My 40B

nine9d · Dec 12, 2017

Didn't you vodka dose at one time? That would help with the nitrates and phosphates. Not sure if you are testing them, but the algae could also be consuming them and showing you low test results.

You could also try Blue Life Phosphate Rx, works wonders for phosphate, and no gfo needed.

dutch27 · Dec 12, 2017

I vodka dosed on my 120, and it seemed to work, but it isn't recommended in tanks without skimmers, which I don't have on my 40B. I'll have to do some reading on that product. My hope is that as I continue to manually remove and dose the Vibrant, it'll start to balance out. Time will tell.

Edit: That product looks to be re-labeled and more expensive Lanthanum Chloride, the pool stuff. I have a bunch of that from curing rocks, so if I can find a safe way to dose it without a sump to put a filter sock it, I may give it a go.

nine9d · Dec 12, 2017

Yeah it is relabeled, but it is for dummies (not saying you are) and has easy to use instructions. Plus, one bottle treats 1,000 gallons. Much easier sometimes the doing conversions and such with a smaller system.

dutch27 · Dec 20, 2017

Ross, have you seen any change in your bubble algae with the Vibrant? I have to say, the bit I had hanging on seems to be gone now, just a bunch of empty husks. The tide seems to be slowly turning on the GHA battle. Seems to get a little better week by week. I'm expecting some Flucon this week, and I'm going to do a dose of it to see it helps, after reading the thread here about it. Some of my algae has a bryopsis look, but isn't as brittle, so I'm going to give it a go.

nine9d · Dec 20, 2017

I have, but I also have 2 emeralds that could be doing some work. I can say this, since using Vibrant I haven't had to clean my glass, like at all. I am liking the results, but I am still only dosing once a week.

dutch27 · Dec 30, 2017

So I’m about 7 days into a dose of Fluconazole. Gotta say it’s working just how I read it does. My GHA is turning white and starting to recede. I’m still dozing vibrant, as in the theory that should keep the nitrate and phosphate in check as the algae dies, but I haven’t tested. Here’s some one shots for before and one week in, and an FTS to compare to the one on the start of my thread. The most noticeable difference is the back glass, but the rocks seem to be improving quickly and is more evident in person. Two more weeks of treatment, I’m feeling pretty confident it’s going to work.

Also just noticed I have the before and 7-day flipped in the side-by-sides. The ones where it’s all green is the before, the ones with the grey are the current.

dutch27 · Jan 6, 2018

14 days of the fluconazole dose. Pretty dramatic difference. I have some diatoms and cyano eating up the nutrients now, but I prefer that to GHA. I’m dying for a water change, some of my zoas are unhappy, but I have one more week. Had some STN on an acro as well, but that may be from some kalk paste I used on pests. Overall, I’m a believer and would recommend flucon.

Photo is today vs before the flucon.

nine9d · Jan 7, 2018

Doing it's job bro! The vibrant is working well for me.

dutch27 · Jan 13, 2018

Day 0 vs day 21 of Fluconazole. Most of the algae still hanging on is in low flow areas. Need a WC like nobody’s business due to the build up of detritus, but my no3 and po4 doesn’t seem changed either, which I think is the Vibrant. Finally time for a water change, but this stuff definitely works.

nine9d · Jan 16, 2018

Wow, looks great bud! And yeah, my bubble algae is dang near all gone. Vibrant FTW!

dutch27 · Feb 6, 2018

While my algae has stayed away since finishing the fluconazole, my SPS have been dying off. I thought it was my aiptasia having reached plague levels and stinging them, but I had one die recently without any aiptasia near it. LPS and zoas look mostly ok. My alk tested low at around 5, so I dosed some baking soda to bring it up, overshot it to 10, but that's still okay. I can't see any signs of pests (bugs, AEFW), so it's definitely a water issue of some kind. Best I can figure is maybe a nutrient spike with the algae gone that they can't handle. I have a big encrusting purple/green monti that I'd hate to lose, but my original concept for the tank was all euphyllia and zoas, so worst case I go back to that, lol.

I am expecting a shipment of berghia this week though, as the aiptasia have completely taken over. I took a count of the aiptasia over the weekend, and gave up once I broke 40. So there's plenty of food for these guys.

nine9d · Feb 6, 2018

Alk needs to stay stable bro for your spsto thrive. Running low like that is risky. And the spike may put some into shock. I wish you luck man.

dutch27 · Feb 6, 2018

The baffling part to me is what caused the alk to drop. My demand shouldn't be anything spectacular, and I do WCs every week like clock work. This tank has been difficult since day 1, seems to always have an issue. Once the aiptasia clear up, any surviving SPS will stay, then I'm switching gears to LPS and zoas. My duncan didn't look happy last night, I think it didn't like my mistake with the alk raise, as long as that thing keeps on trucking I'll be okay. I've had that for a couple years, it's up to 50-60 polyps.

The only other thing I changed was that I stopped with kalk in the ATO once I started doing WCs again after the flucon treatment. That may have something to do with it as well, I'll have to add kalk back in at some point.