Vibrant by UWC testing

jason2459 · Nov 29, 2016

This bacteria in a bottle supplement caught my attention not because of their wild claims of the eradication of cyano, hair algae, bryopsis, dinoflagelets, etc but because people have actually shown some progress in eliminating those pests with this product. And not just one or two reviews on their site or sponsor forum.

http://www.uwcmn.com/vibrant-liquid-aquarium-cleaner

I know I have all the above in my tank as I've dealt with all of them in the past and can still see them under the microscope.

Our tank's biology up close
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/our-tanks-biology-up-close.239838/

In that thread in the last few pages shows samples from my tank leading up to testing out Vibrant.

Now normally I can't visually see any of that in my tank. No plague like growths of any of it. But what I've found in the past either by accident or on purpose I can cause a nice bloom. Normally I don't do anything beyond what I normally do and it all goes away (visually) on its own. Usually takes several weeks to a couple months. I have the patience to wait it out.

So, just like I've done before I tipped the scales and caused a nice cyano and slight dinoflagelets bloom. It also looks like I spurred on some hair algae which is perfect.

Leading up to the starting dosage of Vibrant

And kept tilting to get those dino bubbles going

And kept tilting to make sure the tank will sustain this bloom

I have maintained that nice growth for a couple weeks.

I added 20ml of Vibrant on Sunday.

This was Monday

Some hair algae on the rock next to the goniopora

I'm looking forward to seeing what it looks like tonight.

jason2459 · Nov 29, 2016

Some background on my tank.

Started in 2009
Lots of fish
Lots if mishaps (latest one end of 2014 killing all higher inverts/corals not buried away)
lots of food

Feedings:
4x per day my automatic feeder dumps in some pellets NLS marine and NLS algaemax mixed together (12pm, 3pm, 6pm, 9pm)
2-3x per day I dump in some meaty foods
2-3 sheets of nori per day.

What I do for maintenance:

jason2459;24825101 said:
It's really a combination of everything which I didn't come up with any of it. It's been researching and reading up what others have done here on reefcentral. PaulB and Randy were big influences and what I've incorporated at the beginning. TMZ has influenced some changes as well like dosing limewater separate from my ATO on a timer and carbon sources.

I also think some of it is what I don't do. Like I don't believe in heavy mechanical filtration or keeping everything squeaky clean. I do not, will not, and do not care to have a tank of the month either. I'm with PaulB there. And like Randy I don't do anything to the detritus in my sump. It just builds up over time like mud and turns into food and shelter. I don't mess with my sand bed but do like PaulB and create a typhoon in my tank with a diatom filter once a year or so (sometimes longer).

So, what I actively do that I think helps....

I'll copy paste what I've posted recently in another thread.

There's so many ways to run a reef tank. Many people have posted stellar examples using so many different methods and there's many people failing trying to use the same exact methods.

For me I use a mixed approach and don't depend on any single thing to be the main "thing" to maintain my tank.

Carbon dosing with vinegar to reduce nitrates and maintain low phosphates and directly feed other organisms, besides just bacteria, in the tank.

Skimmer to help remove excess bacteria exporting what they've consumed and anything else that attaches to the bubbles. Plus helping to aerate the water and boost my pH.

Some kind of algae harvesting to work with the carbon dosing to help remove unwanted elements and nutrients. Currently running a Turbo ATS. Slight pH increase from it.

Reversed Under gravel filter to increase microfauna, pods, worms, sponges, etc plus it may help reduce nitrates.

~1% daily automatic water changes exporting whatever and importing stuff.

Then a periodic (1-2x per year) typhoon with a diatom filter.

Brew12 · Nov 29, 2016

This is fantastic! If it wasn't for the large coral I think that could have been my tank a week ago!

UWC · Nov 29, 2016

Testing, Testing, One, Two Three... Mic Check

jason2459 · Nov 29, 2016

48 hours after first dose of 20ml. Some more progression.

jason2459 · Nov 30, 2016

72 hours after first dose of 20ml

Another 20ml will go in tonight

jason2459 · Nov 30, 2016

UWC · Nov 30, 2016

jason2459 said:

Looks like you're off to a great start. Nice cluster of nems

jason2459 · Nov 30, 2016

UWC said:
Looks like you're off to a great start. Nice cluster of nems

It was a very noticeable difference right away that next day and the second day after was even bigger. I'm happy to see some algae in the mix and curious how long it will take to see any impact on that.

The bubble tips and the goniopora are my favorite things I've added since my invert genocide in 2014.

Here's the goni when I first got it about 9 months ago

And I started with one rbta Jan '15

I've lost count how many I have now but all in the same rock work this one started on

UWC · Nov 30, 2016

jason2459 said:
It was a very noticeable difference right away that next day and the second day after was even bigger. I'm happy to see some algae in the mix and curious how long it will take to see any impact on that.

The bubble tips and the goniopora are my favorite things I've added since my invert genocide in 2014.

Here's the goni when I first got it about 9 months ago

And I started with one rbta Jan '15

I've lost count how many I have now but all in the same rock work this one started on

Dig it

lewis.maryann08 · Nov 30, 2016

How do you do the carbon and vinegar?

jason2459 · Nov 30, 2016

For vinegar I poked a hole in the top of a lid and shoved a tube down into the bottle. Then I just swap bottles and keep the same lid.

I have used a BRS 1.1ml/m dosing pump for 5 or 6 years now to dose it. Then use a controller to do the timing. Use to use a reefkeeper and now an Apex

The apex programming
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
OSC 051:41/008:19/000:00 Then ON
If Time 21:00 to 11:00 Then OFF
If Outlet vPH_Low_C8 = ON Then OFF

lewis.maryann08 · Nov 30, 2016

Thank sounds good

palmerbasskilla · Nov 30, 2016

Following,I ordered some today

jason2459 · Dec 1, 2016

Looking a little better a little bit at a time but considering its only been 4 days this is impressive.

2nd dose of 20ml done last night. 40ml total.

Just cleaned the glass so its a bit cloudy there.

jason2459 · Dec 1, 2016

Had a good question on another forum so wanted to share it here

neiltus;24844316 said:
I have followed the dino thread, your thread on metro dosing and now this thread of people using this (at another place on the web).

It's interesting, very interesting.

Have you altered feeding habits (in either the metro trial or this) from your normal feeding after you did the whoopsie into the tank to tip the scales? Any other parameters or just kept with your weekly norm and feeding schedule?

In the metronidazole I did cut back to normal heavy feedings. Because my main goal for that was to see effects on a single organism. There was no other claims other then trying to effect dinoflagelets. Which I feel it did a good job against at least one of the kinds I have.

This Vibrant has a very broad claim against pretty much everything. I have not reduced my feedings for this. But I also didn't do one big dump this time but slowly increased feedings and then maintained that increase. So, this time instead of observing the microscopic I'm watching whats visible with the naked eyes.

Also, another difference is with the metronidazole testing I used a filter sock and blew off everything in the tank with a baster multiple times as described by twilliard. Which I normally do not run a filter sock and have not since then.

This time I haven't touched anything at all besides cleaning off the glass and brushing off the pumps so my flow isn't restricted.

jason2459 · Dec 1, 2016

Ok now this is weird. No idea what it is and when I get a chance I'm certainly going to get a much closer look at it. I would tonight but I'm back at work.

I noticed this single small interesting almost smooth poop like looking thing in my sump this morning next to my skimmer pump. I thought that's interesting. Again, this morning it was just one small piece. Tonight I find this

No idea what is causing that. Never seen what I assume is detritus build up like that in my sump. Just a note as something different occurring while dosing Vibrant. Not that its because of dosing it.