I was kind of thinking that, but thanks for clarifying. Maybe something to try down the road when I have outgrown my current nano.

I didn't know that there was going to be a little vial of stuff to dose with this salt. I didn't take the pails straight into the house and instead left them in the garage for a couple of days. If it froze it thawed out very quickly but I don't know if I had an impact on the contents. Having said that I don't understand the benefit of dosing nitrifying bacteria if my ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate parameters are all 0. That would indicate to me that I already have enough.

You don't need to dose those freebies. Its just a way of poking the consumer, asking them to use it. Just a marketing scheme :razz:

If you levels are all in check and you and the tank inhabitants are happy, using probiotics will just be another unnecessary headache for you to have. Probiotics works, natural filtration works and there are many other methods that works; you just have to choose whichever works best for you and your tank :smile:

That particular freebie, BioS, is not probiotic bacteria, it is nitrifying bacteria and would be good to use for someone that's just starting their tank. The NP Pro that comes with the probiotic salt is not nitrifying bacteria, it is probiotic bacteria (the same that feeds off biopellets) which lower nitrate and phosphate.

Instant Ocean often has a tshirt in the bucket. That doesn't mean you have to wear it. :)

Even though I run a natural system, I was going to try the sample, but now I'm not so sure. Perhaps it's not something I want to get my tank addicted to. Reverting to natural strains of bacteria might cause a problem when the sample runs out.

Myka it's Pro Bio S in the bucket not Bio S so it's probiotic bacteria. Also NP pro is not a bacteria it's a carbon source so you would need to use Pro Bio S in conjuction with it. NP Pro is a different carbon source then their original product Pro F and apparently stronger. I ordered Pro F to use with Pro Bio S but may eventually switch to NP pro.

Oops. I got them mixed up. Thanks for clarifying.

i just opened my box, no freebie for me....

must be just in the buckets

I've been seeding my siporax with the Pro Bio S and have done a few water changes with the Aquaforest reef salt and the corals seem to be responding well.

I've also just received these Aquaforest products which I began dosing and putting online yesterday:

Coral A
Coral B
Coral E
Coral V
Coral food
Reef mineral salt

I'm still waiting for the NP PRO and component strong which are due to arrive by the end of the week.

They probably include those freebies only with the buckets as an apology for the struggle that you have to go through every time you try to open the lid. First world reefing problem but I simply can't get over this! :twised: