Thank for posting all your updates! I have been reading your thread from day one and really appreciate the time you take to keep us up to date.
Are you making the trip to the that fish place NCPARS swap? It would be nice to speak with you in person.
Thanks for the kind words.
I hadn't heard about the swap, so thanks for pointing it out. I'm about to start a new job, so I'll have to see what my schedule looks like come January.
Nevertheless, looks like you've made quite a bit of progress for the better. Congrats!
Thanks.
what happened to this discussion ?
I don't want this thread to get into debating the pros/cons of other nutrient control methods.
In my system, Vodka/Bacteria dosing alone had proven effective enough to keep nutrient levels in check, so I have no intention of pursuing other methods.
It has only been three days and the holidays are here! :rollface:
Hear, hear! :beer:
Not to mention hunting season. :uzi:
How often are you supposed to do water changes when dosing MB7 and Vodka?
As mentioned, I perform bi-weekly changes. However, during my initial MB7 seeding phase I waited one month before performing the first change. Also, I administer a larger dose the day following my water change to make up for any bacteria that may have been removed during the change.
Many people also only perform 1 water change per month. I don't feel there is a right or wrong answer. Just whatever you feel comfortable with.
Good luck.
I have 100ml of water and dosing "loading" phase of 20ml MB7 per day, for 2 weeks?
Did I read the label correctly here?
as to vodka I am doing conservatively, about 1ml a day.
I'm assuming you meant 100g of water. :lol:
That is correct though. For the Medium-to-High Nutrient dosage you would be dosing 20ml per day (on 100g system) for the first 2 weeks.
Good luck.
Need some advice- I am on my third month of MB7 and Vodka. I am still doing 5 drops of MB7 and .5 ml of Vodka on a 75 gallon tank. For the last 2 to 3 weeks, I have been noticing that my glass gets dirty just about everyday again and my acans are not opening like they were a couple of weeks ago. So I tested everything and all parameters were in great condition. Am I loosing all of the good bacteria? So I was looking at Tswifty's dosing schedule, he is dosing alot more on his tank than I am and if I remember correctly, his tank is about half the size. Should I up my dosage of MB7? Have I depleted the bacteria that was added in the first two weeks?
Thanks in advance,
Rick
I wouldn't be concerned about upping your MB7 dosage. I was only dosing a few drops per day initially, but noticed that my "drops" when measured out had me far below the recommended "ml" per week dosage. So I upped my dosage, and never witnessed any negatives from doing so.
It's one of those things that I wouldn't be hesistant in doing. Just observe your tank. I think that's one of the most crucial elements of running this type of system... you need to know your tank inside and out. If you have any reservations about doing so, just slowly up your MB7 dosage over the course of a few weeks.
Good luck.
Tswifty, How is the Bubble algae going? I can't get rid of mine. My emeralds eat it off the rocks and such but it grows on the back walls. I need a bigger tank so I can try a sailfin tang.:fish1:
It's still hanging in there. Though not reproducing out of control, it does definitely slowly get worse over time. I'm probably due for another manual removal day sometime soon. A lot of people don't notice it until I point it out though... funny it's the first thing I notice.
I need to do some PAR testing, and recently purchased some new reflectors that I need to install above the tank. I'm hoping to get all that done, and take some updated pictures this weekend... but we'll see what happens. :lol:
I'm in slightly the same boat as you Rick. I've got a 75gal, dosing 5 drops MB7 and 1ml vodka per day and just entering my 4th month. My glass gets dirty in about 3 days which is what it took before i began dosing. I have 3 acans that are receding and 2 micros that are as well. Its definitely a bacteria problem. I just don't know where to go from here. I've been dipping them in Revive and Furan2. The Furan2 seems to help for several week then it starts again. I wonder if its time to start dosing AA?
I have quite a few acan colonies in my tank, and all have been doing very well since I started this system. I notice that their health does seem to fluctuate with spot feedings. They won't look as vibrant, and will have their feeders extended during the day if I forget to feed them. I try to spot feed them mysis shrimp twice per week.
I haven't noticed any change in their health or appearence due to my Vodka/Bacteria dosages.
Hope that helps.
Under my dosing regimen (10 drops MB7 daily, Vodka .5mL daily, Lugols 3 drops weekly, Amino Acids 4 drops weekly) I have noticed that some of the bubble algae in my tank would swell up to enormous sizes and then lose color and deflate away to nothing. I have no more bubble algae predators in my tank, yet the stuff is still going away on its own.
I can't prove that the MB7 dosage is what caused the bubble algae to rise and fall in my tank, but I can't think of any other reasons. Hope this helps someone.
Thanks for chiming in Alex. I'm also hoping it will just go away on its own at this point. I did up my Kent Marine Lugol's Dosage the other day, and am now dosing 2 drops per week... I'm curiuos to see if I will notice any change from upping it.
Glad to hear all is going well.
