AlgaeFix Marine to control Hair Algae
- Thread starter HighlandReefer
- Start date
HighlandReefer
Team RC
Very few coral problems have been noted by hobbyists while dosing AF. I woudl continue running skimmers and GAC while dosing.
HighlandReefer
Team RC
So, the algae is not dieing?
Also possible that AF killed brown algae and another specie resistant to AF could be taking off now.
Fishingpcola
New member
Not starfish. Looks like a single dot with eight skinny lines. Your pic of the starfish has 6 legs fat from the base.
zaitmi
Member
Thanks a lot friend,
Yes u can be right. but which way should i go now ? A D:eek2:ead End. Plz help.
HighlandReefer
Team RC
You could try raising your magnesium level by 300 -400 ppm. I would not increase the mag level by more than 100 ppm per day. This has been reported to work on some algae species other than Bryopsis. Tech M mag supplement seems to work best.
After that, you will need to pull rock out and do a lot of hand scrubbing while maintaining low nutrients levels.
After that, you will need to pull rock out and do a lot of hand scrubbing while maintaining low nutrients levels.
HighlandReefer
Team RC
I'm not sure what you have growing on your glass.
Fishingpcola:
Take a look here http://www.lionfishlair.com/hitchhiker/hitchhiker.shtml about 15 pics down
I think you have a Hydroid in the Medusa Stage.
Tim
Take a look here http://www.lionfishlair.com/hitchhiker/hitchhiker.shtml about 15 pics down
I think you have a Hydroid in the Medusa Stage.
Tim
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Fishingpcola
New member
Tim, you are correct. I use the magnet to clean the glass daily to wipe them off. Any ideas on how to remove?
Thanks,
Jarvis
zaitmi
Member
Are u talking to me bro. I dont have a Magnesium Test Kit. Plz help.
HighlandReefer
Team RC
zaitmi.
If you can provide your water parameters, filtration & other things you are currently doing to fight algae, perhaps I can help you further. A picture of your current tank would be helpful.
If you can provide your water parameters, filtration & other things you are currently doing to fight algae, perhaps I can help you further. A picture of your current tank would be helpful.
zaitmi
Member
zaitmi.
If you can provide your water parameters, filtration & other things you are currently doing to fight algae, perhaps I can help you further. A picture of your current tank would be helpful.
(1 year old : Sumpless 30 gallons)
Test Results :
Water replacement : 15% Twice a month.
Nitrates : 3ppm
Phosphates : 03mg/l
Calcium : 400 ppm (dose Randy 2 part also bought PurpleUp given 2 doses)
Alkalinity : 7dkh (dose Randy 2 part)
Ph : 8.4
Vodka Dosing : 1.4 ml daily.
Aqua C Remora Protien Skimmer with 1400ltr per hour p/head.
Lights : 15watts x 3 t5 and 20 watts x 2 Aquacoral(Actinic Blue).
Top filter : Activated carbon & Rowa phos running from last 3 months.
1no. 1400 ltr. powerhead for water circulation.
I will be adding tonight 2 brown leather mushroom corals tonight. i read/heard they are extreme hardy.
Current picture attached.
Awaiting for your reply. Thanks for the help.
Attachments
HighlandReefer
Team RC
Thanks for providing the information & especially the pics. 
It appears you have cyanobacteria growing on your sand bed and some algae on your glass & rock.
First the cyano:
Siphon your sand bed throughly until it is clean. This may release some nitrate & phosphate in your system. You will need to siphon your sand bed clean once per week as a maintenance procedure. I would run GFO and replace it weekly until your phosphate reads zero with what ever method you use to detect it. Remove the cyano as soon as you see it. Do not let it build-up. Run GAC and clean the GAC weekly. Replace it once per month. I would switch to vinegar dosing since many hobbyists including myself, seem to have less problems with cyano when dosing it. The amount you use will need to be increased per Genetics Vodka article except you use 8X more vinegar when replacing vodka.
Vodka Dosing...Distilled!
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/index.php
FWIW, the more I read about using carbon sources for nitrate reduction, the more I find using acetate (vinegar) is a better carbon source. My two cents.
Now the algae:
Scrape, siphon, brush and physically remove the algae as it develops. Do not let it grow much at all. This is normally a daily chore. If you keep at it, it will die out much quicker doing this. If you can take the rock out of your tank and scrub it daily, this is best. Run a filter bag to catch all remnants of the algae. Your problem is minor IMHO and with reducing nutrients as I have described along with keeping the algae and cyano out of your tank, it should be gone pretty quickly.
It appears you have cyanobacteria growing on your sand bed and some algae on your glass & rock.
