Dosing Vibrant and its effects on my tank

[Grumblez]

Dunno, there's still plenty of pods in my tank. I've just spent the last hour catching up on the Vibrant thread linked above. You should probably do the same. It seems UAC is selling snake oil - basically an algaecide dressed up as a bacterial product. It works, remarkably so. But it's not some magical natural product - it appears to be the same thing as algae fix. I think I'll continue to use it an an eradication effort of bryopsis and bubble algae, and once those are under control, I'll probably stop using it.

I really need to find a small fish like a tang that picks at algae all day that's suitable for a nano...

Biota Court Jester Goby. Shifts sand and picks at algae.

Also Pavo Damsel, I have no personal experience but supposedly snack on algae and flatworms. That said while it's supposed to be one of the more peaceful damsels more akin to a clown but might still have some aggression issues depending on what your other livestock in your tank is.

 

[a.t.t.r]

Bacterial product that can't reproduce in our tanks what I thought Vibrant was, as well. If it's an algicide then that's not something I'll be using.

They claim it isn't bacteria but a bacterial byproduct. ( and even that is most likely a lie.)

 

[Kongar]

Do you run any chemical media? It sounds like you’ll be okay with adding a tail spot since your nutrients are low. I would also suggest adding a small urchin would also help or even a sea hare will munch down any algae problems in your reef.

Chemipure blue and a few teaspoons of GFO in a mesh bag in a media holder. I'm not sure the GFO does much as it clumps up - a reactor would be better but I don't have the space in the back chambers.

It's dirt simple to do big water changes on a nano - so I can keep my nutrients down with just water changes. I feel like I should be able to control my nutrients and algae, but even though I keep my numbers in check - algae has still been a small problem. I feel like the reason is the lack of utilitarian fish.

I DID throw in a tuxedo urchin the same time I started Vibrant, and he's awesome. He's scraped off probably just as much algae as the vibrant has killed. Another reason I hesitated on the tail spot blenny. I figured I'd give the vibrant and the urchin time.

I think going forward, I'll eradicate the bubble algae as best I can, stop the vibrant, and then see what comes back. If it's just hair and ulva and big water changes aren't keeping it in check - then maybe I'll add the tailspot.

 

[Andresnyc93]

Chemipure blue and a few teaspoons of GFO in a mesh bag in a media holder. I'm not sure the GFO does much as it clumps up - a reactor would be better but I don't have the space in the back chambers.

It's dirt simple to do big water changes on a nano - so I can keep my nutrients down with just water changes. I feel like I should be able to control my nutrients and algae, but even though I keep my numbers in check - algae has still been a small problem. I feel like the reason is the lack of utilitarian fish.

I DID throw in a tuxedo urchin the same time I started Vibrant, and he's awesome. He's scraped off probably just as much algae as the vibrant has killed. Another reason I hesitated on the tail spot blenny. I figured I'd give the vibrant and the urchin time.

I think going forward, I'll eradicate the bubble algae as best I can, stop the vibrant, and then see what comes back. If it's just hair and ulva and big water changes aren't keeping it in check - then maybe I'll add the tailspot.

I used to have my GFO in a cup as well, I have since then changed to a small brs reactor and it has made a huge difference and notice my water is much cleaner. Do you use any microbacter? Using the microbacter clean will also give you a boost battling GHA and helps dissolve any of waste stuck between the rocks

 

[Screwgunner]

Gha is from to much phosphate and or nitrates. But I had some die off of some snails. And tried vibrant i have 120 gallon system but it is a125 with a 30 gallon sump. So 12 ml. A week for 7 weeks melted my green hair algea then I stopped cyano took over so I went with chemiclean cyano gone yep you guessed it brown snot with air bubbles in it. Dynos . 1 week of dosing 24 ml. Twice a day of 3% hydrogen peroxide. Then I started Dr Tims eco balance 3 week now and everything is back where it was except my birdsnest dint make it.
Keep you nutrient down and you should not have these problems. But s___ happens.

