Anyone using Microbacter7? If so ...

btkrausen

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i cycle all my tanks with it ever since it came out...;)

Ahh...nice to know. Thanks guys. Does it speed up the cycle, or just help maintain it so its not so drastic? The faster I can "safely" put fish in, the better :)
 

fab1971

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I put in a clown and a clean up crew after 6 days. A couple of weeks after set-up I added the rest of the fish and started transfering my sunset monti frags, duncans, palys and an anemone. I was skeptical but I haven't had any losses and the tank has been running smooth so far. My opinion is that it doesn't speed the cycle but manages it as you put it. But again, that's my opinion, I have no hard facts.
 

btkrausen

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I put in a clown and a clean up crew after 6 days. A couple of weeks after set-up I added the rest of the fish and started transfering my sunset monti frags, duncans, palys and an anemone. I was skeptical but I haven't had any losses and the tank has been running smooth so far.

Thanks, but with you saying a couple of weeks makes me skeptical about using it. Does it not cut down on the time you have to wait until you put stuff in it safely?
 

fab1971

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I started adding livestock after 6 days but it wasn't much. A clown, clean up crew and a couple of smaller frags. I kept an eye on things and a week later transfered the rest. Of course, I didn't use any live rock or live sand so it's depends on what you start out with. You can also use water from an established tank to help the process. Don't ask me any technical info, I rarely test my water. Just the salinity and temps.
 

btkrausen

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Haha. I won't ask technical questions geared towards you then :)

My new tank will start completely fresh...new dry rock, new sand, new water. Would the MB7 still help make for a quicker cycle (this question is for everybody but fab1971...hahaha..j/k)
 

drainbamage

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was dosing daily and having really nice results- got lazy and can see the difference. When I get a doser system going down the road, will probably rig up MB7 via that method.
 

btkrausen

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I cycled one with nothing live in 3 days..;) it works wonders... Used shrimp and mb7

Nice, thanks for the info Troy. I'm going to try to use it and see what happens. I guess if it doesn't accelerate it, it can't hurt to be it there.

FWIW, to the OP, when I was running reef, I did dose MB7, and saw awesome results. A lot of my corals colored up great, and I've never had better growth from SPS when I was dosing MB7 and Mag.
 

Paul_N

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The instructions say "To seed biological filtration in new aquaria: Add 5ml/25 gallons of water daily for the first two weeks." I got the big 2L bottle online.
 

btkrausen

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The instructions say "To seed biological filtration in new aquaria: Add 5ml/25 gallons of water daily for the first two weeks." I got the big 2L bottle online.

Yeah, I had recalled it had some specific directions for new aquariums. I have the large bottle that I got for free :) Can't beat that

I'm gonna try this on my new build and log it in my build thread :) Thanks for the reminder.
 

Paul_N

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When I broke down my 75 and put everything into my 135 gallon temp system. I made all new water, ditched the sand except a small container for the clams and wrasse, and also put it in some dry rock. I did use all the live rock from the 75 on top of that though so it wasn't really new because of the live rock. The only issue I had was an alk problem due to "user error" with manual dosing. I dosed the mb7 every day. I transferred everything over the course of a week and the live rock and clams were the last to go in.
 

btkrausen

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I truly wish I could just transfer the water, but to prevent bad stuff from going in the new tank, like bubble algae and any fish diseases that might be lurking, I wanted to start fresh.
 

kayaking2

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I used it to setup my 20L.....and had corals in it a week after setting it up. Nothing died.
 

drainbamage

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I used it to seed out my new tank. I used some existing cured rock, some dead/dry rock, 40% water from existing tanks, the rest brand new. Had livestock in within 24 hours and haven't had any problems as of yet.

That said I am noticing a mini-cycle in terms of getting some brown algae, but no ammonia spike, no nitrite spike, etc.

Check out my "flat frag tank" build thread in the members tank forum if you want to see the details
 

fab1971

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Yeah, I'm noticing a small spike of cycle now without the ammonia and nitrates thankfully. Just a small outbreak of algae bloom which is pretty normal for a newly set up system(2 months old).
 

SunnyX

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ok, I found the correct info:

MicroBacter7/Vodka dosing guide


So, I am sure by now many of you have heard of people dosing vodka and bacteria into their systems. You first thought may have been "what" or "why", but I am here to help explain the reasons behind why those of us who do dose vodka do so.

Let me start by saying I am not an expert on the subject. I am not a scientist and cannot get into the intricate details of how and why the dosing of vodka works. I can however tell you what has worked for me and give you a general idea of how vodka dosing aids ones system. Please keep in mind that this dosing system is not without risks. You can wipe out your system if the proper procedures are not followed.

Before reading what I have to say below be sure to check out the links below:

(This will give you a general idea on how much vodka to dose)
Vodka Dosing by 'Genetics' and 'Stony_Corals' - Reefkeeping.com

(This is a simple overview of the vodka dosing trend in this hobby)
Gimme a Vodka, on the Live Rocks, with a Splash of Heavy Skimming. (03/30/10) / Feature Articles - Quality Marine


Basically, the ethanol in vodka feeds bacteria in your aquarium which in turn multiply. When the bacteria multiplies it consumes N03 and P04. The bacteria, along with the nutrients it has consumed is then exported by a large protein skimmer. The bacteria, in this case MB7, is added in order to keep the bacteria diversified and help stave off red slime. You can dose vodka alone but I wouldn't recommend it.

