Vibrant by UWC testing

jason2459

Well-known member
This bacteria in a bottle supplement caught my attention not because of their wild claims of irradiation of cyano, hair algae, bryopsis, dinoflagelets, etc but because people have actually shown some progress in eliminating those pests with this product. And not just one or two reviews on their site or sponsor forum.

http://www.uwcmn.com/vibrant-liquid-aquarium-cleaner

I know I have all the above in my tank as I've dealt with all of them in the past and can still see them under the microscope.

Our tank's biology up close
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2567904

In that thread in the last few pages shows samples from my tank leading up to testing out Vibrant.

Now normally I can't visually see any of that in my tank. No plague like growths of any of it. But what I've found in the past either by accident or on purpose I can cause a nice bloom. Normally I don't do anything beyond what I normally do and it all goes away (visually) on its own. Usually takes several weeks to a couple months. I have the patience to wait it out.

So, just like I've done before I tipped the scales and caused a nice cyano and slight dinoflagelets bloom. It also looks like I spurred on some hair algae which is perfect.

Leading up to the starting dosage of Vibrant

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And kept tilting to get those dino bubbles going
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And kept tilting to make sure the tank will sustain this bloom
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I have maintained that nice growth for a couple weeks.

I added 20ml of Vibrant on Sunday.

This was Monday
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Some hair algae on the rock next to the goniopora
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I'm looking forward to seeing what it looks like tonight.
 
Some background on my tank.

Started in 2009
Lots of fish
Lots if mishaps (latest one end of 2014 killing all higher inverts/corals not buried away)
lots of food

Feedings:
4x per day my automatic feeder dumps in some pellets NLS marine and NLS algaemax mixed together (12pm, 3pm, 6pm, 9pm)
2-3x per day I dump in some meaty foods
2-3 sheets of nori per day.

What I do for maintenance:

It's really a combination of everything which I didn't come up with any of it. It's been researching and reading up what others have done here on reefcentral. PaulB and Randy were big influences and what I've incorporated at the beginning. TMZ has influenced some changes as well like dosing limewater separate from my ATO on a timer and carbon sources.

I also think some of it is what I don't do. Like I don't believe in heavy mechanical filtration or keeping everything squeaky clean. I do not, will not, and do not care to have a tank of the month either. I'm with PaulB there. And like Randy I don't do anything to the detritus in my sump. It just builds up over time like mud and turns into food and shelter. I don't mess with my sand bed but do like PaulB and create a typhoon in my tank with a diatom filter once a year or so (sometimes longer).

So, what I actively do that I think helps....

I'll copy paste what I've posted recently in another thread.

There's so many ways to run a reef tank. Many people have posted stellar examples using so many different methods and there's many people failing trying to use the same exact methods.

For me I use a mixed approach and don't depend on any single thing to be the main "thing" to maintain my tank.

Carbon dosing with vinegar to reduce nitrates and maintain low phosphates and directly feed other organisms, besides just bacteria, in the tank.

Skimmer to help remove excess bacteria exporting what they've consumed and anything else that attaches to the bubbles. Plus helping to aerate the water and boost my pH.

Some kind of algae harvesting to work with the carbon dosing to help remove unwanted elements and nutrients. Currently running a Turbo ATS. Slight pH increase from it.

Reversed Under gravel filter to increase microfauna, pods, worms, sponges, etc plus it may help reduce nitrates.

~1% daily automatic water changes exporting whatever and importing stuff.

Then a periodic (1-2x per year) typhoon with a diatom filter.


Long running tank journal
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1673282&page=74
 
Brave man messing with your tank for the sake of testing. Very awesome though, helps further the knowledge of the community! I actually ordered a bottle the other day and should be getting it later this week. Found a very long thread on the forum that must not be named, and the amount of people saying it helped was compelling. If you don't mind I'll follow along and toss a few progress pictures in here as well?
 
I have a bottle of Vibrant sitting next to the tank, I will try it tonight. My tank has been pristine for many months but I accidentally introduced some dark brown algae with a frag and now rock are covered with it. CUC cant seem to make much of a dent, so I decided to give this stuff a shot.
 
Talk about taking one for the team!

I have read numerous reports now about this stuff and it's been overwhelmingly positive. I really hope this turns out to be a new tool for our belt!
 
Looking a little better a little bit at a time but considering its only been 4 days this is impressive.

2nd dose of 20ml done last night. 40ml total.


Just cleaned the glass so its a bit cloudy there.

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I have followed the dino thread, your thread on metro dosing and now this thread of people using this (at another place on the web).

It's interesting, very interesting.

Have you altered feeding habits (in either the metro trial or this) from your normal feeding after you did the whoopsie into the tank to tip the scales? Any other parameters or just kept with your weekly norm and feeding schedule?
 
In the metronidazole I did cut back to normal heavy feedings. Because my main goal for that was to see effects on a single organism. There was no other claims other then trying to effect dinoflagelets. Which I feel it did a good job against at least one of the kinds I have.

This Vibrant has a very broad claim against pretty much everything. I have not reduced my feedings for this. But I also didn't do one big dump this time but slowly increased feedings and then maintained that increase. So, this time instead of observing the microscopic I'm watching whats visible with the naked eye.
 
Also, another difference is with the metronidazole testing I used a filter sock and blew off everything in the tank with a baster multiple times as described by twilliard. Which I normally do not run a filter sock and have not since then.

This time I haven't touched anything at all besides cleaning off the glass and brushing off the pumps so my flow isn't restricted.
 
Gotcha...I also noticed in the metro you gave a pretty heftier dose than what others had done. Was there any bounce-back after the dosing was over (or attempt at the dino) to bounce back?

I have ordered a bottle of Vibrant. I am curious, but don't want to jump into using it. I have thoughts regarding something, but I am not a biologist and not nearly as versed as some who are already using it. I am curious as if it will be a product that needs to be added to long-term use (to continue results absent a change in the tank environment/ecosystem) vs just using it to clear a problem quickly.

I appreciate your time on this...and the videos are cool.
 
Well, I went ahead and dosed 15ml of Vibrant into my 150gallon tank, about 150 gallon water volume in system. I will post some day one pictures shortly.

Sent from my STV100-1 using Tapatalk
 
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