Vibrant and Microbacter 7 at the same time???

Dule T&T

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Crazy idea?

I asked this question in a post about Vibrant, but because it's an old post I don't think I'll get plenty opinions. So I started this topic.

Recently I got some bubble algae and Bryopsis in my 400 gallon mixed reef.
So I decided to start using Vibrant.
First week or two aquarium was crisp clean and nuisances started dying.
Nitrates went from about 7-ish to around 15.

After about 8 weeks I got explosion of some gunky, stringy cyano or whatever it is.... (I don't have a microscope to know for sure)
Pristine, clean tank became a nastiness!

Now, I'm thinking, increase of nutrients could cause that, or imbalance that gave a chance to cyano, or whatever it is, to win the competition.

How much I understand Vibrant is a blend of heterotrophic bacteria that attach to algae and consume them. During that consumption NO3 and PO4 that were previously consumed by the lagae itself will be released back in the water.
Vibrant supposed to also contain bacteria that consume those relesed nutrients as well....
But majority of people reported spike in nutrient levels and cyano and other outbreaks while using Vibrant, which means that there might not be enough of nitrifying bacteria in the system to take care of excess nutrients.

Now, my crazy idea was - what if I dose Microbacter 7 at the same time?
Microbacter 7 is a blend of nitrifying bacteria and it's not supposed to contain heterotrophic bacteria. Which means that it wouldn't interact with heterotrophic bacteria from Vibrant.
Heterotrophic bacteria feed on alagae, nitrifying bacteria feed on available nutrients in the system, which could mean that they don't have a reason to compete and could easily coexist.
That gives me an idea that these 2 products might actually complement each other.

So, what if together they could get rid of algae and prevent different outbrakes caused by nutrient spikes and disbalance?

If bacterial bloom happens there is always a good ole UV sterilizer....

I am not an expert of course.
I don't know what exactly is in both of those products...
As I said this is just my humble idea and there’s a huge chance I am wrong.
That's why I would like people who know more about this to share their thoughts.

Thanks.
 

Spare time

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Cyano often appears when ntirates bottom out (typically, though, but high phosphates can lead to them as well as carbon dosing). Vibrant lowers nitrate and phosphate and combining it with microbacter 7 will actually make the situation worse.


Microbacter 7 does have heterotrophic bacteria. Also, heterotropic and nitrifying bacteria are chemoautotrophs. Both of these compete for phosphate (and some other things) so technically there some competition but that would require extremely little phosphate for the nitrifying bacteria to die out.
 

RobertTheNurse

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Vibrant bottoms put nutrients, as stated above. I learned this first hand.
 
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Dule T&T

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Cyano often appears when ntirates bottom out (typically, though, but high phosphates can lead to them as well as carbon dosing). Vibrant lowers nitrate and phosphate and combining it with microbacter 7 will actually make the situation worse.


Microbacter 7 does have heterotrophic bacteria. Also, heterotropic and nitrifying bacteria are chemoautotrophs. Both of these compete for phosphate (and some other things) so technically there some competition but that would require extremely little phosphate for the nitrifying bacteria to die out.
My nitrates increased while using Vibrant from 7 to 15.

I though "Microbacter Clean" has heterotrophic bacteria and is their version of Vibrant?
But maybe 7 also has them. I couldn't really find that information.
 

RobertTheNurse

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How long have you been using vibrant. Took a few doses to drop them. Just keep an eye.
 

Spare time

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My nitrates increased while using Vibrant from 7 to 15.

I though "Microbacter Clean" has heterotrophic bacteria and is their version of Vibrant?
But maybe 7 also has them. I couldn't really find that information.

Microbacter clean is, I believe, strictly the heterotrophs and no anaerobic bacteria.

7-15 is probably in line with a test kits realistic error range. What test kit do you use? Regardless, I not attribute vibrant to an increase. I can't think of a way in which vibrant could actually cause a nitrate increase.
 
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Dule T&T

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Microbacter clean is, I believe, strictly the heterotrophs and no anaerobic bacteria.

7-15 is probably in line with a test kits realistic error range. What test kit do you use? Regardless, I not attribute vibrant to an increase. I can't think of a way in which vibrant could actually cause a nitrate increase.
Salifert test kit.
I got a new one yesterday just to make sure it's not faulty test.
I mean, Salifert is hard to read.
Before color was between 5 and 10 - so I "calculated" that is about 7.5 maybe 8.... and that was perfect for my LPS.
Now it's darker color located between 10 and 25 and it doesn't go down for few weeks now. So I am kinda worried especially after getting all these nasty stuff all over the tank.
 

Spare time

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Salifert test kit.
I got a new one yesterday just to make sure it's not faulty test.
I mean, Salifert is hard to read.
Before color was between 5 and 10 - so I "calculated" that is about 7.5 maybe 8.... and that was perfect for my LPS.
Now it's darker color located between 10 and 25 and it doesn't go down for few weeks now. So I am kinda worried especially after getting all these nasty stuff all over the tank.


Still, I doubt the vibrant was the cause since presumabbly it "eats" what it outcompetes (or literally eats). Remember that correlation does not equal causation.
 

SigmaVX

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I used both (Vibrant and MB7) individually and tested them together. I sadly never really got results on Vibrant and did have red cyano after treating with Vibrant (which I read reports of prior to testing). I now dose with urchins and mother nature takes good care of things :)
 
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Dule T&T

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I used both (Vibrant and MB7) individually and tested them together. I sadly never really got results on Vibrant and did have red cyano after treating with Vibrant (which I read reports of prior to testing). I now dose with urchins and mother nature takes good care of things :)
Yeap, cyano in my case as well.
But there are some results in eliminating bubble algae and Bryopsis.
 

Peng1606

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I dose both vibrant and MB7 together about once every 2 weeks as maintenance. Will also throw in prodibio biodigest also about once a month. Tank stays relatively clean with that combo and I’m pretty happy with results.
I feed heavily 4-6 times a day, have 70+ fish in a 750 gallon system…. Also run a large biopellet reactor and 2 skimmers….Nitrates are around 8-12, phosphates 0.15.
 

outhouse

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double dose vibrant if you think you need more. i have used chemiclean for cyano. I think many miss the required large water changes required when dosing miracle cures. Vibrant is working for me, dosed once a week. Im a month in and happy with what I see so far.
 

Spieg

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I don't think either of those is going to do anything for your Bryopsis. May want to try Fluconizol.
 
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