 

[a.t.t.r]

Get yours

No, I modified the 20gal long so it has a built in 3 chamber filtration. The first stage has from the top down Rocks, Carbon, Coarse, Medium Foam, Fine Foam with a net bag full of media. 2nd stage is heater, and 3rd is return pump. I have not tried adding anything else to the filtration, but I'm open to suggestions

Get yourself a skimmer and at the very least do a light skim. Also I would ditch the fine filtration but that’s just me.

 

[DAWREEFER]

Vibrant may work to eradicate some GHA, but from pictures and parameters, to me it looks like you aren't exporting your nutrients efficiently, in which case the GHA will always come back. Step up your water change schedule, in a tank that small it isn't hard to do 25-50% water changes once a week to get your nutrients back in line, and find out what is causing your phosphate and nitrates so high. GHA is easy to deal with through nutrient manipulation.

I do a water change every Friday and mix saltwater every Thursday having it cycling in the bucket through the night. You think I should do more water changes than that?

 

[DAWREEFER]

Get yours

Get yourself a skimmer and at the very least do a light skim. Also I would ditch the fine filtration but that’s just me.

I could maybe move my heater to the third chamber with the water output pump and have room in the 2nd chamber for a skimmer. With a quick google search I found this Nano Skimmer Would that be something you're talking about? It might be a tight fit , but would it work is the question?

 

[Screwgunner]

It will remove protiens that turn in to nitrates and phosphates. So yes it will help.

 

[a.t.t.r]

I could maybe move my heater to the third chamber with the water output pump and have room in the 2nd chamber for a skimmer. With a quick google search I found this Nano Skimmer Would that be something you're talking about? It might be a tight fit , but would it work is the question?

I would never use an airstone skimmer require cleaning way too often and the stones go bad. look into a small one like a tunze or something

 

[Screwgunner]

I agree.

 

[Midrats]

Limewood diffusers achieve the smallest bubbles. They last a while and are easy to change. Putting them in the microwave for 20 seconds clears out the pores, extending their life. My Mame produces copious amounts of effluent. If a Tunze won't fit in there, you'd be hard pressed to find something that works better in such a compact package. Especially if you couple it with a Luft pump with a potentiometer to control the speed of the pump rather than choking off the air. Don't knock it until you try it.

 

[Reeferbadness]

How did you transition from the vibrant to the refugium? I’ve been thinking about trying to grow some cheato in one of my chambers. I know the vibrant will kill it. Did you just switch from one to the other with no issue?

I just stopped dosing Vibrant about 1 month before adding the refugium. Growth was slow at first but now both tank refugiums are booming and pesky algae growth is pretty much zero.

 

[DAWREEFER]

I just stopped dosing Vibrant about 1 month before adding the refugium. Growth was slow at first but now both tank refugiums are booming and pesky algae growth is pretty much zero.

View attachment 2549718

I ordered that skimmer I mentioned before and it came to me shattered, but luckily the BRS team is awesome and replaced it and upgraded the shipping. Hopefully I get it soon and can start the process of breaking it in. Good news that it does fit in my DIY filtration system

 

[Midrats]

Buy the diffusers on ebay in bulk. There's a few people that make them in multiple sizes.

 

[DAWREEFER]

Buy the diffusers on ebay in bulk. There's a few people that make them in multiple sizes.

Pro tip. Thank you very much I already bought an extra from BRS, but any after that I will definitely look!!!

 

[Midrats]

Pro tip. Thank you very much I already bought an extra from BRS, but any after that I will definitely look!!!

The seller is called hoolko. I got ten 2"x .5" for under $20 shipped. They fit perfectly. Looks like the reef glass is about the same diameter as the Mame.

 

[Jon!]

I had a good experience with Vibrant knocking out my hair algae. Has not been back after 2 doses 2 weeks apart. No adverse effects. Mixed reef with shrooms, euphelia.

 

[Screwgunner]

A couple of my zoas close up but they come back. After I dosed vibrant I got thousands of pineapple spunges in my sump.

 

[gbroadbridge]

I had a good experience with Vibrant knocking out my hair algae. Has not been back after 2 doses 2 weeks apart. No adverse effects. Mixed reef with shrooms, euphelia.

It's an old thread...

As long as you don't mind dosing algaecide to your tank.