Get on Bacteria Train!

[coralreefer]

In retrospect, all I can say is wow!! For those of you with fabulous tanks, congrats...for those of us you have never really been quite satisfied with the "quality" of our tanks, with the colors, with the growth, with poor doers or unexpected deaths...I urge you to take a look at bacteria dosing as a way up!!

 

I had fought nitrates and phosphates for years...one step forward, one step back, one step sideways...you know the tune! I added Miracle Mud...I added a denitrator...I've done a million gallons of water changes with zero TDS RO-DI water...I've spent THOUSANDS of $...nothing great to write home about...

 

Then I started dosing vodka...yes, improvement...added sugar and vinegar...OK, I like it...then I added bacteria!! GHA dying off, SPS LIVING well, no more red slime...colors, growth...WOW!

 

I realize that it is the combo of things getting the job done, but I strongly urge reefers who feel frustrated and who struggle getting their tanks to the next level to look at bacteria/vodka dosing as a possible way up...(don't forget, get the best skimmer you can afford!) IMHO!!!

 

DrMerle

[CCR]

Can you offer a more detailed process YOU used. Time frame, readings, what and when changed, amounts.

 

This would be very helpful.

bacteria type, from??

[stylaster]

is the bacteria you added like zeovit or brightwell bacteria cultures?

[huskerduck]

Yeah I started this about 4 days ago and already noticed 1 major difference, the water is so completely clear its scary!

 

I mean it looks like your stuff is "suspended in air" clear. Im the same as you I have always been a little dissappointed in all the voodoo and never really saw huge growth in anything but Xenia, star polyps and Montis but yet I see these amazing reef tanks that just seem to go crazy in growth and they all do the same thing..........Vodka and bacteria dosing.

 

Im giving it a shot and so far my corals look very happy, I even bought or got a free SPS from David in New Castle the other day and it appeared to be turning whiter and whiter up the base on a daily basis. the second day of vodka and MB7 it just stopped and little polyps popped out.

[finch6013]

so will this make my tank look better or should I keep doing what I am?

You have seen my tank and can you say that zeo will improve it?

[huskerduck]

I know I sat down and read for an entire day about both Zeo and Vodka and I never read anyone having a problem with Vodka dosing. The few that did said they had Cyno pop up and they halved the dosage and it went away.

 

The Zeo crowd was a whole other animal, seems alot had troubles and Zeo is pretty expensive to start, keep and that twice a day pumping thing would probably make my Tank sitters a little nervous if I went on a 2 week vacation.

 

With Vodka, just stop dosing or keep it up, filling a syringe with vodka and squirting it in once a day, and 3 drops of MB7 is pretty easy

[Smann]

Can you offer a more detailed process YOU used. Time frame, readings, what and when changed, amounts.

 

This would be very helpful.

bacteria type, from??

 

I would be interested also

[huskerduck]

he put what he did in my thread here http://www.pnwmas.org/forums/showthread.php?t=16009

 

Everything I read was .1 ml Vodka per 25 gal..........I have a 150 + sump, I went .7 ml for 3 days the 1. ml now.

 

0 nitrates, 0 phosphate on Salifert tests

 

The first night I did 3 cap fuls of MB7 and 3 drops a day since

[USCG CWO]

Okay stupid question. What is MB7?

[jgf86123]

shane, there are no stupid questions, only questions where the ones who are in the know feel the ones not in the know should be in the know LOL

 

i have the same question, what in the world is that? sounds like some kinda military machinery of some sort.

[Byrd]

In retrospect, all I can say is wow!! For those of you with fabulous tanks, congrats...for those of us you have never really been quite satisfied with the "quality" of our tanks, with the colors, with the growth, with poor doers or unexpected deaths...I urge you to take a look at bacteria dosing as a way up!!

 

I had fought nitrates and phosphates for years...one step forward, one step back, one step sideways...you know the tune! I added Miracle Mud...I added a denitrator...I've done a million gallons of water changes with zero TDS RO-DI water...I've spent THOUSANDS of $...nothing great to write home about...

 

Then I started dosing vodka...yes, improvement...added sugar and vinegar...OK, I like it...then I added bacteria!! GHA dying off, SPS LIVING well, no more red slime...colors, growth...WOW!

 

I realize that it is the combo of things getting the job done, but I strongly urge reefers who feel frustrated and who struggle getting their tanks to the next level to look at bacteria/vodka dosing as a possible way up...(don't forget, get the best skimmer you can afford!) IMHO!!!

