Vibrant Liquid Aquarium Cleaner testing, tag along!

[Joshsmit56001]

So I decided to give Vibrant a try due to some issues with hair algae. I started this tank 6 months ago and it is currently in a fallow period with only a cleanup crew and a couple cleaner shrimp. I will be posting daily pictures of the progress and we will all see if this stuff works.

Tank stats:
Reef Octopus T90 48 gallon rimless display.
Reef Octopus sump with chaeto in refugium section
Reef Octopus 150int skimmer
50# live rock


Total water volume I am guessing around 50 gallons.

Day 1 pics








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[mcgyvr]

Good luck.. I certainly don't miss those wild hair algae times when I was starting out..
Except for how cool a snail looks with a giant "rockstar" algae wig blowing in the current..

[Joshsmit56001]

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

Good luck.. I certainly don't miss those wild hair algae times when I was starting out..
Except for how cool a snail looks with a giant "rockstar" algae wig blowing in the current..

Luckily right now I don’t have corals to worry about being covered by the algae. I’ve been doing 16 gallon water changes every 2 weeks up until the last month as I was dealing with hospital tank issues. Gonna do a water change Saturday to get rid of some of the nutrients of the dying HA if that’s the case. I think I might start doing 5 gallon changes weekly after the next change.


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[mcgyvr]

post your nitrate/phosphate readings if you have them..

[Joshsmit56001]

No test kits right now. Gotta buy some


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[Joshsmit56001]

Day 2

No progress yet that I can tell.

Changes in tank

Made an acrylic stand for my skimmer to get it in 7 inches of water. It was in 9 previously and recommendation for the skimmer is 6-8”. Also increased Co2 bubble count as my Alk test showed it lowering a bit over 24 hours.








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[outy]

Use fluconazole and say goodbye in 2 weeks

[tkeracer619]

fluconazole would probably take care of it but you need to get to the source of it or it will just come back.

I've used vibrant before, seemed to do well against bubble algae... Though, I feel the people that have the most success with it do so because they improve their husbandry skills while using it.

[Sawen]

I started using this product two weeks ago and my alk consumption has dropped dramatically. Am I the only one who has observed this? All corals look fine though. Hair algae all dead. Bubble algae still there but I know it can take more time to go.

[Joshsmit56001]

I am not sure what the source is as I was doing water changes every 2 weeks (16 gallons), tank has been fallow for 2 months which means no feeding, and my RO/DI water is 0 tds. I change the DI resin as soon as it hits 1 on the first stage. I have stages of DI. Only thing I can think of is it is leaching out of rock, but I used muriatic acid the burn off everything when I set it up. Only live rock was from a small piece I bought at the LFS. Either way I am going to start doing 5 gallon changes weekly as I use Vibrant, and also made my skimmer hopefully work better by lifting it higher in the water.


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[outy]

Originally Posted by tkeracer619

Though, I feel the people that have the most success with it do so because they improve their husbandry skills while using it.

Agreed, I usually do large 1/3 water changes before and after treatment

[outy]

Originally Posted by Joshsmit56001

I am not sure what the source is

In your case its just a new tank going through its paces.

The fluc would help, but it would be better to build bacteria and go through this algae cycle naturally.

[shred5]

Those rocks look like they are leeching phosphate that is why you have the issue. You need to take care of the issue, just killing the algae you wont learn anything and then you will have a bigger issue once phosphate builds. Right now that algae is doing you a favor and using the phosphate.

[Joshsmit56001]

I’m not adding a GFO reactor or anything. I just need to wait it out as eventually like you say, nutrients leaching will subside and tank will look good again.


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[jayball]

If this is a new tank started with dry rock (judging on how white those rocks are I would assume it is) than I would let it grow and die off on it's own.

[outy]

Originally Posted by shred5

Those rocks look like they are leeching phosphate that is why you have the issue.

There is no way to tell that just by looking.

[shred5]

Originally Posted by outy

There is no way to tell that just by looking.

Sure you can, look where it is mainly growing.. I dealt with it for 6 month a couple of years ago. Where do you think it is coming from? no fish means no food?

[outy]

Originally Posted by shred5

Sure you can, look where it is mainly growing.. I dealt with it for 6 month a couple of years ago. Where do you think it is coming from? no fish means no food?

Most all new tanks through a algae cycle.

[outy]

Originally Posted by shred5

Sure you can,

No there is no visual way to detect rock leaching phosphates.

You have a new tank which is common.

You could also have stuff in his make up water.

I have high iron and despite 0 tds before DI, every water change for 25 years gives me a little GHA every single water change.

Lack of bacteria on rocks will generally grow some.

I just rebuilt my DSB and even with established 30 year old live rock, I had a bad algae bloom, even though the tank did not go through a cycle.

leaching LR is often the most over diagnosed excuse for GHA.

[shred5]

Possible but I bet it is his rock... Very little cycle now a days since most do not use live rock and have die off of sponges. We know dead rock leaches phosphates and sometimes lots of it that why people bleach/vinegar/acid treatment. They than cycle/cook the rock for months. If it was his water his glass and gravel would be covered.

And you can detect if the rock is by putting it in another container with ro/di water for a while and measure it.

Its the most over diagnosed issue because with dead rock it is so common.

[theshaman]

Originally Posted by Joshsmit56001

So I decided to give Vibrant a try due to some issues with hair algae. I started this tank 6 months ago and it is currently in a fallow period with only a cleanup crew and a couple cleaner shrimp. I will be posting daily pictures of the progress and we will all see if this stuff works.

Tank stats:
Reef Octopus T90 48 gallon rimless display.
Reef Octopus sump with chaeto in refugium section
Reef Octopus 150int skimmer
50# live rock


Total water volume I am guessing around 50 gallons.

Day 1 pics








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I think the most effective and safest way is to get a Sea hare.
It cleaned up my tank in about three days and the algae never came back.


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[outy]

Originally Posted by shred5

cycle/cook the rock for months.

This is a new thing, for new tanks that was never discussed in past decades.

I have cooked rock under the house for 3 months, made no change at all.

because it was never my rocks to begin with.

[mako61]

Looking at your refugium pic it looks like you use a home depot style light. BRS did a nice comparison of the effectiveness of refugiums with different PAR lights. A good light can help a refugium a great deal.

[Joshsmit56001]

I think I watched that video. I can’t see myself spending that much on their suggested bulb for a refugium.


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[mako61]

Originally Posted by Joshsmit56001

I think I watched that video. I can’t see myself spending that much on their suggested bulb for a refugium.


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When I was thinking about a refugium a while back. I was looking at some of the china crap LED grow lights on amazon for $40-$80 range. I think they would out preform a regular bulb and not break the bank. In truth I dont think this has anything to do with your issue, i just noticed the bulb.

https://www.amazon.com/VIPARSPECTRA-...led+grow+light thats the one was looking at note I didnt get one.