To Vibrant or Not to Vibrant

[RobertTheNurse]

Hey, posted a thread about how to gain control on nuiscance Hair Algae my 8 month old tank has been experiencing. One member got me on the idea of adding vibrant to the tank.

I initially was instantly opposed as ive always wanted to try to steer away from adding chemicals to my tank. Ive been taking things slow and have been wanting as natural an ecosystem as possible.

Over the last 2 months been battering Hair algae...mainly on my sand bed, which has now spread onto my rock work.

I know this has been talked about many times. And im also aware of the thread (312 pages) and many threads thereafter.

Here is a pic of my tank (with whites fully on)...what do you think? Technically I have a 65G (minus rockwork...so im guessing 60G of water)...what dose is safe to start at?

Was thinking if I am gonna start this...what do I do to not tank my nutrients? Currently (water change due in 2 days) my nitrates are 10 (previously 25 until I did a 30% WC x 4 in a week).

Will the die off cause a bacterial bloom? Do i risk cyano outbreak?

Do i just hold off on Vibrant? Will the aging process of my aquarium one day out beat this algae bloom (got corraline growing)...do i rake the sand bed and pick off the hair algae on the rock bed? I'm not looking to take apart the rock work...want to steer away from that as much as possible.

Sorry for the rant, and thanks for reading!

1.025
77.4 F
Nitrate 10
phos 0
dkh 10

Rob

 

[Cole.mormon]

Try to siphon it off the sand bed and dose some microbacter

 

[Cole.mormon]

Also do you ise purigen or carbon.. Also any cuc if so what kind how many ect

 

[PicassoClown04]

Hey, posted a thread about how to gain control on nuiscance Hair Algae my 8 month old tank has been experiencing. One member got me on the idea of adding vibrant to the tank.

I initially was instantly opposed as ive always wanted to try to steer away from adding chemicals to my tank. Ive been taking things slow and have been wanting as natural an ecosystem as possible.

Over the last 2 months been battering Hair algae...mainly on my sand bed, which has now spread onto my rock work.

I know this has been talked about many times. And im also aware of the thread (312 pages) and many threads thereafter.

Here is a pic of my tank (with whites fully on)...what do you think? Technically I have a 65G (minus rockwork...so im guessing 60G of water)...what dose is safe to start at?

Was thinking if I am gonna start this...what do I do to not tank my nutrients? Currently (water change due in 2 days) my nitrates are 10 (previously 25 until I did a 30% WC x 4 in a week).

Will the die off cause a bacterial bloom? Do i risk cyano outbreak?

Do i just hold off on Vibrant? Will the aging process of my aquarium one day out beat this algae bloom (got corraline growing)...do i rake the sand bed and pick off the hair algae on the rock bed? I'm not looking to take apart the rock work...want to steer away from that as much as possible.

Sorry for the rant, and thanks for reading!

1.025
77.4 F
Nitrate 10
phos 0
dkh 10

Rob

Hi! I was just like you. I had a MASSIVE bubble algae issue and had to resort to vibrant. Currently I’m dosing 4 mL every week (double the recommended) and have seen no ill effects for my coral. It has made my pulsing Xenia stop growing but it is still very healthy and pulsing like crazy, but not multiplying. I’ve got literally everything shoved into this tank so I feel that if I haven’t seen any bad effects on my corals you shouldn’t either. I would start at the recommended dose for a ‘dirty’ tank (1mL per 10 gallons 1x a week, so 6 mL for you). Also, disposable ‘spoolies’ are really good for twirling the hair algae out of the tank. I was able to clear hair algae from a patch of cloves doing this and the cloves are now healthy and algae free! I hope this helps!!

 

[Cole.mormon]

Whats up

 

[Cole.mormon]

@footgal

 

[RobertTheNurse]

Hi! I was just like you. I had a MASSIVE bubble algae issue and had to resort to vibrant. Currently I’m dosing 4 mL every week (double the recommended) and have seen no ill effects for my coral. It has made my pulsing Xenia stop growing but it is still very healthy and pulsing like crazy, but not multiplying. I’ve got literally everything shoved into this tank so I feel that if I haven’t seen any bad effects on my corals you shouldn’t either. I would start at the recommended dose for a ‘dirty’ tank (1mL per 10 gallons 1x a week, so 6 mL for you). Also, disposable ‘spoolies’ are really good for twirling the hair algae out of the tank. I was able to clear hair algae from a patch of cloves doing this and the cloves are now healthy and algae free! I hope this helps!!

Thanks!! Any unwanted side effects? Like bacterial bloom that clouded your tank? And, did you manually remove and turkey baste as much (so clean) before you start treatment?

 

[SMSREEF]

Tricky question...
Your tank does not look too bad in pics.

have you tried suctioning out the algae and cleaning sand? Increasing your CUC? If not maybe try that first. A fighting conch or sand star may help turn the sand.

If you have tried this, vibrant can work. But there are risks as I’m sure you have read about.