 

DrMerle

 

 

 

Congrats!

 

You know the expression-"A pictures worth a thousand words"

 

So please post them up!!!

[jgf86123]

my biggest question with any of these ideas is can you have a refugium on your tank? i want to eventually have a mandarin, and i will need the refugium to keep my pod population thriving.

[Byrd]

I know I sat down and read for an entire day about both Zeo and Vodka and I never read anyone having a problem with Vodka dosing.

 

Wow-you did not read enough-glad its working, how about some pics.

 

Iread plenty of horro stories regarding Vodka dosing but Iknew I was better than all those idiots-(laugh)

 

I can tell you Maximas clams dont like Vodka dosing ask Impur his and mine both died on day 7.

 

Anyway every tank is different that I do know

 

Pics please, I have one more clam I can try and kill!!!

 

TIA

[coralreefer]

MB7 is Brightwell's Microbacter 7...it is the first bacteria I used and I have to say blew my doors off. I dosed the first night and the next morning I couldn't believe my eyes...cleanest, clearest water I have ever seen.

 

Brandon...I honestly don't know as it would help your tank...1) you've got few if any, inherited problems 2) you don't have persistent nitrate/phosphate issues 3) you got good coloration and growth. Having said that, I really think the most important thing is "Are you happy with your tank?" "Are you disappointed with your tank?"

 

I also use Zeovit's Zeobac. Three drops every other morning. MB7 I do 3 drops every night. I dose cap off liter bottle of vodka twice daily and 1/2 capful of vinegar/dextrose mixture twice daily.

 

My nitrates are now less than 5 (sometimes zero) and my phosphates are .01...I can say I now see grow in SPS, color changes, polyp extension is improving and brown coloration in my corals are not the default setting. It has taken aproximately 6 months. I cannot tell you the last time I even saw cyano.

 

I know vodka/bacteria can make a marginal tank very good, just with some patience. I honestly believe it can make a good tank great.

 

DrMerle

[Byrd]

MB7 is Brightwell's Microbacter 7...it is the first bacteria I used and I have to say blew my doors off. I dosed the first night and the next morning I couldn't believe my eyes...cleanest, clearest water I have ever seen.

 

Where are you getting the MB7, I had actually looked for that today at SWF.

 

Be interested in doing some reading on its benefits etc.

 

Sure would love to see some pics.

 

Its a good feeling when you get the levels that low huh?

 

Congrats

 

Pics pleeeez

[coralreefer]

working on pics...I had gotten MB7 from Marine Depot but now I'm sure Patrick at FantaSeas here in town carries it.

 

DrMerle

[Byrd]

working on pics...I had gotten MB7 from Marine Depot but now I'm sure Patrick at FantaSeas here in town carries it.

 

DrMerle

 

I will ask him if he is just out. It seems he is carrying the whole line but I looked it over thrice earlier today no MB-7.

 

Thanks for the fast reply-I have been meaning to PM you about your Aquaripure, it was something I had done A LOT of reading on, but did not see anyone using it until I saw it in your sig.

[finch6013]

Thanks for the reply Merle. I am very happy with my tank at the moment. I must say this is the first time I can sit back and watch my tank for hours and not be dissapointed by something. But I am a curious person and I cant help but wonder if It could be better with some MB7 and vodka or even zeo.

[Frank]

SWF does have MB7 just saw it there Sunday..... Getting ready to start my self.. How much are dosing and what size tank... I going to use the rocks and the whole deal....Would love to hear evey thing you have done what day are you on?

[huskerduck]

Wow-you did not read enough-glad its working, how about some pics.

 

Iread plenty of horro stories regarding Vodka dosing but Iknew I was better than all those idiots-(laugh)

 

I can tell you Maximas clams dont like Vodka dosing ask Impur his and mine both died on day 7.

 

Anyway every tank is different that I do know

 

Pics please, I have one more clam I can try and kill!!!

 

TIA

Actually I read really well, one thread went on for 4 years and had science introduced into about 10 pages and not one person had death.

 

One guy was dosing like 3ml in a 40 gal tank which suprised the heck out of me.

 

All Ive read is good, maybe you can link the bad stuff,

 

I think this thread goes into detail pretty good with no problems http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1225324

[Byrd]

Actually I read really well, one thread went on for 4 years and had science introduced into about 10 pages and not one person had death.

 

One guy was dosing like 3ml in a 40 gal tank which suprised the heck out of me.