First the cyano:
Siphon your sand bed throughly until it is clean. This may release some nitrate & phosphate in your system. You will need to siphon your sand bed clean once per week as a maintenance procedure. I would run GFO and replace it weekly until your phosphate reads zero with what ever method you use to detect it. Remove the cyano as soon as you see it. Do not let it build-up. Run GAC and clean the GAC weekly. Replace it once per month. I would switch to vinegar dosing since many hobbyists including myself, seem to have less problems with cyano when dosing it. The amount you use will need to be increased per Genetics Vodka article except you use 8X more vinegar when replacing vodka.
Vodka Dosing...Distilled!
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/index.php
FWIW, the more I read about using carbon sources for nitrate reduction, the more I find using acetate (vinegar) is a better carbon source. My two cents.
Now the algae:
Scrape, siphon, brush and physically remove the algae as it develops. Do not let it grow much at all. This is normally a daily chore. If you keep at it, it will die out much quicker doing this. If you can take the rock out of your tank and scrub it daily, this is best. Run a filter bag to catch all remnants of the algae. Your problem is minor IMHO and with reducing nutrients as I have described along with keeping the algae and cyano out of your tank, it should be gone pretty quickly.
HighlandReefer
Team RC
FWIW, I would hold off on buying any new organisms for your tank until you get the cyano and algae under control. You should quarantine any new occupants for a month under proper algae lighting to prevent disease and other algae pests from re-entering your tank. Prevention is the best policy when it comes to algae/cano or other fish diseases. It's like backing up your computer system. Back-up, back-up, back-up.
Thrashie
Not a lowlife 25%'er
maybe if this stuff pans out as well as it seems to be working, and long term maintenance keeps everything in check without killing off everything. Then maybe, just maybe, not so many people will quit this hobby out of frustration from pest algae.
I am happy to report, after 5 doses, i am 99.9% hair algae free! on saturday i went in with a toothbrush, and hose, and the algae just just fell off my rocks.
I just put in a 6th dose this Am for the final knockout punch for whats left and barely hanging on, and now i am going into weekly maintenance mode.
1.5 years of battling this stuff and watching it kill my corals..FINALLY, it's gone!
(pics comin next, being uploaded now)
I am happy to report, after 5 doses, i am 99.9% hair algae free! on saturday i went in with a toothbrush, and hose, and the algae just just fell off my rocks.
I just put in a 6th dose this Am for the final knockout punch for whats left and barely hanging on, and now i am going into weekly maintenance mode.
1.5 years of battling this stuff and watching it kill my corals..FINALLY, it's gone!
(pics comin next, being uploaded now)
HighlandReefer
Team RC
Thrashie,
:thumbsup:
It's nice to win a battle after 1.5 years.
If AF worked for all species of algae it would be wonderful. As it is, AF is the only algaecide labeled for a reef aquarium. Unfortunately, little research is being currently completed regarding algae control in reef tanks. Most current pest algae research is using very specific species of sea slugs & sea cucumbers for specific species of algae. Who knows, maybe the growers will catch on to this research and begin growing specific species of sea slugs and sea cucumbers to sell them for algae control for the stubborn algae like bryopsis, Derbesia and several others. Biological control for algae sounds like it may be the safest and most likely used down the road. They just need to discover natural diseases and enemies of these pests so they can be utilized.
:thumbsup:
It's nice to win a battle after 1.5 years.
If AF worked for all species of algae it would be wonderful. As it is, AF is the only algaecide labeled for a reef aquarium. Unfortunately, little research is being currently completed regarding algae control in reef tanks. Most current pest algae research is using very specific species of sea slugs & sea cucumbers for specific species of algae. Who knows, maybe the growers will catch on to this research and begin growing specific species of sea slugs and sea cucumbers to sell them for algae control for the stubborn algae like bryopsis, Derbesia and several others. Biological control for algae sounds like it may be the safest and most likely used down the road. They just need to discover natural diseases and enemies of these pests so they can be utilized.
zaitmi
Member
Reeflander*
First the cyano:*
Siphon your sand bed throughly until it is clean. This may release some nitrate & phosphate in your system. You will need to siphon your sand bed clean once per week as a maintenance procedure.*
How do i siphon my crushed coral, can u help me with a link like youtube, is thr any special instrument reqd ?
I would run GFO and replace it weekly until your phosphate reads zero with what ever method you use to detect it.
Okay i will do it and chk weekly.
*Remove the cyano as soon as you see it. Do not let it build-up. Run GAC and clean the GAC weekly. Replace it once per month.*
Fine.