I have used it and not had any issues. But I know this is not always the case.

 

[tankstudy]

I initially was instantly opposed as ive always wanted to try to steer away from adding chemicals to my tank. Ive been taking things slow and have been wanting as natural an ecosystem as possible.

To be precise, I believe its 95% cultured bacteria that breaks down the algae. Depending on what types of algae it may take a while. It's not really a chemical.

 

[PicassoClown04]

Thanks!! Any unwanted side effects? Like bacterial bloom that clouded your tank? And, did you manually remove and turkey baste as much (so clean) before you start treatment?

I started vibrant on the recommended ‘dirty dose’ then the next week I did manual removal. It’s been 2 months and the bubbles are 90% gone. No bacteria bloom, cyano, anything. Only negative side effect is that the dead algae clogs my pumps about 1x a week but it’s super easy to clean out and a small price to pay for the death of the algae

 

[PicassoClown04]

@footgal

Hi!

 

[RobertTheNurse]

Tricky question...
Your tank does not look too bad in pics.

have you tried suctioning out the algae and cleaning sand? Increasing your CUC? If not maybe try that first. A fighting conch or sand star may help turn the sand.

If you have tried this, vibrant can work. But there are risks as I’m sure you have read about.

I have used it and not had any issues. But I know this is not always the case.

So...i did do a manual removal of some when it first started out. This only made it grow out again. My plan is to literally take the sand bed and suction out the bits I rake...the rock work will be tricky...so hopefully I can manually remove with suction as well...i think the algae is just way too long for the snails...i have an astrea a turbo and a few others...as well as a few hermits....snails don't really last long...for whatever reason...its either they get eaten by falling upside down or a hermit murders it.

 

[RobertTheNurse]

To be precise, I believe its 95% cultured bacteria that breaks down the algae. Depending on what types of algae it may take a while. It's not really a chemical.

Yeah that's why im game to use it if necessary

 

[RobertTheNurse]

I started vibrant on the recommended ‘dirty dose’ then the next week I did manual removal. It’s been 2 months and the bubbles are 90% gone. No bacteria bloom, cyano, anything. Only negative side effect is that the dead algae clogs my pumps about 1x a week but it’s super easy to clean out and a small price to pay for the death of the algae

Yeah i use a cannister filter...don't have a skimmer right know i don't have a tremendous amount of livestock. Don't use foam anymore just filer bags with stuff. You think it'll clog my cannister pipes?

 

[PicassoClown04]

So...i did do a manual removal of some when it first started out. This only made it grow out again. My plan is to literally take the sand bed and suction out the bits I rake...the rock work will be tricky...so hopefully I can manually remove with suction as well...i think the algae is just way too long for the snails...i have an astrea a turbo and a few others...as well as a few hermits....snails don't really last long...for whatever reason...its either they get eaten by falling upside down or a hermit murders it.

Use stomatella snails, they’re basically slugs so they never get stuck on their backs and die. Very efficient algae eaters. You will have to get them from LFS or other reefers though.

use a python to suck your sand. In fresh water these are called ‘gravel vacuums’. It’s basically a PVC pipe on the end of your water change hose so you can clean the sand without actually sucking any of it up.

I’d dose vibrant at the ‘clean’ tank dose to start. If you don’t see improvement in 2 weeks then go to the ‘dirty’ dose

 

[PicassoClown04]

Yeah i use a cannister filter...don't have a skimmer right know i don't have a tremendous amount of livestock. Don't use foam anymore just filer bags with stuff. You think it'll clog my cannister pipes?

If you’re worried, pantyhose or fine netting will prevent debris from entering the filter but will still let water through. I had a bubble algae problem so I’m not sure if this really applies to hair algae since it’s already so fine

 

[SMSREEF]

To be precise, I believe its 95% cultured bacteria that breaks down the algae.

But this is all claim by manufacturer, without any bacterial strains listed. I also had 0.5% vinegar and 3.5% “Other ingredients”.
We really have no clue what is in it.

 

[Amado]

Vibrant is a bacteria. It’s not chemicals.
Vibrant is very effective. I used it on my 210 tank
And got rid of nuisance algae.
my algae scrubber and clean up crew has been able to keep
Up with my nutrients so I no longer need vibrant.

 

[RobertTheNurse]

Use stomatella snails, they’re basically slugs so they never get stuck on their backs and die. Very efficient algae eaters. You will have to get them from LFS or other reefers though.

use a python to suck your sand. In fresh water these are called ‘gravel vacuums’. It’s basically a PVC pipe on the end of your water change hose so you can clean the sand without actually sucking any of it up.

I’d dose vibrant at the ‘clean’ tank dose to start. If you don’t see improvement in 2 weeks then go to the ‘dirty’ dose

Like this? You don't mean siphon right? Cuz that only spreads the issue lol

 

[PicassoClown04]

Like this? You don't mean siphon right? Cuz that only spreads the issue lol

Yeeeesss that’s the ticket