 

All Ive read is good, maybe you can link the bad stuff,

 

I think this thread goes into detail pretty good with no problems http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1225324

 

I'm not bashing the process, sharing my results that were not positive-check out RS if you want more reading but...........

 

You've read enough, and that's all we can do is read a bunch of results and see what the majority is doing. Like you found, dose on the safe side, twice a day is best, make sure your skimmer is good and working. I can only assume certain things ar more sensitive, clams I got to figure fall in that category.

As long as it works for you that's all that matters. My goal in doing it was a reduction in NO3, my PO4 is already at .01-.02 thanks to my phosban reactor (I assume) and my NO3 is at 0-.01 thanks to the addition of purigen.

What ever gets you to your goal is what matters.

Like many things in this hobby there are multiple ways to achieve the same thing. I just found it strange that you did not find anybody report neg. results.

I was over cautious, I think I read as well as made posts/threads on RS and 3Reef and maybe RC, anyway I looked into the "process" for almost 2 months before giving it a try.

Just this thread alone myself and Impur lost clams, I also lost an angel that I have to attribute to dosing, my green leather toadstool never opened at all the entire week I did it-overall I could sense something was not right. You know the feeling, after doing this a while, you sometimes can tell by just looking at your tank if something is "out of balance"

Anyway enough said, I hope your reach your goal, sounds like your on your way

[huskerduck]

I just found it strange that you did not find anybody report neg. results.

I was over cautious, I think I read as well as made posts/threads on RS and 3Reef and maybe RC, anyway I looked into the "process" for almost 2 months before giving it a try.

Just this thread alone myself and Impur lost clams, I also lost an angel that I have to attribute to dosing, my green leather toadstool never opened at all the entire week I did it-overall I could sense something was not right. You know the feeling, after doing this a while, you sometimes can tell by just looking at your tank if something is "out of balance"

Anyway enough said, I hope your reach your goal, sounds like your on your way

I tried to do years of research by finding threads on multiple forums about the subject that had went for years.

 

I found several, I wish I could find the one that started back in 04 or 05 and link it. It had very limited " Hey Dudes is Absolute better because it costs more" when a thread appeared headed in that direction, I would find another until I found what appeared to be people with some sort of degree in chemistry (or maybe just an amazing knowledge of this VsV) adding to the thread. I even asked some question on here in my own thread which I felt were never truly answered ANYWHERE. And I still believe we may be stepping on ice when doing the VSV Dosing just because alot of varibles never came up in discussions.

 

I did do a couple googles this morning on " problems with vsv dosing" , "troubles with vsv dosing" and the likes and really found nothing yet again, well actually I did, I found a thread where a guy talks about clams and dosing, he went 2 months with clams and the thread stopped so.........

 

He said he had killed stuff a couple years before because of " aggressiveness", what this means? he doesnt clarify

 

From my understanding, you ramp up feeding to counteract. Almost everything I read says to add MicroBacter7 or the likes when doing this as well as increasing feeding. Maybe the Vodka had nothing to do with your clams death other than starving them. I think death in reef tanks happen at random and for random reasons and sometimes get blamed on this or that because it has to be blamed on something.

 

Im avoiding Sugar and vinegar only because theres multiple place where people seem to overdose here, and from my understanding, its only to introduce 2 different strains of Bacteria, MB7 does this.

[Byrd]

If I had new additions to my tank I would say that it is possible they were dying already.

But I try to take an analytical approach and ask, what's new, what's different, what's changed and so on.

Vodka was the only newest addition-

 

Again, its works for more people than people it does not work for, many variables. I found something that got me to my goal, and does not require such a hands on (daily) approach. I understand you can miss a few days so you are not tied down to the tank, but in comparison, I don't do anything other than change some media every 6 months or so.

 

Mine current method is fail safe and I have never seen one hint as to "this might be bad"

 

I wish you and the "goal at hand" the best of luck, I just skin my cat differently- and my way does not work in everyone else's application, but it does in my tank

 

Sorry Doc this is your thread-my apologies

(backtotopic)(fishhit)

[pantherguy30]

Could you use this and there ReefBioFuel toether? I just started useing the biofuel which is supposed to be there take off of vodka doesing.

[coralreefer]

I did...no super results...no bad results...I think it was just redundant...

 

Once you get bacteria established and are feeding with carbon dose, probably any simple sugar will work, including alcohol...

 

Just this week I switched from sucrose (table sugar) to dextrose...supposedly sucrose has a tendency to brown corals while dextrose promotes colors...we'll see...

 

DrMerle