When I first setup my current tank I had been adding Microbacter7 from Brightwell aquatics. While this help the tank I wasn't all that impressed. It wasn't until I started dosing vodka that things really took off. Within a month of dosing vodka I no longer had to use GFO. Within 3 months I actually had to add Amino Acids and feed the tank more as it had become "too clean". The corals had lightened up and actually stopped growing. After cutting back a bit on the vodka dosage and adding more food the corals once again took off.


Please note that you MUST have a sufficient sized skimmer and proper aeration to employ this dosing system. Reefers have crashed their setups by not running a skimmer or having proper flow/aeration.

Here are some things I have observed when dosing MB7/vodka:

PROS
-My skimmer is pulling out more gunk then ever
-My water is even clearer now
-Polyp extension in corals has greatly increased
-Coral growth has exploded. Within two weeks of dosing I have counted 36 new, small coral heads coming out of my large mille.
-The sand bed is whiter.
-Glass and overflow box stay cleaner longer.
-Coraline algae has begun to show up on pumps and over flow.

CONS

-Some corals have lightened up even more.
-Red slime is appearing in spot it hasn't before.
-Bacteria is making my sand bed clumpy, so I have to gravel vac it twice a month.


Is vodka dosing for everyone? No. But for these of you willing to take the time to understand and implement this system it can change the way you go about reef keeping. The system is simple and cost effective, allowing you to achive near ocean like water quality without the use of expensive GFO or refugiums.


If you decide to dose MB7/Vodka here are some helpful tips:


MB7 (Bottle Instructions.)
+
Vodka (or carbon) Dosing - Vodka Dosing by 'Genetics' and 'Stony_Corals' - Reefkeeping.com
=========================
Probiotic Reef Keeping.


Time to dose = during lights on seems best. MB7 into the display. Vodka into the sump.

Rules
1) Need a good skimmer

Noticed in Water testing
1) high nitrates = increase vodka as per instructions.
2) no Nitrate/Po4 change in LONG time = try another carbon source like vinegar, sugar, biofuel...
3) low nitrates = maintain till 0 then reduce to maintenance levels of vodka
4) Increase in Alk = stop dosing Cal / alk, test water change h20 for alk level. Decrease with large water changes and/or chemicals if it gets bad. Corals may stop taking Cal/ALK while getting used to Probiotic system & increased light.
4) new tank/build = follow instructions, stay close to the low side of dosing.
5) Phosphate being high = a round of GFO

Noticed in Algae/Bacteria Reaction
1) Bacterial Blooms (slimy white strings) = too much bacteria, decrease vodka dosing.
2) algae on glass after increase of MB7 = reduce MB7 :p
3) brown dusting or brown hair like stuff = decrease MB7 (also check http://www.rimlessreef.com/1/post/20...eament-of.html )
4) cyano = increase MB7 and/or lower/stop vodka dose. After the cyano has gone away restart the vodka from the initial or maintenence dose. If it's really bad consider a "lights out" period. If really really bad consider "Red Slime Remover."
5) peach fuzz = stop or decrease (especially vodka) dosing for a while (about a week or till the fuzz dies off) then start back up with the maintenance dose. OR This may also just go away in time.
6) glass and sand getting dirtier = dose more/feed less

Noticed in Live Stock Reaction
1) Corals losing color = more feeding, possibly Amino Acids, lower photo period an hour for a while.
2) Corals Burnt Tips = check alkalinity..get it to 7-8 dKH by stop dosing alk...maybe stop dosing EVERYTHING if it gets bad.
3) Monti caps bleaching = Cut the vodka dosage in half and stay there until the cap starts to color up and/or lower the lighting photoperiod for a bit or have a light "day off."
4) Everything dies = Blame the wife, kids, or something other than your own possible mistakes )

Other
1) substrate hardening = keep it broken up and siphoned with water changes. Maintain a good high PH of 8.1 - 8.3



I just wanted to show you what this method has done for me. Here are examples from my old Rimless setup:

Here is my old Rimless, 13 months apart:

DSC_0286.jpg


DSC_0041-1.jpg


And 5 months after that:
DSC_0286-1.jpg




This is just a basic observation on carbon dosing. Please feel free to add any information/experiences you have had with this dosing method. Please also keep in mind that this method is not a miracle cure or anything of the sort. You will still need proper husbandry, lighting, and flow in order to be successful.


31007_431351538664_106246323664_517.jpg



Sonny
 
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btkrausen

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Thanks Sonny. I read that article 20 times before I started the vodka/MB7 dosing regimen, and its all great information. I had a lot of luck with the MB7, but not so much with the vodka. While the vodka didn't hurt my tank, I never saw a noticeable difference after close to 100 days.
 

CJO

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Thanks for the great writeup. I still haven't done any vodka dosing (for some reason, it never makes it to the tank), but am seriously considering it.

CJ
 

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