Cyano Outbreak

[jbanks]

Hi,
sorry to jump in on the thread, but could anyone tell me if it would be possible to use Microbe lift special blend to dose with vodka instead of dosing vodka and MB7? or am i missing something here?

cheers,

Pete.

(United Kingdom)

Yes, it's possible. I made the switch from MB7 to SB to help battle Cyano. I will probably continue using SB for a while since witnessing its results. However, if your going to do that, I would not dose daily as recommended with MB7. I would follow the SB directions from the start and dose maybe .75 of the suggested amount due to the fact that you already have a bacteria driven system. If you read up earlier in the post, I experienced a slight bacterial bloom when dosing straight from the instructions. Also, you may want to change your carbon dosing to 1 part vodka, 3 parts Vinegar and up you daily dosage (vodka is a more potent carbon source than Vinegar). I also made that change while trying to get rid of the Cyano based off many other reefers stating that vinegar dosing resulted in far less Cyano problems. My tank is fairy clean right now with no dark patches of Cyano anywhere. Coming from where I was, that's pretty short of amazing. Best of luck if you decide to try SB!

 

[ReeferMadnessUK]

Thanks for the quick reply Jbanks.
I should have explained that i am setting up a new tank soon and was thinking of dosing a combination of MB7 and then Vodka and MB7 from day one.
However if SB helps to control cyano then i would rather try and cycle the new tank with SB and then dose the tank using a Vodka and SB, hopefully this would keep nitrates and phosphates at near zero and hopefully minimize cyano problems. Only thing that worries me is knowing how much SB to dose along with the vodka. Do you think this is feasible, what do you think? and is anyone here on RC already doing this?,

cheers,

Pete.

 

[jbanks]

Your Welcome Pete & by the way,

Welcome to Reefcentral!!!!!

I actually used SB to cycle my tank, from the beginnning 8 months ago and it went very well (I should have stuck with it IMHO).. In that case, just follow the dosing recommendation on the bottle and go from there.. once you are completed with the 5 week regiment, I would switch to the maintenance dose as recommended.. Once you get to the maintenance dose, and have a bit of bioload in the tank, I would then start your carbon dosing (whatever source you decide to use).. I woudl give it at leat 5 weeks before you start with the vodka.

Guys, please add your suggestion or thoughts as well..

 

[ReeferMadnessUK]

Cheers jbanks, much appreciated, so going down this route wouldn't exactly be experimental then and reasonably safe, at least as safe as dosing vodka with MB7?

I look forward to anyone elses ideas.

P.S. thanks for the welcome mate, i've actually been using information etc from RC for the last several years on and off, just never got round to subscribing, the forum i use here in the UK is Ultimate Reef,

cheers,

Pete.

 

[JB NY]

In late to this thread.

I'm glad that the Special Blend is working for you guys. I've been talking about this stuff for years, but many people don'e take me up on it. It really does make a difference with cyano. I have been using without issues in SPS tanks for at least 5-6 years. I generally add it the day after doing a water change.

BTW for LIRA members (well anyone really) in Suffolk county Don sells the 16oz bottles for $9.99

 

[jbanks]

Ahhhh... Yoda has arrived :lol: Welcome to the thread Joe! and thank you so much for your discovery. Warren has done you proud by preaching the gospel on SB. It's been helping a lot of us out in a BIG way! Thanks for the tip on Don as well.

 

[OldF]

Yes, it's possible. I made the switch from MB7 to SB to help battle Cyano. I will probably continue using SB for a while since witnessing its results. However, if your going to do that, I would not dose daily as recommended with MB7. I would follow the SB directions from the start and dose maybe .75 of the suggested amount due to the fact that you already have a bacteria driven system. If you read up earlier in the post, I experienced a slight bacterial bloom when dosing straight from the instructions. Also, you may want to change your carbon dosing to 1 part vodka, 3 parts Vinegar and up you daily dosage (vodka is a more potent carbon source than Vinegar). I also made that change while trying to get rid of the Cyano based off many other reefers stating that vinegar dosing resulted in far less Cyano problems. My tank is fairy clean right now with no dark patches of Cyano anywhere. Coming from where I was, that's pretty short of amazing. Best of luck if you decide to try SB!

When you say vodka you mean the Vodka the stuff we drink? and Vinegar regular vinegar or white vinegar ... is there a post on this besides this one?

 

[jbanks]

Cheers jbanks, much appreciated, so going down this route wouldn't exactly be experimental then and reasonably safe, at least as safe as dosing vodka with MB7?

