AlgaeFix Marine to control Hair Algae

[trueblackpercula]

Ok I read through as much of this tread as I could and thank you for the Information. I would like to ask can this be used with Boyd Enterprises Chemiclean at the same time or is this a bad idea. The reason I am asking is that I have a buildup of redcotton algae on the sand bed and hair and bubble algea on the rock work. I have done all that I can to remove it By hand and through water changes. I do run GAC and PO4 remover 24/7 i just had my PO4 checked and the reading was 0.02 with a Hanna Instruments Phosphate (LR) Photometer with 890 nm LED
thank
Michael

 

[HighlandReefer]

Michael,

Can you use ChemiClean in conjunction with AlgaeFix Marine, is a good question which I have no answer for.

I would be skeptical of using the two together.

If you think the red stuff on your sand bed is a red cyanobacteria, then I would deal with that after you get rid of your green algae problems with AlgaeFix.

 

[rick s]

Hello Everyone,

I have not read through the entire thread, but I would love to know: Does Algae Fix have any affect on Bryopsis?

Thanks,

 

[HighlandReefer]

Rick,

AlgaeFix has worked against Bryopsis for several hobbyists that I am aware of. It seems to take a few more doses to control the bryopsis though. Bryopsis has some characteristics which make the cell membrane tougher and it has a unique capability of healing itself better than most algae.

 

[HighlandReefer]

Bryopsis is a siphonous algae, which makes them different from many other types of algae.

An example form this article:

MORPHOLOGICAL DIVERSITY WITHIN THE ALGAE

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...rev=/images?q=bryopsis+microscopic&hl=en&um=1

SIPHONOUS ALGAE
Algae with this body plan are actually giant unicells. These algae are coenocytic which means they undergo repeated nuclear division without the accompanying formation of cell walls. These have a tubular structure with the multinuclear cytoplasm lining the thallus (the Greek word for tube is siphon).

Bryopsis - a siphonous thallus

 

[rick s]

Thanks Cliff. I would like to know more such as will it probably kill it or most people say it does not. Are you aware of any threads about Algae Fix and Bryopsis?

 

[HighlandReefer]

Rick,

We have had some on this thread that have used the AlgaeFix against bryopsis. Hopefully they will chime in.

I have read conflicting reports on the web regarding AlgaeFix against Bryopsis though. I am not sure what procedures they used. One thing to keep in mind if you do try it, is that you should remove as much of the pest before dosing as possible. At first you may not be able to remove the pest, but after several doses, it tends to get easier. After that point you want to remove as much as possible to enhance the effects of AlgaeFix. Bryopsis does take longer than the 4-5 doses to start seeing control. In some cases that I remember reading, it took around 10 doses. At around 10 doses is when AlgaeFix can start killing other macroalgae like chaeto.

 

[trueblackpercula]

Thanks for the advice, I have very little hair algea but lots of bubble. Has anyone reported that It gets rid of that pest? I don't want to add this to my tank if it's not going to kill it. As for the sand bed, it can wait until the bubble algea is gone first.
Michael

 

[HighlandReefer]

trueblackpercula,

I went back through this thread and there was one hobbyist who claimed it did not touch his bubble algae, but killed off his hair algae.

 

[PhreeBYrd]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15148408#post15148408 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rick s
Hello Everyone,

I have not read through the entire thread, but I would love to know: Does Algae Fix have any affect on Bryopsis?

Rick:
It does seem that there are conflicting reports on effectiveness against bryopsis. Part of the problem (here and everywhere) may be misidentification. AP doesn't, as far as I know, claim that AlgaeFix is effective against Bryopsis.

If you have the common Bryposis plumosa or Bryopsis pennata, one treatment that has worked for a lot of people is raising your magnesium levels. I've lost track of the RC threads, but try a search for bryposis and magnesium here or webwide. There is a lot of info out there about this treatment (and much speculation), and in almost all cases, it's been harmless to other reef inhabitants.

Caveats apply; as I mentioned, there is a lot of misidentification out there, and the accompanying misinformation.

 

[nrannalli]

trueblackpercula,

I posted before that it would not touch my bubble algae but then again I didn't state what type of bubble algae I had. It might work on Ventricaria ventricosa or Valonia but will not kill Derbesia(a type of hair algae which resembles Ventricaria ventricosa but it floats when unattached). PhreeBYrd is right in saying "misidentification" is a huge problem when it comes to algae.