I would switch to vinegar dosing since many hobbyists including myself, seem to have less problems with cyano when dosing it. The amount you use will need to be increased per Genetics Vodka article except you use 8X more vinegar when replacing vodka.*
Plz specify which vinegar and how much quantity, i am from India and we have our own local brands.
Vodka Dosing...Distilled!
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...nftt/index.php
Thanks for the link but i have already read this 3months back.
FWIW, the more I read about using carbon sources for nitrate reduction, the more I find using acetate (vinegar) is a better carbon source. My two cents.
Now the algae:*
Scrape, siphon, brush and physically remove the algae as it develops. Do not let it grow much at all. This is normally a daily chore. If you keep at it, it will die out much quicker doing this.*
Okay.
If you can take the rock out of your tank and scrub it daily, this is best.*
Not possible to do it daily but i will try to make it every sundays.
Run a filter bag to catch all remnants of the algae.*
What kind of filter bag, any pic. plz.
Your problem is minor IMHO and with reducing nutrients as I have described along with keeping the algae and cyano out of your tank, it should be gone pretty quickly. *
Thanks for the positive reply and help.
Awaitinf for your reply at the earliest.
First the cyano:*
Siphon your sand bed throughly until it is clean. This may release some nitrate & phosphate in your system. You will need to siphon your sand bed clean once per week as a maintenance procedure.*
How do i siphon my crushed coral, can u help me with a link like youtube, is thr any special instrument reqd ?
I would run GFO and replace it weekly until your phosphate reads zero with what ever method you use to detect it.
Okay i will do it and chk weekly.
*Remove the cyano as soon as you see it. Do not let it build-up. Run GAC and clean the GAC weekly. Replace it once per month.*
Fine.
I would switch to vinegar dosing since many hobbyists including myself, seem to have less problems with cyano when dosing it. The amount you use will need to be increased per Genetics Vodka article except you use 8X more vinegar when replacing vodka.*
Plz specify which vinegar and how much quantity, i am from India and we have our own local brands.
Vodka Dosing...Distilled!
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...nftt/index.php
Thanks for the link but i have already read this 3months back.
FWIW, the more I read about using carbon sources for nitrate reduction, the more I find using acetate (vinegar) is a better carbon source. My two cents.
Now the algae:*
Scrape, siphon, brush and physically remove the algae as it develops. Do not let it grow much at all. This is normally a daily chore. If you keep at it, it will die out much quicker doing this.*
Okay.
If you can take the rock out of your tank and scrub it daily, this is best.*
Not possible to do it daily but i will try to make it every sundays.
Run a filter bag to catch all remnants of the algae.*
What kind of filter bag, any pic. plz.
Your problem is minor IMHO and with reducing nutrients as I have described along with keeping the algae and cyano out of your tank, it should be gone pretty quickly. *
Thanks for the positive reply and help.
Awaitinf for your reply at the earliest.
HighlandReefer
Team RC
"How do i siphon my crushed coral, can u help me with a link like youtube, is thr any special instrument reqd ?"
This is a sand/gravel siphon like I use:
Crushed coral needs to be cleaned weekly. A proper sand mix is much better than crushed coral IMHO.
"Plz specify which vinegar and how much quantity, i am from India and we have our own local brands."
Pure clear distilled vinegar without any additives.
Follow the guidline in Genetics' article except use 8X as much vinegar as required for vodka.
"What kind of filter bag, any pic. plz"
A 60 to 100 micron mesh fitler bag is what most use. Needs to be cleaned at least weekly depending on buildup.
http://www.aquariumguys.com/filterbags.html
This is a sand/gravel siphon like I use:
Crushed coral needs to be cleaned weekly. A proper sand mix is much better than crushed coral IMHO.
"Plz specify which vinegar and how much quantity, i am from India and we have our own local brands."
Pure clear distilled vinegar without any additives.
Follow the guidline in Genetics' article except use 8X as much vinegar as required for vodka.
"What kind of filter bag, any pic. plz"
A 60 to 100 micron mesh fitler bag is what most use. Needs to be cleaned at least weekly depending on buildup.
http://www.aquariumguys.com/filterbags.html
zaitmi
Member
Reeflander
Thanks for the help. I will search these products and follow as per your recommendations. I will leaving my city this Sunday for 10 days. I will come back then i will follow the above. One last question how to use filter bag i mean should i keep activated carbon in them or what?
Thanks for the help. I will search these products and follow as per your recommendations. I will leaving my city this Sunday for 10 days. I will come back then i will follow the above. One last question how to use filter bag i mean should i keep activated carbon in them or what?
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