Hydrogen Perioxide to prevent disease introduction?

[inktomi]

Hi -

I was over in the Zoanthids forum, and they're talking about using H2O2 dips to cure fungus and kill of algae that's on new plugs.

I have been using Coral RX dips on new frags just to be safe - but I was wondering if anyone here used Hydrogen Peroxide on their new SPS frags/colonies, and if so - how to go about using it? This chemical is so commonly available, having a good procedure that SPS withstands well could be a great resource as a proactive dip before new items are introduced to the tank.

 

[tankaddict]

I wouldnt do it, zoanthids can tolerate a lot more stress than sps. H202 dip is probably as bad as fresh water dipping sps.

 

[betamed]

I have used a 20% solution on frags and zoas can handle it. Lps and monti have come out stressed and I will not use it on them again. I think most acros would not do well at all I like the bayer insect control dip for them.

 

[Dapg8gt]

I've tried it on a blue acro.. No bueno.. Also killed a ricordea with it. Works great for spot treating algae.. Mixed full dip on zoas. Worked always except for a frag of captain America's ,they were affected for about a month.. FWIW..

 

[Finland]

I used it on my frag tank for a dino problem. I dosed 1ml per 10gal. Cleared up the dinos after 3 days. Zoas closed up for a little while right after dosing and the sps showed no immediate signs of stress, but after dosing for 3 days, the sps started looking a little stressed. Never tried it for a dip, but I wouldn't recommend it. I have heard of dipping just the plug, not the coral to clear up algae growth on the plug.

 

[Dexters Reef]

I use it to spot treat small algae spots as they appear, one time I got it on a mushroom and the mushroom looked like it turned inside out for a day, but it recovered fine. Another time I got a few drops on my birdsnest, and that section immediately bleached, but healed in a few days as well.

I wouldnt reccomend letting it touch SPS directly if possible. Zoos are very tolerant and can survive it though.

 

[inktomi]

Very interesting. Some of the folks over there mentioned full on dips of SPS, but they may have been talking about just the plug.

How much do you need to drop onto the algae to kill it? A drop after drying with a paper towel? This might be a good way to sterilize plugs just in case before adding to a tank.

 

[inktomi]

Very interesting. Some of the folks over there mentioned full on dips of SPS, but they may have been talking about just the plug.

How much do you need to drop onto the algae to kill it? A drop after drying with a paper towel? This might be a good way to sterilize plugs just in case before adding to a tank.

 

[Dexters Reef]

I take out the live rock / frag with the algae, dry off the algae spots, and drip the hydrogen peroxide on the algae...enough to saturate it (many drops), and I avoid letting it touch the coral. After the algae is all wet with the peroxide, I drop a little more in the area around the algae, because algae thats spreading and just starting to grow is very hard to see.

Let it sit for 5 minutes out of the tank (no water), then I just place back in the tank. You will get some bubbles coming out of the algae for the first few minutes, doesnt harm anything. Then just leave it in the tank, and in 3-4 days the algae is gone.

MANY times I added the h2o2 to the surrounding area just to be safe, and after 2-3 days I see all these TINY bits of algae turn white or orange, that normally are too small to see. If I didnt dose the whole area, then that would have gone undetected and just grown out forcing me to have to repeat the process. So now I just make sure the algae itself is all saturated, and also the surrounding area to be safe