My experience with microbacter 7

Fishingandreefing · Apr 14, 2020

All, I am battling with high phosphate and I was recommended to add live bacteria to combat it as gfo and other methods are too harsh thus maybe that’s why some of my corals are dying.

Anyway, I searched and microbacter 7 had pretty good reviews and it advertises to reduce nitrate and phosphate, so I gave it shot.

since 4/5, I mixed a cup of tank water and slowly dosed 25ml in the low flow area of the sump with the skimmer off for 4 hours.

not that my phosphate didn’t decrease by increased a bit. Nothing positive that I can see.

to me, this is another snake oil. Just want to share.

LovesDogs_CatsRokay · Apr 14, 2020

I thought this was a bacteria product for cycling new tanks. Not one meant to break down nutrients like nopox, which is why it didn’t work.

X-37B · Apr 14, 2020

I have used it to clearup a bacterial bloom. It is good for cycling tanks.
I run low nutrients and it will zero out no3 and po4 in my system which runs no3 1-2 and po4 .02-.06.
Nothing happens in 9 days it will most likely take some time so dont be in a hurry.
Phosgaurd, a small amount, in a mesh bag and monitored daily will slowly reduce po4 and works well.

Fishingandreefing · Apr 15, 2020

90's reefer said:
I have used it to clearup a bacterial bloom. It is good for cycling tanks.
I run low nutrients and it will zero out no3 and po4 in my system which runs no3 1-2 and po4 .02-.06.
Nothing happens in 9 days it will most likely take some time so dont be in a hurry.
Phosgaurd, a small amount, in a mesh bag and monitored daily will slowly reduce po4 and works well.

Will update in another 5 days, totaling of 2 weeks according to instructions and see.

Big E · Apr 15, 2020

It's much easier to use GFO to knock down levels short term and then try MB7 as a maintenance product for longer term results.

GFO isn't harsh if you use it correctly. You just run it for 6 or so hours, do some measurements to see where you're at then in a day or run it again till you get to a level you want.

MB 7 is going to work better if you use it with a carbon source like vinegar. This was a common practice years ago before all these commercial systems came out.

You also have to measure results in months not a few weeks.

Fishingandreefing · Apr 15, 2020

Big E said:
It's much easier to use GFO to knock down levels short term and then try MB7 as a maintenance product for longer term results.

GFO isn't harsh if you use it correctly. You just run it for 6 or so hours, do some measurements to see where you're at then in a day or run it again till you get to a level you want.

MB 7 is going to work better if you use it with a carbon source like vinegar. This was a common practice years ago before all these commercial systems came out.

You also have to measure results in months not a few weeks.

Gfo was used at about 50% dosage. Will vinegar lower phosphate then or just feeds the bacteria.

Duncan Tse · Apr 15, 2020

I agree with above that looks like bacteria to just cycle your tank. You need a carbon source to feed those bacteria and even then carbon dosing will take months to see effects.

Try to figure out where your phosphates are coming from. Is it a newer system? Are you rocks leaching out phosphates?

If that is the case gfo may be better for phosphate reduction and then you can maybe implement a carbon dose to maintain those levels but not necessary.

You say high phosphates but what are the levels right now?

RCS82 · Apr 15, 2020

Big E is totally right, measure in months not weeks. GFO is fine if taken slow. For me, vinegar or carbon dosing worked better for nitrates and I used a little GFO to bring phosphates down.
My experience on a new tank that is 6 months old now is. Since the start, I've dosed weekly MB7, along with a couple of other bacteria sources, . I have very low nitrates and phosphates but still registering so not too worried. This new tank still hasn't gone thru any real ugly stage aside from a little diatoms the first week or 2. Has no nuisance algae that I can see also. Overall I am quite pleased with the result but may taper off the usage now that the tank is maturing.

esther · May 31, 2020

I started using MB7 after I saw Cyano growing on rocks and sand. Have been adding 30ml every morning at 6.30am, right after I turn off the skimmer. I leave the skimmer off for 4 hours. It’s been two weeks now and all cyano is gone. I may continue to dose MB7 every day if it continues to keep algae away. So, it’s been extremely helpful for me.

craigbuss · Jan 20, 2021

esther said:
I started using MB7 after I saw Cyano growing on rocks and sand. Have been adding 30ml every morning at 6.30am, right after I turn off the skimmer. I leave the skimmer off for 4 hours. It’s been two weeks now and all cyano is gone. I may continue to dose MB7 every day if it continues to keep algae away. So, it’s been extremely helpful for me.

Did you notice a change in your NO3 or PO4 levels? I’ve been battling a cyano problem for a few months now and I am wanting to try this. I am worried that it will effect my nutrient levels though which I do not want to change.

DothanReefer · Jan 10, 2022

craigbuss said:
Did you notice a change in your NO3 or PO4 levels? I’ve been battling a cyano problem for a few months now and I am wanting to try this. I am worried that it will effect my nutrient levels though which I do not want to change.

Did you ever try it? I'm in same boat as you are/were...?

Susan Edwards · Jan 10, 2022

MB7 isn't just for cycling. It's for adding additional bacteria for nutrient control as well. I use it, vibrant, and nopox. Right now as I'm seeing the first algae, I'm using all 3. Vibrant once a week. Mb7 daily or everyone day and nopox every day. I don't usually turn off uv or skimmer but did today.

Does anyone use MB7 and not turn off UV or Skimmer? Esp. skimmer. I don't like it off!

ImThatOneGuyJoe · May 30, 2022

craigbuss said:
Did you notice a change in your NO3 or PO4 levels? I’ve been battling a cyano problem for a few months now and I am wanting to try this. I am worried that it will effect my nutrient levels though which I do not want to change.

It will I am battling a problem in my tank with cyano, dosed 4 mil ? (1 capful 1 time) and it stripped all po4 and nitrates out... alk went up to 10.5 very confused as to why right when I dosed mb7 my tank saw these crazy numbers. In 1 dose I had more cyano stripped out of my tank then I could suck up my filter was covered in it. I'm currently working on trying to get my n03 and po4 back to happy levels then will try to fight cyano. If it does it again I'm nuts gonna do the red slime and change the water. Let me know of you figure anything else out
Personally used carbon and in 2 days my nitrates went from 50 to about 10
Used mb7 1 time and it stripped my tank..
I don't see how people do this **** everyday lol still learning though good luck!

im_jeremy5 · Apr 22, 2023

ImThatOneGuyJoe said:
It will I am battling a problem in my tank with cyano, dosed 4 mil ? (1 capful 1 time) and it stripped all po4 and nitrates out... alk went up to 10.5 very confused as to why right when I dosed mb7 my tank saw these crazy numbers. In 1 dose I had more cyano stripped out of my tank then I could suck up my filter was covered in it. I'm currently working on trying to get my n03 and po4 back to happy levels then will try to fight cyano. If it does it again I'm nuts gonna do the red slime and change the water. Let me know of you figure anything else out
Personally used carbon and in 2 days my nitrates went from 50 to about 10
Used mb7 1 time and it stripped my tank..
I don't see how people do this **** everyday lol still learning though good luck!

Testing issue. There is nothing short of a 90% water change that will drop your nitrates from 50 to 10 in 2 days. Activated carbon doesn't effect your nitrates and organic carbon takes months to start seeing incremental effects as bacteria population grows and gets skimmed out.