AlgaeFix Marine to control Hair Algae

Rook just hang in there, it will wither away and you only need to scrub it off or just let it fall off, anyways i am really happy now, BTW i am running carbon, GFO, skimmer, 2-3 month old lights (T5), no water changes, dosing algaefix marine, that is it, lol

FWIW, i havent notice any nitrates since this pest started growing, now that it's dying, i have nitrate back, altough it is in the range of ~2-5ppm...

sana
 
I am glad this stuff seems to be working. I personally have no experience with it but I have plenty of experience with algae.
Many people will be afraid to use it because there seems to be a lot of resistance to using any chemical in reef tanks, usually with good reason but a reef tank is not the sea and sometimes a chemical is needed as a tool to help out a bit.
When we get a headache we take an aspirin, if we get cancer we take stronger drugs which make us sicker before they (hopefully) cure us. If termites are eating up our home we poison them.
Chemicals are used in every part of our lives and although many of them are used too often, we can't live without them.
I have some algae in my reef but I want it there. If it were to start covering my corals for some reason I may want to try a chemical. I have used Chemi Clean many times with success.
I am happy you guys are testing this product. I would like to see long term effects on the symbiotic algae in coral.
Good luck.
Paul
 
Cliff, unfortunately I have no experience with this product.
I do know that many people have a problem with algae and obviousely the common advice of changing the water does not usually help. Sometimes algae will grow and there is nothing we can do about it. It is a normal occurance and it grows on every healthy reef on earth. We need to keep it off our corals because our tank is not the sea and sometimes needs some help.
The product is a tool like carbon, ozone, and skimmers.
A little algae is actually healthy so as long as people don't use stuff like this at the slightest sign of an outbreak, it may be a benefit to the hobby just as I sometimes use weed killer on my lawn.
 
The symbiotic algae in coral are a major concern when using any additive, particularly with a product like AlgaeFix. I have called the manufacturer to try and get more information about the active ingredient in AlgaeFix and its mode of action. Needless to say, I struck out. I was told by their rep. that I was taking too much of his time. I have searched the Internet and have not found answers.

I can only make assumptions and I am not a toxicologist. I have tracked down one of my old toxicology professors at the University of Maryland and he does not know anything about it. His research is in the realm of Agricultural concerns. He did not know where to refer me either, because it is not of much interest to the universities. :D
 
Well guys i consider myself a guinea pig, i have tried just about everything else to get rid of this pest, i really did not like this algae in my tank and it was spreading really fast so i had to nip it in the butt before it got out of hand, i undesrtand about using chemicals and really hope that my corals wont suffer in the long run, when i no longer see or get this pest in control i will stop dosing it every 3 days and make it a weekly thing, and when its gone i will probably do it every 2 weeks maybe until bottle is empty, a bottle might last me a year, lol.

sana
 
Sana,

With the results that we have seen so far, it does not appear to me that when the AlgaeFix is used there are no more risks than many other things we use in our reef system. There are very few products used in reef systems that do not have some risk. For example, I have read where hobbyists have caused problems for their systems and occupants using GFO; the aluminum phosphate binders; all your carbon sources have been overdosed by some; Running GAC and I think kalk has killed more tanks off than any other product used (I still love it though). :D

FWIW, I am happy that the AlgaeFix Marine is working for you. :)

I really hate to see hobbyists (I have known more than I like to see) that quite the hobby because they had exhausted all other means they were able to find to get rid of algae type pests. Hopefully AlgaeFix Marine will cut back on this number of disgruntled hobbyists. At that point, I don't see what they have to loose. ;)
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14947879#post14947879 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by HighlandReefer
I really hate to see hobbyists (I have known more than I like to see) that quit the hobby because they had exhausted all other means they were able to find to get rid of algae type pests. Hopefully AlgaeFix Marine will cut back on this number of disgruntled hobbyists. At that point, I don't see what they have to loose. ;)
Click to expand...

Well said....BTW, come on guys show me some pics of your progress, is it working for you?

sana
 
I am not sure what I last posted about this topic and there are at least three different threads about algaefix marine.

