Ep 4: Can AquaBiomics eDNA Aquarium Testing Help Us Find the Perfect Biome Cycle?

[@BRStv]

Entire Biome Playlist. kzbin.info/aero/PLBaMLrfToJyyywPKnlV7P--e6VG3umjW6

[@JimMcPherson1]

I beg you, once this series concludes, PUBLISH these findings in printed form somewhere available for download. Videos are great, but having the DETAILED written findings within reach would be extremely valuable!!!

[@ussj4brolli]

Harder to make money that way.

[@Slide-Loc]

​@@ussj4brolli or it's because more people consume information in this hobby from KZbin & social media... like yourself.

[@dusk1947]

Good suggestion.

[@BRStv]

Robbert does turn a lot of this content into articles but I have to admit the number of people who prefer to read over watch these days is pretty low. The irony is even though I produce videos for a living, the written content is my preferred format. Written is just easier to scan and digest quickly. www.bulkreefsupply.com/content

[@ElinoiseGorE]

​@@BRStvme gustaría en español porfavor.

[@tateconcepts]

Thanks, Ryan! No beef with any other BRS personalities but best when you present data. The others give me borrowed slide deck vibes.

[@BRStv]

Thanks for the kind words. BRStv Investigates is now all me :)

[@drewlong77]

Did the wrong episode get uploaded today? This episode which has been up for 2 weeks... was uploaded again today.. but NOT the copapod episode that is due to cone out today (and I and many others I'm sure have been waiting for and looking forward to! UPLOAD THOSE PODS! : )

[@NicolasMazo]

FREE THE PODS!

[@drewlong77]

@@NicolasMazo T-SHIRTS BEING MADE! 😆

[@BRStv]

I got quarantined for covid for 2 weeks.... Rocking and rolling now. You will see it next Friday :)

[@NicolasMazo]

Thanks for the video ! When does the episode on pods will be published ? It was announced for today ?

[@BRStv]

I got quarantined for covid for 2 weeks.... Rocking and rolling now. You will see it next Friday :)

[@NicolasMazo]

@@BRStv Thanks! Courage courage for Covid ;-) Take care

[@atfinthehouse8631]

Coming from a biologist, scientist, with a fairly good understanding and experience with complex organisms.

[@Mark-hb2zy]

Really looking forward to more episodes of this. I do hope it it doesn't just turn into an advert for AquaBiomics though.

[@Slide-Loc]

Agreed, but they don't sell them currently and I think they've had a pretty honest "right tool for the right job" approach.

[@BRStv]

There have been no talks about selling their testing. Just an exploration of a new world. In order to offer this type of thing, I would need to better understand how the end reefer would use it to make decisions or take action.

[@drewlong77]

I think for The O.C.REEfer that Geeks out on the details of every aspect of the hobby.. it feels more like an opportunity than a product or service sell.

[@MiddleAgedMike]

Very interesting, thanks for the insight

[@BRStv]

Glad to be of service.

[@Jamesblond50]

great research Ryan!

[@BRStv]

Thanks for the kind words :)

[@Slide-Loc]

Great series, I did one of their tests a number of months back and found their personalized writeup interesting and helpful. 💯In particular the part where the only fish related diseases in my tank were specific to clowns (and one had died the prior week).💯 Was about to add a very expensive fish to me into an aquarium with established livestock. It added another layer of confidence to adding from QT.

[@BRStv]

Data causes action :)

[@AdamUS123-j7q]

Awsome videos on biome!

[@BRStv]

Thanks!

[@ethanrussell3163]

Yep, no more hiding behind the 'live bacteria' term. Time to get transparent!

[@drewlong77]

I could be wrong, but the logic of most bacteria populating on rock & sand, makes me feel like collecting some water and a wall swab might not give the best dna count/ representation of what is present... and.. that they should be collecting some sand as well. However, I do realize that they know way more than me &, have probably tried & tested many many methods to get the best results , relative to ease of customer compliance.

[@BRStv]

I believe it might be because there is so much else growing on the illuminated surface of rock and sand. A good question to ask Aquabiomics.

[@Jotto999]

I don't even keep saltwater tanks, I'm only in the freshwater side of the hobby. This is *damn* interesting! Omg

[@SoraiaLMotta]

Same. shiny new science for me.

