Vibrant and cheato
- Thread starter mmw64
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Brew12
Electrical Gru
Every tank will be different so it is hard to say. My sand doesn't get too bad in between the every 2 week dosing. If your sand is getting dirtier faster, you have more nutrients total than I do.
I would start dosing the Vibrant once every 9 or 10 days and see if that improves the sand without hurting the Chaeto. Unless you see the chaeto suffering, let it go for a few weeks and then start making small changes.
OP
OP
mmw64
Valuable Member
Thanks. Hate to think it's one or the other for choices.
Brew12
Electrical Gru
Its not, but it isn't exactly simple and I know better than to think what works for me will work for everyone.
What I can tell you is that it seems to attack algae sequentially. If what you are getting on your sand bed is easier to kill than chaeto it will target that and have limited impact on your chaeto even if you use Vibrant 2 times a week. Unfortunately, this is something you will need to play with to see how things react in your system.
Vibrant works great for what it does, but it does harm chaeto, and the harm can last for quite some time.
I used it, not knowing about the chaeto issue. It killed 90% of the chaeto, and what was left was very sickly. Post Vibrant, the chaeto didn’t grow and was yellowish and very fragile. It then came back to normal, a full 2 MONTHS after I stopped dosing Vibrant.
If I really needed to use Vibrant in the future, I would take my chaeto out of the tank and but it in a bucket with a grow light. And after I’m done with dosing the stuff, put it back in after a couple of weeks.
I used it, not knowing about the chaeto issue. It killed 90% of the chaeto, and what was left was very sickly. Post Vibrant, the chaeto didn’t grow and was yellowish and very fragile. It then came back to normal, a full 2 MONTHS after I stopped dosing Vibrant.
If I really needed to use Vibrant in the future, I would take my chaeto out of the tank and but it in a bucket with a grow light. And after I’m done with dosing the stuff, put it back in after a couple of weeks.
OP
OP
mmw64
Valuable Member
Had a bubble algae problem so dosed heavily with Vibrant. Chato all but gone. Haven't found a good source that doesn't charge a small fortune like L.A. because of shipping. Any suggestions? Algae Barn also expensive.
Brew12
Electrical Gru
I would try and find a local reefer. I know that when I had my original chaeto wiped out by Vibrant I had to order it a few times. Very pricey. Which is silly considering how many people (including me now) throw away clumps of the stuff every month.
My LFS used to carry it on occasion but I think they got burned by a hitchhiker and now take no livestock back at all.
Brew12
Electrical Gru
I would also keep this in mind....
I had a similar experience. You will want to wait a month or so after cutting back on the Vibrant before you try adding more.
I had a similar experience. You will want to wait a month or so after cutting back on the Vibrant before you try adding more.
Randy Holmes-Farley
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How do you folks think that it works (that is, what kills the algae)?
GoVols
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I'm using Vibrant right now and it's doing a great job with bubble algae.
Vibrant sure could smoke a fuge, real fast
Vibrant sure could smoke a fuge, real fast
GoVols
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Randy,
Got to be something in the bacteria's.
It has been knocking out my bubble algae, but proceed with caution.
Tony Thompson
Active Member
Vibrant Ingredients -
95% Cultured Bacteria Blend
1% Amino Acids (Aspartic Acid)
0.5% Vinegar
3.5% RO/DI Water
Is this not just a way to starve the algae of nutrients.?
Looks like bacteria and food for the bacteria.
I wonder which strains of Bacteria are used.
GoVols
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We've been tracking the Vibrant on my build thread.
The bubble algae has been coming off in hunks. I do not carbon dose and I'd be too scared to use it with cheato.
When we started
Last night
The bubble algae has been coming off in hunks. I do not carbon dose and I'd be too scared to use it with cheato.
When we started
Last night
Brew12
Electrical Gru
If I had to take a guess, it is that it is a combination of bacillus bacteria which consume decaying matter to drive down nitrates and a strain I can't find the name of that consumes chlorophyll.
See page 10 for the quick and dirty.
http://www.mbl.edu/microbialdiversity/files/2012/08/mdiv2010Jaekel.pdf
But, this is just a wild guess on my part.
OP
OP
mmw64
Valuable Member
Thanks for the information.
Tony Thompson
Active Member
We've been tracking the Vibrant on my build thread.
The bubble algae has been coming off in hunks. I do not carbon dose and I'd be too scared to use it with cheato.
When we started
Last night
Hi, but I thought Vibrant is a form of carbon dosing along with the bacteria?
GoVols
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Brew,
I've been lucky and my nitrates have been holding at .7ppm, but I don't carbon dose either.
At this point, no signs of cyano.
I've never payed much attention to the Vibrant thread, just wanted to test it myself.
Brew12
Electrical Gru
It is not carbon dosing, although that seems to be a common misconception. It only has a small amount of vinegar which is most likely there for keeping the bacteria alive.
GoVols
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Maybe with the tad of vinegar that it has, but my nitrates have stayed the same.
Brew12
Electrical Gru
I'm a huge fan of the stuff, obviously. It seems like a very unique product in that it often causes people problems because it is too effective in some cases.
