Does cheatomorpha affect Vibrant efficacy?

[noobreefer2]

If I am dosing vibrant with an active refugium, will the vibrant target the cheato instead of the algae I want to remove?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

If you want to use the chemical in Vibrant, I suggest buying the identical product Algaefix. They did not mislead reefers about what is in it, and Vibrant may be hard to buy at the present time. It has not been available directly from UWC since the EPA arrived at their site.

 

[taricha]

Im just wondering if having macroalgae would affect how well the vibrant works.

If I understand @taricha Vibrant studies, it will be adsorbed to all the favorable surfaces until they are saturated and any added afterwards, will increase the concentration in solution. Cheato will adsorb Vibrant, stop it growing and possibly kill it. Having Chaeto around is reducing the amount of Vibrant that might attach to nuisance algae.

Actually, tracking algaefix/vibrant algaecide in systems with algae - the amount added in dosing is much larger than what is detectably bound just by target algae.
So at the margins - if you have a ball of chaeto in the sump it may make a slight difference in the ongoing concentration of algaecide in the water, but there will still be almost as much algaecide in the water for almost as long as if the ball of chaeto weren't there. So it's not like the chaeto "protects" other organisms.

Fresh GAC on the other hand makes a large difference in the amount that stays in the water, and how long before macroalgae can grow again.
(write-up on those observations coming one day...)

My understanding is it will kill off less complex micro algea first and will kill macro algae slower.

some less complex - yes, diatoms seem strongly effected.
some less complex - no, cyano doesn't care about even high amounts of this algaecide.

 

[Kristopher Conlin]

Actually, tracking algaefix/vibrant algaecide in systems with algae - the amount added in dosing is much larger than what is detectably bound just by algae.
So at the margins - if you have a ball of chaeto in the sump it may make a slight difference in the ongoing concentration of algaecide in the water, but there will still be almost as much algaecide in the water for almost as long as if the ball of chaeto weren't there. So it's not like the chaeto "protects" other organisms.

Fresh GAC on the other hand makes a large difference in the amount that stays in the water, and how long before macroalgae can grow again.
(write-up on those observations coming one day...)



some less complex - yes, diatoms seem strongly effected.
some less complex - no, cyano doesn't care about even high amounts of this algaecide.

Would that be because cyano is a bacteria?

 

[taricha]

I suggest buying the identical product Algaefix. They did not mislead reefers about what is in it,

As Randy said...
Algaefix by API, Algae Clean Out by Fritz, Algae control by Tetra are all clear about the chemical and concentration labeling.

DinoX is a chemically similar (but not identical) polyquat algaecide and Fauna Marin documentation is excellent in terms of giving the hobbyist a clear expectation for how it does or may behave.

"Sea urchins and other echinoderms, sea hares (e.g. Aplysia and Dolabella)
and other herbivores could be damaged and should therefore be temporarily
removed from the tank before treatment begins.
•Higher algae can also be damaged. You should therefore also remove them
from the tank before starting treatment.
•Giant clams (Tridacna, Hippopus) and also some sea sponges can suffer slight
damage. For this reason, you should also accommodate them elsewhere during
the treatment to be on the safe side."

"Do not carry out partial water changes during the entire treatment!
First partial water change one week after end of dosing.

•Do not use ozone or activated carbon during the treatment!
•Do not use any adsorber filter materials during the treatment.
After completion of the treatment you should use Fauna Marin CARB L activated carbon, according to the recommended dosage."

 

[taricha]

Would that be because cyano is a bacteria?

Some bacteria are susceptible to these types of chemials and some aren't.
Maybe cyano's tolerance is because cell division for our cyano happens inside a sheath, so less affected by surface-disruptive compounds. No idea. predicting toxicity is difficult even for professionals who study these chemicals.

 

[noobreefer2]

Algaefix by API, Algae Clean Out by Fritz, Algae control by Tetra are all clear about the chemical and concentration labeling.

DinoX is a chemically similar (but not identical) polyquat algaecide and Fauna Marin documentation is excellent in terms of giving the hobbyist a clear expectation for how it does or may behave.

"Sea urchins and other echinoderms, sea hares (e.g. Aplysia and Dolabella)
and other herbivores could be damaged and should therefore be temporarily
removed from the tank before treatment begins.
•Higher algae can also be damaged. You should therefore also remove them
from the tank before starting treatment.
•Giant clams (Tridacna, Hippopus) and also some sea sponges can suffer slight
damage. For this reason, you should also accommodate them elsewhere during
the treatment to be on the safe side."

"Do not carry out partial water changes during the entire treatment!
First partial water change one week after end of dosing.

•Do not use ozone or activated carbon during the treatment!
•Do not use any adsorber filter materials during the treatment.
After completion of the treatment you should use Fauna Marin CARB L activated carbon, according to the recommended dosage."

What were these instructions from, or are they your own?

 

[taricha]

What were these instructions from, or are they your own?

The DinoX documentation I linked above.

 

[CoralB]

At the least it can kill your chaeto . I personally wouldn’t use that product in my tanks due to personal negative results

 

[BurgerFish]

Vibrant will kill chaeto to zero.