I look forward to anyone elses ideas.

P.S. thanks for the welcome mate, i've actually been using information etc from RC for the last several years on and off, just never got round to subscribing, the forum i use here in the UK is Ultimate Reef,

cheers,

Pete.

Cheers Pete.. It's a very safe route to go based on my experience.. I actually wish I had stuck with SB, versus switching to MB7, but all in all , a little bacterial diversity can't be a bad thing when it's the good stuff you're adding. I actually have to give Kudos to one of our vendors from the states who recommended SB to me to cycle my tank.. He told me then to stick with it, but I was wowed by the success that SunnyX was having and decided to go with MB 7 for daily dosing. MB7 is great stuff, but it did not seem to help me with Cyano once it took hold and I tried it at different amounts.. I ended up getting a brown film algae as a result of doing too much MB7. This did not happen with SB..

 

[jbanks]

When you say vodka you mean the Vodka the stuff we drink? and Vinegar regular vinegar or white vinegar ... is there a post on this besides this one?

Yep! We're talking about the stuff that has caused many of us have really bad monrings with some monster headaches.... except for those who drink "The Goose" and other fine vodka selections :lol:

It requires you to really understand the process well and to go "SLOW". Here is a link discussing it..

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/index.php

 

[OldF]

Thank You Mr Banks

 

[jbanks]

You good Sir are welcome!

 

[ReeferMadnessUK]

Cheers Pete.. It's a very safe route to go based on my experience.. I actually wish I had stuck with SB, versus switching to MB7, but all in all , a little bacterial diversity can't be a bad thing when it's the good stuff you're adding. I actually have to give Kudos to one of our vendors from the states who recommended SB to me to cycle my tank.. He told me then to stick with it, but I was wowed by the success that SunnyX was having and decided to go with MB 7 for daily dosing. MB7 is great stuff, but it did not seem to help me with Cyano once it took hold and I tried it at different amounts.. I ended up getting a brown film algae as a result of doing too much MB7. This did not happen with SB..

O.k. mate, that's good, but it now begs the question how it should be dosed with vodka after it's initial use for cycling the new tank, any ideas?
P.s. it was Sonny X and his outstanding tank that made me look into dosing vodka and MB7 also,

cheers,

Pete.

 

[tazmanian_cowboy]

Received my special blend today. Are you guys shutting anything down to dose this stuff? Skimmer, carbon...etc.... I was curious if the skimmer is going to go nuts.

Taz

 

[pecan2phat]

Skimmer is left on, does not affect skimmer performance. Just shut down any UV sterilizer and ozone for 48-72 hours if your using any.

 

[gliebig]

Will the special blend help with my algae problem? I've been battling this stuff for a year. :sad2:
If so, how much would I need for a 250gal tank?

 

[JB NY]

Received my special blend today. Are you guys shutting anything down to dose this stuff? Skimmer, carbon...etc.... I was curious if the skimmer is going to go nuts.

Taz

You don't have to shut down the skimmer, I dose at night and only run my ozone for about 6 hours in the afternoon, so I have never shut down my ozone, but it couldn't hurt to shut it down. I agree that turning off the UV for a bit might help.

I also leave the carbon in, the only thing I noticed while dosing is on the initial treatments your ORP will drop dramatically, but it doesn't affect anything and the ORP goes back up to normal in an few hours.

gliebig
For my 400 gallon system I use the following, so you can buy accordingly for your system.

Initial dose 410ml, follow up doses 270ml (I think once a week for 4 weeks), maintenance 100ml twice a month.

HTH

 

[cdamiano]

Joe - Are you dosing Vodka? I have been dosing vodka daily along with MB7. I'm wondering if I switch to dosing the SB instead of the MB7 if it matters whether I follow your dosing regimen of twice a month for the SB or if I dose a smaller amount daily??? What do you think would be better?
Thanks!

 

[OldF]

Just a note when you dose dont forget to include your sump in the amount ie 75 gal plus 20 gal sump = 95 gal of water so I treat 95 gal .... just my .02

 

[JB NY]

Joe - Are you dosing Vodka? I have been dosing vodka daily along with MB7. I'm wondering if I switch to dosing the SB instead of the MB7 if it matters whether I follow your dosing regimen of twice a month for the SB or if I dose a smaller amount daily??? What do you think would be better?
Thanks!

I've been dosing vodka for 2 years or so, so I think it is fine to use with SB. I've never used MB7 so can't comment on if it is better than SB.

 

[Long Island Andy]

Joe

Good to see you posting