (red sea max nano). Going to give a couple more days, but it's looking like I need to pull the waste away out.

Good to know how a build reacts to this stuff.

 

[CNDReef]

I just added a medium gel to my biocube 29 last night. Skimmer is definitely working harder. Takes 2 days to fill and filled in 1 with the gel.

 

[m0nkie]

It's been a little over 2 weeks. I must say I am very impressed. My Nitrate went from continuous 50 to 0. Phosphate went from 0.2 to 0.11.

I have reduced feeding a little, from 4 times a day to 3 times a day. But I don't think that would have such an impact. I now have to feed more to bring up the nitrate.

used 2 large double pack which is 4 full bars. tank size 560gal

 

[topjimmy]

With winter weather being a concern for the bottled version, is it also an issue for the gel?

I'm guessing that freezing is bad considering what it does to cells.

 

[JDowns]

Hi @DrTim I purchased a few of the Large packs and put 4 tubes into my 560gal. It's been almost a week now. I noticed 3 of these packs started building up a thick gel like layer around. There are these grey round balls forming inside the gel layer. Do you know what these are? I only see them on 3/4 of the tubes. The last tube which is located in a different section of the sump does not have this.

is it due to lack of flow? should these be placed in a higher flow area of the sump?

I'm getting the same thing in my large tank but not in my nano. @DrTim. Any response to this gelatin like mat forming around the pack? Skim-mate is certainly darker. Only difference between the two tanks of major difference is the large tank is currently being carbon dosed wile I switch over to macro algae. Thinking this could be a competing bacteria feeding off of the waste away gel.

 

[sag2]

Thanks for the note.
Be careful using NOPOX (and any liquid bacteria fuels) with the gels (or any bacteria additive). NOPOX is basically sugar (carbon) to stimulate the growth of bacteria in the aquarium. The gel is adding bacteria to the system so when you combine the two if you add to much NOPOX you can stimulate a bloom of bacteria that will reduce oxygen levels to below critical levels killing your fish and maybe corals.

If you want to use them together reduce the amount to NOPOX initially and see how they react together.

Thank you for taking the time to address all these issues. I have roughly a total 275 gallon system and IMO I have a small cyano problem that won't go away, and I was considering using your product to combat the issue. I currently dose about 40ml daily of a mixture of 70% vinegar and 30% vodka. If using your product how much should I use and should I discontinue dosing or just reduce, if I reduce how much should I reduce by?