Hi.
I am currently completing my final year in a B.Biotech degree
My final year project was to develop denitrificating bacteria for Aquaculture systems.
These are G.M. bacteria, that have been optimized and can live on a simple diet and in the presence of Ammonia/Nitrite switches on to do it's job. It's also hoped to add a gene to remove nitrates as h20 is expensive !
Being a fish nut, and currently writing the marketing section of the report, I thought I would see if there is a market for this in the aquarium industry, as Aquariums appear to be small scale, non-intensive aquaculture.
I have 3 questions:
1) How do you setup new tanks at the moment: Put the fish straight in there, seed from a filter (although you can't be certain of nasties), hardy fish, fishless cycle, other(please specify)
2) Would you purchase a product like the above described.
3) If you purchased the product, how much would you expect to pay and what are the most important characteristics (instructions, packaging.....etc)
Please feel free to participate!
Thanking You
mjscookie (Mitchell Stanton-Cook)
1) I use an old filters to start a tank with just a few fish to start.
2) Don't know. If I started from scratch & had no other tanks than yeah I probably wood. Depending on wether I believed the product to do as it claimed.
3) Seachem do a product called stability. How much it retails for I am not to sure. There is a product called cycle but it lowers the ph. Converts ammonia to ammonium.
http://www.seachem.com/products/product_pages/Stability.html
Frenchy :D
1) My first tank was a hand me down and there after I used water & filter from the old tank whenever setting up a new one, apart from that we just put the fish in. I think when someone first gets a tank unless they have done their research they tend to just throw the water, chemicals and fish in and hope for the best....
2) I would purchase this product if it had a good reputation in terms of whether pet shops used it or local breeders did etc etc. I guess a good marketing ploy to promote to the LFS's would be free quantities based on their ordering of stock. This way if they were using it it word would be passed from shop owner to customers, for instance from my experience shops swear by Geo Liquid cos they use it themselves and it works. At the end of the day if it's a good product it will speak for itself.
3) point of purchase displays would be the way to go to get the product seen. As with most LPS's everything is behind the counter so if you could get it on the counter top or on a stand that would be effective. A guarantee would be great - would help to generate first time buyer numbers. I think product awareness would be the key to it taking off or take a leaf out of the bottle shop's book and do free take home trials with promo staff :D
1) when setting up a new tank i use filter media from another 'established' system (same as justin)
2) not when I can do it as in the above stated comment
3) i guess it shouldn't be too expensive.
1: Try to do the whole filter from an established tank thing. Otherwise throw it together and waterchange like hell!
2: I do. I have used cycle and love it!
3: Depends on concentration and so uses per bottle. It would have to clearly explain what it does, how much to use etc. Maybe a graduated cap with mls and "liters of tank water" like on some other things.
James
I find using filter material from an established tank the easiest. It means I have a new tank almost instantly. The down side is 'snails'. I've got snails in every tank!!!.
I'm just setting up a new stand of tanks (9). Filled them up today. I am going to try starting from scratch this time. Sadly I will boil all my logs, rocks, filters and grieve over the saucepan as I see all the beneficial bacteria dying in a cloud of steam. I will very slowly add a few fish over the next 2 weeks, as I don't have many cheap fish I am happy to put at risk.
I would buy a product like yours if I knew for sure it worked and it was economical. If I was sure it was not just another product with fancy packaging to part me from my money. Wish it were available this week.
Things I look for when buying a product is cost and information. I prefer plain no nonsense packaging (that way I don't feel I am wasting money). I buy 'home brand/ no frills' as long as it proves to be as good as the name brand. I expect a lot for my money, I expect the best, but I am not going to pay top price unless I have to. I object to paying for fancy packaging, expensive advertising, expensive shop overheads, I usually look to see if it is available in bulk (that way I know there are experienced people/professionals with a lot of fish who think it is worth using). I want to know why and how it works, what proof is there to back any claims up. What is the scientific data, what testing has been done. I like packaging with lots of info, brochures, web sites to go to for more info etc. and I like endorsements from other breeders or to know the LFS uses it, not just sells it.
Chlorine is not a problem for me but I do use Easy Life (Fluid filter medium conditioner- tonic- prophylactic- it says on the packaging) to help keep the water in good condition and pay about $23 for 1 Litre. I think it is good value and I have had good success using it. It goes a long way.
I've no idea what sort of money I could expect to pay for a product like your's but if it is foolproof and the results are quick I would regularly set up new tanks using this type of product. I would probably be more likely to use it routinely if I had it on hand, in my cupboard and it was not a special one off purchase.
Hope this helps.
Jeannie
Using pre aged gravel helps too stirring thru water, gravel should contain most of what goes into filter anyway.Pricing too hard, can go to shop A and pay $34 for a product or $16.50 for identical at another, all depends on lfs mark ups.Concentration of product can be factor some r 5ml per 20lt, some r 5 ml per 100 lt and u have to decide on economical basis if product do same job.Reputation always good, many loyal to brands that work or have extensive range of fish related product,maybe u patent then licence to a well known trusted brand. I just know what works for me, others will have different opinions. Good luck!
Using pre aged gravel helps too stirring thru water, gravel should contain most of what goes into filter anyway.Pricing too hard, can go to shop A and pay $34 for a product or $16.50 for identical at another, all depends on lfs mark ups.Concentration of product can be factor some r 5ml per 20lt, some r 5 ml per 100 lt and u have to decide on economical basis if product do same job.Reputation always good, many loyal to brands that work or have extensive range of fish related product,maybe u patent then licence to a well known trusted brand. I just know what works for me, others will have different opinions. Good luck!
1. I take some substrate from my other well cycled tanks, when the new water is at the correct temp and PH I grab at least one filter (preferably canister) from a good tank and leave that over night and then double dose with "Cycle" and put the fish in straight away and then watch the water parameters very carefully for the next few weeks, I've never had a fish death starting my tanks this way. I can't say for sure whether the Cycle does make the difference because I've never used anything else or nothing at all?
2. If I knew for a fact it worked then I would buy it if needed.
3. If the product is only needed like a once off thing then I would pay more (up to say $30?) but if it's something you need to keep adding fairly often then I wouldn't want to pay much more than say$10 a week? I'd also be looking for some sort of guarantee that it does exactly what it says it does. No words like "can help ..." on packaging :?
And good luck with your final year Mitchell.