AlgaeFix Marine to control Hair Algae

[HighlandReefer]

IMHO, the ideal skimming rate is in the middle between wet skimming & dry skimming. You want your skimmer cup to fill with some water but not so much that you need to empty it more than once per day.

Running a filter bag can help quite a bit for collecting the algae in the water column which has died or broken loose. The odor is most likely decaying algae.

 

[Neoz]

I agree that the odor is the algae that is evident when I empty my skimmer cup . I was having to do that once per day.

Here are my thoughts and I could be way off base here let me know. I wanted to skim very wet to remove any dead or decaying algae and keep the spikes in the tank to a minimum. But in doing so will that remove more of the AE before it has a chance to work its magic? I took your advice and I'm skimming in the middle.

 

[HighlandReefer]

But in doing so will that remove more of the AE before it has a chance to work its magic?

AE?

 

[Neoz]

Crap I meant AF - AlgaeFix? True or not?

 

[HighlandReefer]

AlgaeFix will brake down quickly in a reef tank, within 24 hrs. Knowing this you will want to change tank water and try to remove algae about 24 hrs before a dose. This will give ample time for the AF to do its thing.

 

[Neoz]

One more note Cliff, Only the few pieces of new Marco rock I put in the tank are the ones getting all the algae. Is it possible the new rock itself is the source of the Phosphates? Because my 2 test kits read zero and I'm running High Capacity GFO in a reactor. I only feed a small small pinch of pellets every other day to the tank. Also changing 30 gallons a week of water out.
My tests
Mag - 1320ppm
Nitrate - Less then 5ppm
Ammonia - .15ppm
Calc - 430ppm
Alk - 7.2dkh going to raise this a little.

 

[HighlandReefer]

The rock could have some phosphate. If so it will leach out into the water column which would allow GFO to remove it. It's also possible that the pest algae are better adapted at colonizing the new rock surfaces then coralline algae.

 

[michael.lemke]

Should I continue to run my carbon and gfo during the treatment? I removed it during the 1st dose. I did notice a huge improvement within 18 hours. I did a small water change and 75% of the algae came off of the offending rock. (some branch rock I have that seems to leach something because it is the only place I get any problem algae)

 

[HighlandReefer]

HObbyists have successfully run carbon, GFO & dosed carbon sources while using AF. I don't believe it makes much difference IMHO.

I would at least continue the GFO and GAC fwiw.

 

[michael.lemke]

thank you!

 

[Thrashie]

dose 3 went in on saturday, the algae is takin a major hit, vacuumed out all kinds of dead stuff before the dose.....i'll take a post a pic before tomorrows dose..

fwiw I am running GFO and biopellets and have not noticed any adverse effects from the dosing ... yet..

 

[Fishingpcola]

Does this work on bacteria problems?

Does it look like this?

 

[HighlandReefer]

Bacterial masses can be cleaned out by siphoning and light brushing of the rock. Usually seeing these bacterial masses is indicative of some underlining problem such as dead organic matter on the rock. Scrubbing the rock out of the tank, cleaning the gravel bed and water changes can help prevent bacterial masses from growing back.

I would not dose AF for bacterial problems.

 

[Fishingpcola]

Bacteria Problem

Bacteria Problem

I had this problem on my last setup. It got so bad I broke the tank down, transfered some rock to a local tank at a store and dried the tank out for two months. I restocked the tank with the rock and added 45lbs of new live rock. I let the tank cycle just in case it needed to, 4-6 weeks in the dark - no lights. I am lighting it now only 4 48" blue plus T5 bulbs. the bulbs are old. New bulbs should be in next week. Only snails and crabs in the tank. The tank is also bare bottom at the current time. I was wanting to add sand next month. My goal was to take things slowly. I am seeing some signs of the bacteria coming back but not as aggressive. The bacteria is mostly confined to the glass that is not being cleaned and some rock. Any suggestions on how to stop is appreciated.

 

[HighlandReefer]

There are some algae that have a very light white color. Bacteria growing on the glass are easily wiped away. The algae is much harder to scrub away.

This is a picture of what was identified as an algae and it was controlled by AF:

 

[Fishingpcola]

I'll try to post a pic tonight.

 

[Fishingpcola]

The specs on the glass are just to small for my camera to take a pic of (Canon S5 IS). But I can say it is a white dot with 8 legs is what it looks like. Kinda like a clock with 8 points. 12, 1.5, 3, 4.5, 6, 7.5, and 9 o'clock.

 

[HighlandReefer]

Perhaps they are baby star fish.

 

[HighlandReefer]

Here is a magnified picture of a baby star fish:

 

[zaitmi]

Dose 9 provide. Most of brown algaes are have turned bright green with bubbles on some rocks. Dont know whr to go from here? Plz help.