MB7 + BioFuel (or Vodka) - Show Thread

[Alex T.]

OK, I'm confused about the MB7. I've dosed vodka and am currently back on it. I had a little hair algae show up and slowly started dosing the vodka. What are the advantages of dosing MB7 and Vodka together? And, if you're already dosing vodka, can you start MB7 afterward?

 

[Gilby]

I may need to look into dosing aminos because my corals are already looking a little pale and I'm at work all day so I don't have time to feed more than once a day.

Which aminos have ya'll had good experiences with?

 

[mrsmithers]

MB7 or whatever bacterial you choose to dose is added to diversify the bacterial in the aquarium and help starve off the bad bacterial like cyano. Also adding a bacteria source will help with the reduction of N & P and providing “better results” then just vodka alone.

Yeah, you can start MB7 even if you have been dosing vodka.

 

[byrdman81]

I am using elos amino acids with vodka mb7

 

[allsps40]

I started vodka again, dosing 3 drops a day currently. Here are some pics.

 

[allsps40]

 

[xsboost]

Hi allsps40, what are your nitrate and low-level PO4 readings? Looks like you might be defficient in a few nutients/parameters because some of your corals are very pale, yet some are very brown, so not sure??

 

[Gyr]

Gyr- Most MB7 users don't shut down there skimmer and this is one reason why. What I do and I know of others that do the same is just increase your MB7 dose a little. This will compensate for the bacteria that get taken up by the skimmer before they have a chance to do their thing. Great looking tank BTW.

Cool beans, I'll try it without turning the skimmer off. I've been doing the 4 hours off after dosing thing when I'm at home, otherwise just an hour off before I head to work in the morning. I still have to futz with the skimmer for the first 20 minutes or so when I turn it back on, so I am glad to hear others just let the skimmer run. I'll up the dose a bit as advised.

I start dosing vodka tomorrow. Since my Nitrate and PO4 have been at 0 for a long time, I'm not exactly sure what my goal for the final vodka dose is going to be. I just plan on slowly increasing it to about 0.2 ml/25 gallons, unless I start getting some undesirable algae growth. We'll see how it goes.

Thanks for the kind complement, too.

 

[allsps40]

xsboost my low level po4 is 0 ppm on Elos and API, it was 0 on Hanna but that was tested many months ago. No3 is 3-5 ppm on Elos and API. I feed heavy daily Rods Foods, home made mix, zooplankton and AAs. My camera does wash out and over expose some of my lighter colored sps to the point where they look almost white. The pink birds nest the looks so pale has darken up since that pic was taken 3 weeks ago just for example. I feel my sps are 90% ther in color and growth. Please anyone feel free to give any advice and input to get me that extra 10%. Ca 440, Alk 9, mag 1300, no3 3-5 ppm, po4 .02-0 ppm Elos, API and Hanna tests. Vodka dose is low 3 drops daily on a 50 gallon total system volume. I run a modded NW110 skimmer that pulls out a good dark skim, GFO in reactor though I dont think it does much any more and a fuge. Been dosing vodka again for 4 weeks.

 

[Gyr]

xsboost my low level po4 is 0 ppm on Elos and API, it was 0 on Hanna but that was tested many months ago. No3 is 3-5 ppm on Elos and API. I feed heavy daily Rods Foods, home made mix, zooplankton and AAs. My camera does wash out and over expose some of my lighter colored sps to the point where they look almost white. The pink birds nest the looks so pale has darken up since that pic was taken 3 weeks ago just for example. I feel my sps are 90% ther in color and growth. Please anyone feel free to give any advice and input to get me that extra 10%. Ca 440, Alk 9, mag 1300, no3 3-5 ppm, po4 .02-0 ppm Elos, API and Hanna tests. Vodka dose is low 3 drops daily on a 50 gallon total system volume. I run a modded NW110 skimmer that pulls out a good dark skim, GFO in reactor though I dont think it does much any more and a fuge. Been dosing vodka again for 4 weeks.

The guy at my LFS where they have really nicely colored SPS likes to keep his Mg level at or a little over 1400. He thinks that makes a significant difference. I bumped my level up to 1350-1400 range but it is too soon for me to see a change. Don't know if that'll give you that last 10%....

 

[Buganddoug]

I am using Waner Marine EGObak Bio Pellets and would like too know if I should use MB7 with them.

 

[Gilby]

I am using Waner Marine EGObak Bio Pellets and would like too know if I should use MB7 with them.

It probably wouldn't hurt.

 

[mrsmithers]

Well any updates

 

[Gyr]

Here's my 3 month of MB7 + vodka update.

This is the pre-MB7 photo of my 'problem SPS' corals from February:

Here they are today, 3 months later:

I am not overwhelmed by the effect on coloration. Both the Borealis and RPT have grown, but I'd say their overall coloration is a little less impressive after 3 months. The growth tips of the RPT are a bit brighter red, but I feel the base colors of both the RPT and Borealis have faded.
I'll probably give the MB7/vodka system a month or so longer before I give up on it....
What do you think?

 

[reefsic]

Hi Kurt,

My results are similar to yours. I've been on the MB7+Vodka Method since 12/2010 and have seemed to have gotten rid of all cyano algae which is great, but colors on SPS have changed a bit. Colors are not as vivid, but growth and PE is still consistent!!!

 

[clowndude]

Curious if you two are dosing anything with the vodka system? I gave up on mine because the colors were bad. My buddy is dosing but he also supplements a ton.

 

[reefsic]

In addition to MB7+Vodka, I dose AA, Vit-C, Potassium, Iron, Iodine, and PhytoFeast. But I dose all of the above in small quantities, 1-2x/Week.

 

[clowndude]

Wow and you are still having color issues? If I recall you used to use zeovit correct?

 

[reefsic]

Wow and you are still having color issues? If I recall you used to use zeovit correct?

Colors still look great, I just noticed a slight decline after using MB7+Vodka...and with Gyr pointing it out, I thought I would add my experience to it!

Yeah, Zeo came to be too pricey which is why I went with MB7 as a more cost effective (and convenient) alternative.

 

[urbaneks]

I just finished my 2 week seeding period with MB7 and am now starting the low nutrient dosing. The directions state 1 drop per 50g but it doesn't state the drop size. I can use different size syringes as droppers and get different amounts. If I try to use the dropper on the MB7 cap, the MB7 just runs out the top. Does anyone have a recommendation on how much a drop should really be? .1 ml, .2ml? Etc.