muppet
Misanthrope
I dosed AlgaeFix for a month before I got good results. I didn't try a blackout, though.
You're only supposed to dose it every 3 days, so 4 days should be a total of 2 doses, max? Did you read the bottle?
AlgaeFix Marine to control Hair Algae
- Thread starter HighlandReefer
- Start date
I dosed AlgaeFix for a month before I got good results. I didn't try a blackout, though.
You're only supposed to dose it every 3 days, so 4 days should be a total of 2 doses, max? Did you read the bottle?
HighlandReefer
Team RC
When using AF alone without lights out, it takes an average of around 6-7 doses to gain control of many algae species. If after 10 doses and no effects, I would cut dosing off and look to other control methods. AF does not control all algae species. 
HighlandReefer
Team RC
Yes, lots of rock work makes thing difficult. In your situation, it seems the AF is working, so prolonged dosing is in order IMHO. Watch any macro-algae you may have, as AF can wipe them out if you dose long enough.
muppet
Misanthrope
I've noticed. My chaeto was wiped out utterly. I have a huge mess in the bottom of my engineered sump that I still haven't managed to clean out. I'm tempted to take a shop vac to it because I don't know what else to do. My LR rubble chamber is COVERED in dead/dying GHA and chaeto and it must be pumping waste into the rest of my system like crazy.
I also lost 90% of my snails. ALL of my trochus and astrea are dead. Nassarius and Nerites survived.
I'm done dosing. I need to balance my chemistry and restock my CuC.
I also lost 90% of my snails. ALL of my trochus and astrea are dead. Nassarius and Nerites survived.
I'm done dosing. I need to balance my chemistry and restock my CuC.
HighlandReefer
Team RC
At this point, concentrate on getting all the debris out of your tank. Certainly this debris can cause higher ammonia levels and such which can cause problems. I had to remove a mass of dead Chaeto out of my tank after about the 12th dose. I continued as an experiment dosing AF for quite a bit longer without any effects on snails, coral and such. I woudl not recommend going much past 10 doses unless you clean everyting up first and see if you still have live algae. If so, dose again or at perhaps a weekly interval at that point. You may have to play this by what occurs.
muppet
Misanthrope
I pulled as much of the dead chaeto out by hand as I could. I have an engineered sump and access is limited. I would have to use a shop vac to remove the rest and I"m sort of hesitant to do it. Can't siphon because the sump is on the floor, more or less. I'm afraid of contaminating my system somehow with a dirty shop vac, not sure how to clean the nozzle, and I'm also not sure how fast it's going to empty the entire volume of water from my sump.
I'll have to figure something out but after a week of sleeping on it I'm no closer.
I'll have to figure something out but after a week of sleeping on it I'm no closer.
Woznickiaj
Member
Yes absolutely. Im sorry i didnt give a more of a detailed explanation. I did one dose last week then i decided 3 days later i was going to black out for 4 days with my second dose and uncover with a third dosehere may be light. But yes i did read the bottle wise guy!
AquamanSE
New member
Ok....
It may have already been said in this thread but the only way to get rid of GHA is to jack up ur Mag to 1600+ & let the lights burn it up! Wont hurt your corals/fish. I have heard that the Tech/kent product is best but I have done with this with Aquavitro as I had it on hand. Took about 2 full weeks but it was covering egg crate! May sound crazy until you see it for your self!
It may have already been said in this thread but the only way to get rid of GHA is to jack up ur Mag to 1600+ & let the lights burn it up! Wont hurt your corals/fish. I have heard that the Tech/kent product is best but I have done with this with Aquavitro as I had it on hand. Took about 2 full weeks but it was covering egg crate! May sound crazy until you see it for your self!
HighlandReefer
Team RC
There are many different species of algae in the ocean and therefore possible in our tanks. Not all algae react to treatment methods the same including AF and elevating the mag level. If one don't work, try another. If neither work, you are left with mechanically removing the algae while maintaining proper water parameters.
Jon_Hewett_85
Member
IME TechM works on Bryopsis and not GHA. Also, dumping a bunch of chemicals into your tank isn't going to help you in the long run. The ONLY way to get a handle on an algae problem long term is to fix the SOURCE of the problem: excessive nutrients. These can come from many places, too much food, bound up in rock/substrate, source water, etc. You need to figure out where you're nutrients are coming from and eliminate/minimize them at the source.
Secondly, you need to EXPORT nutrients from the system. Skimmers, chemical media, macro algae, manual removeal, water changes, etc. If you are dosing something to kill the algea it is only a temporary fix. Once the algae dies, all of the nutrients that were bound up within the algae are simple released back into the system, leading to another algae bloom down the road. Dieoff's associated with chemical dosing (i.e. cleanup crews) only compounds the problem, with the dieoff adding more nutrients and further fueling more algae.
Algae battles can be a long arduous process, but patients and diligence win out in the end. A formula that works for many people I have found:
1) Verify youre souce water. Replace your RO/DI cartridges if you use one. If purchasing water, test it, and start saving for an RO/DI so you KNOW it's clean.
