Nuked my tank

dugthefish

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125g mixed reef, bit over a year old. Lots of frags doing quite well over the first year. About 6-7 months ago, I began having issues with bubble algae. Tried manual removal, reduced feedings, emerald crabs, nothing worked. I decided to try Vibrant when my rockwork was probably 75% covered in thick mats and corals were beginning to be choked off.

First month of Vibrant I did recommended dose weekly. After seeing no results, I increased to the maximum does of 2x weekly. After another 2 months I finally started seeing results. BA started dying off, and I was able to scrape and remove most of it. Hair algae and cyano immediately began moving in. At this point I noticed that my zoas were no longer opening.

I resolved now to just let the cyano and hair alage run its course, the BA was pretty much gone. Stopped Vibrant, added some more CUC, and left the tank alone. After a couple of weeks, I began to see fading and reduced PE in my acros. Nitrate had bottomed out, so I figured that was the reason. Soon after, all my acros just died. Not quite RTN, but in a few days they were stark white. Montis and rest of sps soon followed, and then LPS. All water tests were and are in normal parameters for this tank, with the exception of Alk being high which I attribute to reduced consumption and me not turning off the doser soon enough (alk never got about 11, "normal" was 9).

Currently have lost about 90% of my corals, and the last few are withered and dying. Not much I can do at this point but let the dust settle. But I'd sure like to have a better idea what I did wrong.

First and last tests after noticing reduced acro PE shown.

20191215_165305.jpg 15826707687645890803129798440477.jpg Screenshot_20200225-164359_Aquarium Assistant.jpg
 

vessxpress1

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Saw a review about this stuff that said it is a very strong product and it works but if there's any RTN going on in tank it can aggravate the problem and cause it to go out of control. Guy used chemi clean after that to get things under control. I don't know if it will help you but sounds like nothing to lose at this point. FWIW
 

TheRedBeardedReefer

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Hey! That guy was me! Yeah, vibrant and any type of necrosis don't mix in my experience. The bacteria they use seem to aggressively colonize coral skeleton and at least in my case, seemed to be fighting coral tissue growth to a standstill (at best). First dose of chemiclean helped immensely, but after 48 hrs and a 20% water change, I noticed the 'sludge' returning to the skeleton. I immediately ran a second 48 hrs of treatment (remove active carbon, leave on skimmer, remove cup if in sump, if external drain into sump after cleaning). After second 20% change things have been steadily improving. This setosa is much improved from it's lowest point a couple of weeks ago, and the exposed skeleton is SO much cleaner than it was before dosing chemiclean. There was literally an active growth edge to the bacteria that was butting up against the coral growth edge.
IMG_20200224_095549.jpg
 
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dugthefish

dugthefish

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Noting to lose, but really nothing to gain either. Didn't have any issues with any kind of necrosis, all my corals were doing well and most were thriving. At this point I feel like I over-chemicaled my tank and am paying the piper. Just gonna leave it alone for a few months i think.
 
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dugthefish

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You probably don't want to hear this now, but I added a foxface and it completely wiped out my bubble algae in less than a month.
Had a Mag Rabbit since almost day one, he never acquired the taste. Until my blennie killed him last month, anyway.
 

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Once you get things in order it will b time to find the root cause to your problems. Maybe nutrient export?
 
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dugthefish

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Once you get things in order it will b time to find the root cause to your problems. Maybe nutrient export?
I suppose, but I've my nitrates have always been under 10 and phosphates barely measurable. Chaeto was going strong until the vibrant killed it, good sized skimmer running 18 hours a day.
 

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Maybe go back to basics...water changes, turkey baster, physical filtration, also no aminos or additives?
I’m just brainstorming. There r others here much more knowledgeable.
 

Tplummer

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I have
125g mixed reef, bit over a year old. Lots of frags doing quite well over the first year. About 6-7 months ago, I began having issues with bubble algae. Tried manual removal, reduced feedings, emerald crabs, nothing worked. I decided to try Vibrant when my rockwork was probably 75% covered in thick mats and corals were beginning to be choked off.

First month of Vibrant I did recommended dose weekly. After seeing no results, I increased to the maximum does of 2x weekly. After another 2 months I finally started seeing results. BA started dying off, and I was able to scrape and remove most of it. Hair algae and cyano immediately began moving in. At this point I noticed that my zoas were no longer opening.

I resolved now to just let the cyano and hair alage run its course, the BA was pretty much gone. Stopped Vibrant, added some more CUC, and left the tank alone. After a couple of weeks, I began to see fading and reduced PE in my acros. Nitrate had bottomed out, so I figured that was the reason. Soon after, all my acros just died. Not quite RTN, but in a few days they were stark white. Montis and rest of sps soon followed, and then LPS. All water tests were and are in normal parameters for this tank, with the exception of Alk being high which I attribute to reduced consumption and me not turning off the doser soon enough (alk never got about 11, "normal" was 9).

Currently have lost about 90% of my corals, and the last few are withered and dying. Not much I can do at this point but let the dust settle. But I'd sure like to have a better idea what I did wrong.

First and last tests after noticing reduced acro PE shown.

20191215_165305.jpg 15826707687645890803129798440477.jpg Screenshot_20200225-164359_Aquarium Assistant.jpg
i have no answers but thanks for sharing. I learned something
 

SebastianReefer

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Saw a review about this stuff that said it is a very strong product and it works but if there's any RTN going on in tank it can aggravate the problem and cause it to go out of control. Guy used chemi clean after that to get things under control. I don't know if it will help you but sounds like nothing to lose at this point. FWIW
What is RTN
 

Sashaka

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What is RTN
What's RTN ?

Rapid Tissue Necrosis: There are several theories about the cause, but basically a coral will die rapidly, sometimes as fast as 48 hours.
I've used Vibrant and found it does manage algae if used as directed, but I also lost a few corals and fish when dosing at the higher dosage.
 

Zos4me

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Vibrant killed my chaeto and a 250 torch.the two other torches I have have been recovering since November. They finally are starting to look like torches again.i wont ever use that stuff again
 

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