The conclusion for my tank is that it needed a lot less of a photoperiod. I went from 10 hours to 5 - I believe in quality not quantity now when it come to light esp in smaller tanks and nanos. The algae fix worked BUT it is only a tool and not a FIX. I am now able to stay ahead of the HA by weekly harvesting. When the HA is trimmed back the clean up crew is better able to take care it. As for dosing, I did a 8 round doing then went to weekly and now I am back to every three days but today I am doing a large water change and will stop dosing and see what happens. I am expecting that the HA will grow back though as it did when I went to weekly dosing. I still don't have a fix for the source of the HA. I went from getting ready to break down the tank and get out of the hobby to sticking with it by using the aglaefix. But I can't keep using the algaefix for ever.
 
First treatment today. Here's a pic of my tank taken today.

ALGAE.jpg


The rear wall of the tank is a rock/foam wall that I intended to pretty much cover with corals and mushrooms. After the algae started to grow like weed, I scaled down my aspirations to a FOWLR tank with some ricordea and mushrooms glued the rear wall.

I'll update the progress regularly.
 
rhunter513,

There are many types of algae pests out there. They are difficult to ID. There are many blue-green cyanobacteria that resemble true algae in many respects. I am most concerned with the blue-green algae, because the cyano are much more difficult to control and I am not sure how well the AlgaeFix works on them. A good quality microscope will help when trying to ID these pests.

Check out this link:

Plant Management in Florida Waters:

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...=cyanophyta&ndsp=18&hl=en&sa=N&start=198&um=1
 
HighlandReefer - thanks for the insight. I am pretty sure its typical hair algae or at least the stuff that algaefix kills. Take a look at the pics I posted on this thread to see what I have and how bad I had it.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1529695&perpage=25&pagenumber=15

Algaefix does work in my tank - i doesn't dissolve it like some have posted - it mostly thins it and lossens its grip making it easy to harvest. Again it is only a tool for me not a fix. I just did a 10 gallon water change this evening (in 24g nanocube) and harvested a lot more HA. I will go back to weekly dosing as the bottle say given its mostly under control and will see what happens. Last time I did this it came back. I can't keep dosing every three days - my leather coral is starting to show some real signs of stress.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14952744#post14952744 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Bruno3047
Just wondering if anyone is seeing a spike in phosphate or nitrate levels after their algae is gone.
Click to expand...

I am seeing more nitrates all of the sudden since my hair algae started dying/whitering, so i believe its a normal transition and i am not going to worry about it, tomorrow is my 7th dose and i still havent seen any stress signs on any animals, plants, inverts.. i really cant comment what will happen in the long run, but i can comment in the present and it looks GOOOOOOOD....

Sana
 
Bruno,

I agree with Sana. As the AlgaeFix kills the algae, the algae will start to brake down and release nitrate and phosphate back into the water. The best thing you can do to reduce this effect is to physically remove as much of the algae as possible. Hand extraction and siphoning work well. ;)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RHunter,

That is some infestation you have. :eek1:

I don't know where you are at in physical extraction of this pest, but I would remove as much by hand and siphoning as possible. This will increase the effect of AlgaeFix tremendously.

I had to post your pic in this thread also:

pic3031309.jpg
 
RHunter,

With an infestation like yours, I would expect that it will take a while to get this infestation under control. If it is still heavily infested, I would concentrate on part of your tank at one time. Physical removal can be a lot of work and frustrating. :(

I would be interested in a current pic of your tank, to see where you are at now. ;)
 
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RHunter,

Here is an example of what I was referring to. This is a picture of a cyanobacteria which resembles your pest. The blue-green coloring of this pest is not depicted well in the scan I made. Cyanobacteria are commonly referred to as the "blue-green algae" because of this color trait. Algae tend to be a true green color. I am not an expert in IDing these pests, but I am learning. Boomer has much more experience in IDing these pests, but microscopic images may be necessary to properly ID it. ;)

199352Lyngbya-polychroa---Cyanoba.jpg
 
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HighlandReefer - the tank looks much better now. The algaefix allowed me to get ahead of the HA with harvesting. Now I remove more than what grows back in a week. Its a frustrating story for me. Although this tank is my first salt/reef tank, I have been keeping fish for many years and I did a lot of reseach and reading before starting this tank - I had impecable husbandry practices and still the huge infestation you see in those pics. I believe it has mostly to do with the high nutirent live rock in my tank. After trying all the conventional methods I resorted to algaefix. My snails and hermits are now suffering and well as my leather coral from the algaefix so I did that large water change and will run activated carbon now for a week or so and see what happens. I will try and post and updated pic tonight. Thanks again for the input and advice.
 
When the HA in my tank is healthy and growing its bright green, when its dying it turns darker and then grey esp at the roots.
 
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