2) However much you're feeding, cut it WAAAYYY back. I recomend at least by 50%. It doesn't how much you are feeding. If it's only 1 cube, cut it in half. If it's 10, cubes cut it in half. Rinse frozen food before feeding and shoot for foods low in phosphates.
3) Cut your light cycle back. I would cut back to something like 6 hours. Maybe less, depending on what corals you have in the tank. If you don't have any photosynthetic organisms, kill the lights completely, fish will be fine with ambient light.
4)Manually remove as much of the algae as humanly possibly. Scrubbing, siphoning, however you need to. I know it sucks, but it's a necessary step
5)Black out the tank. Completely. Cover the tank and shut the lights off for 2 or 3 days. There are many posts in RC detailing this step. Make sure to immediately follow this with a LARGE water change. The bigger the better, 50% or larger.
6) Get some macro going. Be it in a fuge, a ball of chaeto in your sump, some chaeto in an HOB filter, overflow, etc.
7) WATER CHANGES!!! Do lots of them. Declare all out war on detritus. Get as much of it out of your system as possible, siphon your sand bed religiously, eliminate dead spots behind the rocks, blow it all out of nooks and cranies in the rock. The solution to polution is dilution.
8) Check the age of your bulbs. While rarely responsible for an algae bloom, aging bulbs can fuel one, an exacerbate an existing problem.
9) Skimmer: If you don't have one, get one. If you have a crappy one, upgrade. If you have a good one, keep it clean!
10)Do another water change.
Is this a lot of hard work? YES! Is it work it in the end? ABSOLUTELY!
Fancy seeing you here Toadally
Secondly, you need to EXPORT nutrients from the system. Skimmers, chemical media, macro algae, manual removeal, water changes, etc. If you are dosing something to kill the algea it is only a temporary fix. Once the algae dies, all of the nutrients that were bound up within the algae are simple released back into the system, leading to another algae bloom down the road. Dieoff's associated with chemical dosing (i.e. cleanup crews) only compounds the problem, with the dieoff adding more nutrients and further fueling more algae.
Algae battles can be a long arduous process, but patients and diligence win out in the end. A formula that works for many people I have found:
1) Verify youre souce water. Replace your RO/DI cartridges if you use one. If purchasing water, test it, and start saving for an RO/DI so you KNOW it's clean.
2) However much you're feeding, cut it WAAAYYY back. I recomend at least by 50%. It doesn't how much you are feeding. If it's only 1 cube, cut it in half. If it's 10, cubes cut it in half. Rinse frozen food before feeding and shoot for foods low in phosphates.
3) Cut your light cycle back. I would cut back to something like 6 hours. Maybe less, depending on what corals you have in the tank. If you don't have any photosynthetic organisms, kill the lights completely, fish will be fine with ambient light.
4)Manually remove as much of the algae as humanly possibly. Scrubbing, siphoning, however you need to. I know it sucks, but it's a necessary step
5)Black out the tank. Completely. Cover the tank and shut the lights off for 2 or 3 days. There are many posts in RC detailing this step. Make sure to immediately follow this with a LARGE water change. The bigger the better, 50% or larger.
6) Get some macro going. Be it in a fuge, a ball of chaeto in your sump, some chaeto in an HOB filter, overflow, etc.
7) WATER CHANGES!!! Do lots of them. Declare all out war on detritus. Get as much of it out of your system as possible, siphon your sand bed religiously, eliminate dead spots behind the rocks, blow it all out of nooks and cranies in the rock. The solution to polution is dilution.
8) Check the age of your bulbs. While rarely responsible for an algae bloom, aging bulbs can fuel one, an exacerbate an existing problem.
9) Skimmer: If you don't have one, get one. If you have a crappy one, upgrade. If you have a good one, keep it clean!
10)Do another water change.
Is this a lot of hard work? YES! Is it work it in the end? ABSOLUTELY!
Fancy seeing you here Toadally
HighlandReefer
Team RC
Jon,
Well stated.
:thumbsup:
Well stated.
:thumbsup:
AquamanSE
New member
I agree Jon,
However the situation is always different. In mine it was a new frag tank about 1 month old when it took over. After treatment which worked a miracle old fashioned water change came into play, GFO & serious skimming. Now I remember why I haven't posted in so long!
However the situation is always different. In mine it was a new frag tank about 1 month old when it took over. After treatment which worked a miracle old fashioned water change came into play, GFO & serious skimming. Now I remember why I haven't posted in so long!
Jon_Hewett_85
Member
Michael, well, I do like frags and beer.
Just to hammer this point home, NONE of this will work by itself. You can do manual removal and water changes if you won't cut back on feeding. Long term you're back at square 1. You have to be willing to fightthis battle on multiple fronts..
Just to hammer this point home, NONE of this will work by itself. You can do manual removal and water changes if you won't cut back on feeding. Long term you're back at square 1. You have to be willing to fightthis battle on multiple fronts..
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