Dosing Vibrant and its effects on my tank

[DAWREEFER]

Hello,

I started dosing and I'm in my 2nd week of dosing. I know it takes time to clear my tank, but I have noticed the hair algae seems like its getting worse? Is this a thing, like does the problem get worse before better? I have noticed the tips of the hair algae turning white which is a step in the right direction, but I thinks its growing faster then the bacteria can deal with. I thought I would see a little more improvement by now haha. I know its a patience game, but I want the hair algae to stop covering my frags and letting my corals grow. Should I be dosing more or twice a week? I have a 20gal long with about 16gal living space and I'm dosing 1mL every week. I can't post pictures until later this evening sadly.

 

[DAWREEFER]

Hello,

I started dosing and I'm in my 2nd week of dosing. I know it takes time to clear my tank, but I have noticed the hair algae seems like its getting worse? Is this a thing, like does the problem get worse before better? I have noticed the tips of the hair algae turning white which is a step in the right direction, but I thinks its growing faster then the bacteria can deal with. I thought I would see a little more improvement by now haha. I know its a patience game, but I want the hair algae to stop covering my frags and letting my corals grow. Should I be dosing more or twice a week? I have a 20gal long with about 16gal living space and I'm dosing 1mL every week. I can't post pictures until later this evening sadly.

Was able to get a picture... long story short. Doing a yearly progression video of my Zoas and was able to connect to my PC through my phone haha.

 

[shakacuz]

with vibrant, mot of hat you'll initially see is water clarity. on week 3-4 you'll start seeing GHA whiten/grey out. at this stage you can manually remove, or watch the CUC do their job.

the picture is a bit unfocused, but it does seem to be some type of hair algae.. would wait for a second opinion.

 

[a.t.t.r]

but I thinks its growing faster then the bacteria can deal with.

You are aware vibrant is not a bacteria and is just a standard algicide like algaefix right? Know what you are adding to your tank. Be aware that using this will wipe out the micro flora and leave you prone to dino outbreaks the minute you stop dosing.

What are your phosphate levels like and what caused this outbreak to start with?

 

[A Young Reefer]

Do not overdose vibrant. It is known to bottom out nutrients rapidly. Causing more harm than good.

 

[shakacuz]

Be aware that using this will wipe out the micro flora and leave you prone to dino outbreaks the minute you stop dosing.

even while dosing mb7 alongside vibrant?

 

[DAWREEFER]

even while dosing mb7 alongside vibrant?

I don't dose mb7. Its a year old tank. Do I really need to do that still?

 

[DAWREEFER]

Do not overdose vibrant. It is known to bottom out nutrients rapidly. Causing more harm than good.

That's why I'm dosing under what it says to does

 

[DAWREEFER]

with vibrant, mot of hat you'll initially see is water clarity. on week 3-4 you'll start seeing GHA whiten/grey out. at this stage you can manually remove, or watch the CUC do their job.

the picture is a bit unfocused, but it does seem to be some type of hair algae.. would wait for a second opinion.

Thank you

 

[rmorris_14]

I’ve been using vibrant since late November. Maybe? I went 7 weeks and then upped to twice a week. I still haves some green hair algae growing on my rocks. I keep it under control by scrubbing it off but I’m trying to get to a point where that isn’t needed. So far even with dosing twice a week, it still keeps trying to come back. My next step is to up my CUC (which I think is undersized for my tank) I currently have them Quarantine for 76 days so it will be a little before I see if that helps the situation. I suspect some of it is due to overfeeding on my part. I feed frozen food once a day but I’m probably heavy handed with it. If the cleanup crew doesn’t help, I’ve got some other things to try, it’s a slow process. Nothing happens for me quickly in this hobby.

 

[a.t.t.r]

even while dosing mb7 alongside vibrant?

mb7 is bacteria .Micro flora is small micro algae's that compete for surface area.

 

[DAWREEFER]

You are aware vibrant is not a bacteria and is just a standard algicide like algaefix right? Know what you are adding to your tank. Be aware that using this will wipe out the micro flora and leave you prone to dino outbreaks the minute you stop dosing.

What are your phosphate levels like and what caused this outbreak to start with?

I'll have to test that later this evening to give you an accurate reading. Although my google sheets parameter tracker that I made says it was .25 which was tested on Friday and the average for January was .18. I have Phosphate Rx, but I'm afraid to use it tbh

 

[DAWREEFER]

I’ve been using vibrant since late November. Maybe? I went 7 weeks and then upped to twice a week. I still haves some green hair algae growing on my rocks. I keep it under control by scrubbing it off but I’m trying to get to a point where that isn’t needed. So far even with dosing twice a week, it still keeps trying to come back. My next step is to up my CUC (which I think is undersized for my tank) I currently have them Quarantine for 76 days so it will be a little before I see if that helps the situation. I suspect some of it is due to overfeeding on my part. I feed frozen food once a day but I’m probably heavy handed with it. If the cleanup crew doesn’t help, I’ve got some other things to try, it’s a slow process. Nothing happens for me quickly in this hobby.

Same, everything happens for me at a tortoise pace, but I'm loving it!!!

 

[Reeferbadness]

I've used Vibrant successfully several times (before i got the refugium going - which vibrant would wreck). Your tank is 20 G and Vibrant recommends 1 ml per 10 G. From my experience, i would dose at least 2ML or maybe even double that until you get rid of the algae that you don't want. I never had any issues with corals or inverts using vibrant but am glad to control things naturally with a thriving refugium.

 

[a.t.t.r]

I'll have to test that later this evening to give you an accurate reading. Although my google sheets parameter tracker that I made says it was .25 which was tested on Friday and the average for January was .18. I have Phosphate Rx, but I'm afraid to use it tbh

Phosphate rx is lanthanum-chloride perfectly safe and just precipitates the po4 into a solid to be removed by mechanical filter. Keep in mind your rocks and algae will release more as they die and you never want to bottom out your po4.

 

[rmorris_14]

I've used Vibrant successfully several times (before i got the refugium going - which vibrant would wreck). Your tank is 20 G and Vibrant recommends 1 ml per 10 G. From my experience, i would dose at least 2ML or maybe even double that until you get rid of the algae that you don't want. I never had any issues with corals or inverts using vibrant but am glad to control things naturally with a thriving refugium.

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?

 

[DAWREEFER]

Phosphate rx is lanthanum-chloride perfectly safe and just precipitates the po4 into a solid to be removed by mechanical filter. Keep in mind your rocks and algae will release more as they die and you never want to bottom out your po4.

So, you're saying I should be dosing Phos Rx as well?

 

[a.t.t.r]

So, you're saying I should be dosing Phos Rx as well?

Would not hurt. Does the same thing as GFO really. Just do not let the nutrients drop too far.

BTW are you running a skimmer?

 

[rmorris_14]

So, you're saying I should be dosing Phos Rx as well?

I watched a video where it said the pho’s rx could be used to help weaken the hair algae, making manual removal and then CUC much more successful. I’ve never used it in conjunction with the vibrant. I’d leave that for the person you are asking to answer.

 

[DAWREEFER]

Would not hurt. Does the same thing as GFO really. Just do not let the nutrients drop too far.

BTW are you running a skimmer?

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