APIS Claims:

ALGAEFIX Marine controlled:
o 100% of the Spirulina major culture
o 98% of the Oscillatoria culture
o 100% of the Cladophora culture
o 94% of the Cyclotella culture

 

[buforda]

I am new to the hobby and used your thread to figure out how to attack the problem of hair algae (I've even bought a blenny to try to work at it with no success). This thread has been really helpful in thinking about the next course of action. I will let you all know how my treatment goes.

Peace

 

[savethereef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15146049#post15146049 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by savethereef
well after seeing this thread so much i finally decided to go and get the Algae Fix Marine yesterday from Pets smart. It was $15 for a big bottle. Another LFS was chargin $27 i was like WTH.

My tank is 225g with 50g split sump refuge. Currently i have alot of GHA and its allover the place. its smothering my corals so i have been picking it out manually for over a month. i know the reason i got it was because i make my own food and i used RODI. but one time i pulled it from the freezer i thawed it in some cold water and some how tap water got in the bag and i refreeze it and i guess the tap water mixed in. and i fed it to the tank. after that GHA

Well i did my 1st dose last night and will do another in 3 days. Hope to see some inprovements.

Well it's been 24 hrs since my first dose and all i can say is wow. after months of doing WC and trying a sea slug and sea hare to no avail. I cant believe that 2 1/2 caps of this stuff and i can see the GHA falling apart. I am now able to see my returns that before where completly smothered with GHA. Also my whole sand bed was covered with cyano. now it lifting off like a carpet and decomposing. Also i notice there is some serious denitrification going on. alot of bubbles are coming out of the sand and coming out. I can now see most of my rock and the GHA that was smothering my corals is now receding and thats in just one dose? i spent $40 on those Slugs and a $14.99 bottle is fixing my problem. Well i will be doing my second dose tomorrow and hopefully it keeps dying off. after my 3rd dose i will do a 50g WC and do another 2 doses after that and see what happens.

 

[rick s]

This is what I have, and believe to be Bryopsis.

I tried the elevated Mg. Even used Tech-M. I had Mg over 1600 for 2 months. Had it over 1800 for 3 months. It stunted its growth, but that's all.

If anyone has had success with Algae Fix on this evil weed, please chime in or PM me.

 

[savethereef]

wow that looks ugly. Is it only on that rock? or all over the tank?

 

[Haksar]

I did my 03rd dose today so far no changes.I also have a phosban and carbon reactor running and also purigen.I have not made any WC till now.

Let's hope and I am crossing my fingers..

 

[cnaegler]

I, too did my third dose today with no visible changes yet. All my parameters are in line as well. I'll keep everyone updated.

 

[Bruno3047]

Did my 12th treatment today on the every 3-day regimen. The algae is about 98% cleared off the aquascape rocks and rock wall, and holding steady. One small patch of hair algae on one of my rocks is holding on, as is some algae up near my lights, on the overflow.

Now the bad news. My mushrooms are definitely unhappy. My ricordea have lost some color and are somewhat deflated. The only other change I made to my tank was to boost my calcium levels to see if I could finally get some coralline algae growing, in place of the dying HA. This was a success, but I doubt the elevated calcium (about 500 PPM) is irritating my mushrooms.

The only other large change that I've noticed is that I've had a tremendous increase in the number of amphipods in my tank, since I've been running fishless for about 6 weeks. Could the amphipods be irritating my mushrooms? This seems like a stretch, since my mushrooms are all mounted vertically on my rock wall.

When I started:

Current pic:

I'm going to discontinue the Algaefix and get my GFO and GAC running again, and see if my mushrooms come back.

 

[HighlandReefer]

Bruno,

At around the 10th or so dose is when the AlgaeFix started killing my chaeto. I don't know what to say, except that one may start to see negative effects after you hit the 10th dose on the 3 day basis. Perhaps giving your system a brake for a week may help and then hit it again?

I'm definitely interested in following up on your progress in this situation.

 

[Bruno3047]

Hey Cliff.

I'll get my GFO and GAC running again in the next few days, then probably give the tank a break from the Algaefix for at least a week, maybe two.

I'd really like to see if I can keep the HA at bay going forward with just controlling my PO4 and NO3 levels.

BTW. I did not see any increase in my PO4 and NO3 levels since the HA die-off, but then again, I haven’t been feeding anything since I’ve been running fishless.

We'll see what happens after I re-introduce my fish to the tank in a couple weeks.