Warning: Use Vibrant at your own risk

[Joshua Jordan]

If you want to get rid of that algae, then yes...it will work. Period. If you want proof that it works....here. Here is a video by BRS themselves, showing that it certainly does work, Even they admit at the beginning of the video that they don't know exactly the ingredients are but if you are wanting to get rid of algae, it will work. And if it killed livestock and/or coral...do you really think it would still be on the market and be selling as good as it does?

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

If you want to get rid of that algae, then yes...it will work. Period. If you want proof that it works....here. Here is a video by BRS themselves, showing that it certainly does work, Even they admit at the beginning of the video that they don't know exactly the ingredients are but if you are wanting to get rid of algae, it will work. And if it killed livestock and/or coral...do you really think it would still be on the market and be selling as good as it does?

I liked the idea of using a bacteria to kill my alage, but I do not want to add algaecide to my 800 gallon reef tank.

But the idea that a bunch of dudes who clean aquariums for a living just decided to pour a known alagcide in a bottle and just lie lie lie while profits came in, is infuriating to say the least.

 

[IslandLifeReef]

Buy an urchin, they contain 100% urchin, lol

And maybe a little mercury, but you won't see it on the label. LOL!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

And if it killed livestock and/or coral...do you really think it would still be on the market and be selling as good as it does?

Yes.

Do you think only safe and effective products are on the market?

 

[LiveFreeAndReef]

Not surprising.. Everyone's enamored with a quick-fix with complete disregard as to what the product actually is and what potential negative effects that product has. Shame on the company for sure, but equal blame rests on the shoulders of the "vibrant pusher" hobbyists. Hopefully this will open some eyes and reduce the amount of people that trust "miracle in a bottle" products.

 

[BoneDoc]

Th

Yes.

Do you think only safe and effective products are on the market?

Thank you for the strong statement Randy. I would also implore BRS as the largest retailer and a thought leader in the hobby to clear the air once the dust settles. I’m sure they’ve been in contact with UWC behind the scenes.

 

[Karen00]

Are you asking the same questions to the person who sent samples to a lab to be tested? What lab was used? Who verified the samples?

In one post, the original tester stated that the sample was Vibrant Freshwater.

I'm not trying to discredit the poster of the thread that @Randy Holmes-Farley mentioned, I am only asking if we are holding everyone to the same standards.

I am willing to give @UWC a chance. I have used Vibrant with great results.

Hopefully UWC can explain. All versions of vibrant have the exact same ingredient list so it would be a bit weird that the freshwater version is an algaecide but somehow the other versions are a miracle elixir of bacteria. I guess it's possible.

 

[Placenta89]

I started a just over a month ago using vibrant. I had a little bit of bubble algae start and it's completely gone now but I will now be stopping it for the time being until you reef heroes have more to say about it! Thanks so much for the time you guys take to benefit us all! So far 0 negative effects I've seen so far but who knows in the long run.

 

[Karen00]

This is 100% true. Oil manufacturers have been doing it for decades.
Pro tip: If you're buying a "synthetic blend", you are wasting your money.

Hey, while we're at it, why don't we start down the road of organically approved pesticides!

Unfortunately, this is the world we live in today. Integrity and pride taken in goods or services provided are being eclipsed by greed and the almighty dollar. Kudos to @taricha for all of the work you've done.
If only there were more of us dedicated (and smart enough) to go to these kinds of lengths and keep companies honest.
It will certainly be interesting to see how this all plays out.

I think more of us don't do independent testing because we assume we're not being lied to. After this I will probably have everything tested that is claiming to be "all natural". This in and of itself is sad because none of us should feel we have to do this. We should be able to trust what we're being told and sold. I guess even laws don't protect us from bad actors whomever they are. Maybe we can chip in to a fund here on R2R that will pay for testing like NMR for products like this. I would gladly chip in money to a fund that pays for this kind of testing.

 

[Muffin87]

Yes.

Do you think only safe and effective products are on the market?

