Briefly, you filter water from your aquarium using a syringe-filter, and the biofilm using a sterile swab, using materials included in the sampling kit . Following the instructions in the kit, you then fix the sample and ship it back to us for testing.

See this page for detailed instructions.

The high-throughput DNA sequencing technologies that make this analysis possible require that we process samples in large batches (50-200 at a time). Because a sample received early in a batch may have to wait a while until the batch is complete, this can introduce delays.

You can expect to receive a detailed analysis of your sample within 4 weeks of its arrival at our facility. Depending on your position in the queue, you may receive your report earlier than this.

Our rates and payment schedules are shown at https://aquabiomics.com/place-an-order.

Depending on the number of samples you test at once, the test ranges from $99 (for a single sample) to $49 per sample (for 10 or more samples). These discounts are “built in”, so you can add multiple tests and see the adjusted price in your shopping cart.

You also have the option to pay for multiple tests at once, or schedule recurring tests for a discounted rate.

1. Register an account and log in at https://aquabiomics.com/login
2. Choose the number of tests and payment schedule at https://aquabiomics.com/place-an-order
3. If you have a coupon code, you can apply this in the shopping cart to see your cost before ordering.

Our Aquarium Microbiome Testing service includes:

• Identification and classification of the different kinds of microbes in your aquarium
• Measurements of each type’s relative abundance in the community
• Comparison with the microbial communities found in typical reef tanks
• Measurements of beneficial microbes, including nitrifying microbes that improve water quality
• Screening for specific bacterial pathogens of fish and corals