[@BRStv]

Learning is a hobby of it's own :)

[@DFAChris]

Had a question, is the fiji drop in AIO okay to use as a starter?

[@BRStv]

I think it is a very cool idea and something I haven't used but would.

[@DFAChris]

@@BRStv awesome thank you.

[@ManiacalMangoes]

When they say “88% of Healthy tanks are more diverse than yours”, I wonder how in the world they define healthy tanks and how many tanks are in their sample when they say 88% are more diverse. I also am skeptical of their ability to gauge the full biome of a sample. I’d imagine they’re primarily testing for a variety of more well known bacteria families. Is that correct? Or do they claim they’re doing a full analysis of everything in there? This is all super interesting to me, just a little skeptical as a data analyst with a microbiology background.

[@ManiacalMangoes]

Also, they should start selling bacteria medleys to supplement whatever folks are missing!

[@BRStv]

It's right to be skeptical. Keep in mind this type of testing is trailblazing a new world in reefing here. Perfection isn't the first step or even the second step, what we are looking for is progress. I think it is people like yourself doing the test and sharing your experience on how it could be used that will pave the way for the community.

[@ReRe-yl6dq]

has anyone tried to test two separate spots in the same aquarium to see if the eDNA test comes out differently. I bet it would depending on how close to the sand or rock or in the open or sump you get the sample from.

[@BRStv]

I have not. I suspect it would come out somewhat differently. Kind of like the beginning of ICP, we are not looking for exact numbers, just a window into what was previously unseen.

[@ReRe-yl6dq]

@@BRStv but you see where I'm coming from? if these different bacteria live in different parts of the tank, some in open water, some in rock/sand, then the samples you take will vary depending on where in the tank you take them.

[@ethanrussell3163]

Pretty sure part of the test involves doing a swab (maybe from a cryptic zone?), and an open water sample

[@drewlong77]

My tin foil hat is telling me that Algae Barn is already backed up, and BEGGED RYAN NOT TO RELEASE IT YET!

[@BRStv]

I got quarantined for covid for 2 weeks.... Rocking and rolling now. You will see it next Friday :)

[@drewlong77]

@@BRStv LIES!! ... That's Not Real! Neither is Kayak! I SMELL COVER-UP! ! ALGAEBARN BEGGED FOR MERCY! Lol #ILLUMINATI

[@atfinthehouse8631]

Why don’t you get the scientists in biology, microbiology , evolutionary biology that are reef keepers to weigh in? I am pretty certain our keeping reef tanks successfully is way more complicated than this. Plus, it is far more variable. The animals and organisms we keep are far more complex and adaptable.

[@BRStv]

This video is the perfect place for everyone to weigh in. I agree with you 100%. There is a lot to learn, questions that need to be answered, and too many variables to count. That said this is similar to when ICP testing became readily available to reefers. ICP is not the end-game solution to all chemistry and pollution issues but it is the closest window we have into this world we have ever had and is now a commonly used tool. eDNA testing likely won't provide absolutes either but it may be the closest window into this microbial world we have ever had. The more people who use it and share results the better the tool will become. I believe the question is, "could eDNA testing be a valuable tool to learn more about how our reef tanks work?" if the answer is yes let's find out how. This series does take Aquabiomic's explanations and seeks supporting evidence in the experiment tanks. We found some surprising results and correlations. Proof and absolutes are rarely found in reefing but at times we do find overwhelming supporting evidence.

[@atfinthehouse8631]

Thanks for the reply. Next step is to collect as much data from many volunteers. There are just way to many variables in light (affects the organisms - from algae to bacteria etc etc that grow in our tanks); to flow; to media; to how long surfaces have been exposed to what is in it; how much and what is being fed; temperature; numbers and types of corals / inverts / fish etc that enter the tanks (if utilized). The ocean is extremely hard to understand. As is the land and air and what we inhabit as earth. Each step along the way is a little more knowledge. Just don’t be ignoring the variables and record them all. Reef keepers all can be very smart and in the collective we learn more from each other when input into the grand database. 👍🏻 If we always can avoid the hype and marketing and that anyone , any one (or a few) know it all for certainty, we all are better off for it. Keep doing the series, studies, evaluations. Eyes open always! 👍🏻👌🏻🤙🏻