Could the ingredients in vibrant have a long-term negative effect on coral health, even if you stopped dosing it?
I'd imagine there are no studies on the effects of these algicides on corals, just your two cents on the issue.

Many people have dosed it, and unless you do a 100% water change, there are gonna be some traces of it left.

 

[Muffin87]

And if it killed livestock and/or coral...do you really think it would still be on the market and be selling as good as it does?

Are you familiar with the Thalidomide scandal?
Introduced in 1956, available to pregnant women into 70s depending on the country, resulting in more than 10,000 children born with a range of severe limb deformities

Thalidomide sold very well, and was used much more widely than Vibrant. Still, it took 20 years to connect the dots between Thalidomide and limb deformities in children.
What makes you think people would be able to tell if vibrant was responsible for some coral/fish deaths occurring some months/years after the last dose?

From what's been discovered, API AlgaeFix has similar ingredients to vibrant, and has a warning that says it contains a known carcinogenic chemical.

CAUTION: Harmful if swallowed or absorbed through the skin [...] NOTE: This product contains a chemical known to the state of California to cause cancer.

Do you believe a death caused by a carcinogenic chemical in your aquarium could easily be traced back to it?

 

[Atrumblood]

Has there been any movement on this issue? Has UWC given a response to the accusations that their product has a major misinformation problem?

It appears that BRS is still withholding sales of Vibrant.

 

[Karen00]

UWC could come out of this simply changing the label to be correct and it will still sell.

I think you're right. They will change the label and it will still sell but not at the price point they're currently selling it at. The premium price is for an elixir in a bottle. They would have to at least match API if it suddenly says "algaecide" on the label or they won't be in business for long.

 

[DopamineKata]

If you want to get rid of that algae, then yes...it will work. Period.

Nobody is claiming that it doesn't work. People are complaining because they thought they were buying a safer product. I'm starting to wonder how many of the apologists are in their pocket. Surely all y'all aren't failing at reading comprehension right?

 

[Muffin87]

It appears that BRS is still withholding sales of Vibrant.

Not just that. They've just published another video about skipping the ugly phase after the cycle... This time there's no vibrant on the table.

 

[workhz]

“CAUTION: Harmful if swallowed or absorbed through the skin [...] NOTE: This product contains a chemical known to the state of California to cause cancer”

Just about everything I buy has a state of California warning. It kinda loses its impact. Not saying I’d use or consume vibrant but the California thing is a bit of a joke.

 

[Muffin87]

“CAUTION: Harmful if swallowed or absorbed through the skin [...] NOTE: This product contains a chemical known to the state of California to cause cancer”

Just about everything I buy has a state of California warning. It kinda loses its impact. Not saying I’d use or consume vibrant but the California thing is a bit of a joke.

Is it on anything else that you give to your pets or dose into your aquarium?

Lots of dangerous chemicals are safe if used responsibly, and not fed to living organisms.

 

[Atrumblood]

“CAUTION: Harmful if swallowed or absorbed through the skin [...] NOTE: This product contains a chemical known to the state of California to cause cancer”

Just about everything I buy has a state of California warning. It kinda loses its impact. Not saying I’d use or consume vibrant but the California thing is a bit of a joke.

California secretly believes that to avoid getting cancer, one needs to simply not be born. Cancer can't get ya if you don't exist!

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

Yes, california does seem to think everything causes cancer. But for me, I would rather have a warning label then just buying products that could give me cancer with no warning what so ever. You may laugh at such things, think it's ridiculous. Watch your father die of cancer; it can change your view of such things.

ANYWAYS... are we organizing protests yet?

 

[terraincognita]

Interesting read.

I’ve never used it, and never wanted too, because the whole “we don’t know exactly what it is” from every reviewer I ever read:watched, thing never jived with me.

but cool to see our intuition maybe wasn’t so wrong.

For every reefer who’s using/used vibrant though, I imagine there’s one who decided against it as well. I’m not the only one lol.

Al natural gang ftw.