pico reef pest algae problem challenge
- Thread starter brandon429
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brandon429
Active member
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Yes Sir Id recommend not dosing the tank at all, rather removing the target rocks and treating externally then rinsing well in sw before reinstalling the rock
I know removing rocks is no fun but it at least gives you a chance to remove detritus up under them w nice big water changes matching temp and sg
this method of external tank treatment imports none back into the main tank after a nice rinse. this works for tanks with cleaner shrimp and decorative macros. ya'll better lob some pics at this thread nobody likes all verbiage lol I'll try to find some of mine when I get off work tonite and put up.
Newman and Reefmiser also gave me permission to use some of theirs I may.
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Yes Sir Id recommend not dosing the tank at all, rather removing the target rocks and treating externally then rinsing well in sw before reinstalling the rock
I know removing rocks is no fun but it at least gives you a chance to remove detritus up under them w nice big water changes matching temp and sg
this method of external tank treatment imports none back into the main tank after a nice rinse. this works for tanks with cleaner shrimp and decorative macros. ya'll better lob some pics at this thread nobody likes all verbiage lol I'll try to find some of mine when I get off work tonite and put up.
Newman and Reefmiser also gave me permission to use some of theirs I may.
brandon429
Active member
hope you get em well thats not a fun start to Christmas break. I just noticed a small spot of green hair algae in my bowl will do pics on that removal. will have to scrape a photo window in the coralline so the patch can be seen but it will be a nice documentation.
Brandon - how goes it bud?
Is there a reason you would advocate using peroxide over a product like Chemi-Clean. I have had great luck using it to kill the amounts of Cyano in my tank (along with physical removal and working to control my phosphates). Just to play Devil's Advocate, why would I chose the more time consuming task of peroxide scrubbing, which could impact other beneficial orgamisms vs the strategy I'm currently using?
Is there a reason you would advocate using peroxide over a product like Chemi-Clean. I have had great luck using it to kill the amounts of Cyano in my tank (along with physical removal and working to control my phosphates). Just to play Devil's Advocate, why would I chose the more time consuming task of peroxide scrubbing, which could impact other beneficial orgamisms vs the strategy I'm currently using?
brandon429
Active member
hey old tima! Either way is fine. I choose peroxide because chemi clean simply didn't kill the red brush algae that was killing my reefbowl. it barely made it stop growing, held for a month, then the brush algae was back with a vengeance.
one treatment w peroxide and the tips turn hot pink, then the whole organism, then white, then it falls off or can be removed.
chemi clean was also not a broad spectrum algaecide, was specific for targets and we are still finding new targets the peroxide wipes. everything tested so far
Based on the testing we've done with spot treatments we see no impact to benthic life I can't really find anything bad about peroxide. problems with peroxide come about in full tank dosing and with full submersion dips, depending on dilution ratios
with a spot treat and rinse, nothing dies at all only the target.
Im sure if boyds chemi clean would have killed my red brush algae Id be singing/posting its praises
I know from threads it works for some, but peroxide works 100% not just on some I choose/recommend it solely from the repeatability of the procedure (spot treatment)
in some situations where tank wide dosing has to be done there could be times boyds chemi clean might be safer.
one treatment w peroxide and the tips turn hot pink, then the whole organism, then white, then it falls off or can be removed.
chemi clean was also not a broad spectrum algaecide, was specific for targets and we are still finding new targets the peroxide wipes. everything tested so far
Based on the testing we've done with spot treatments we see no impact to benthic life I can't really find anything bad about peroxide. problems with peroxide come about in full tank dosing and with full submersion dips, depending on dilution ratios
with a spot treat and rinse, nothing dies at all only the target.
Im sure if boyds chemi clean would have killed my red brush algae Id be singing/posting its praises
I know from threads it works for some, but peroxide works 100% not just on some I choose/recommend it solely from the repeatability of the procedure (spot treatment)
in some situations where tank wide dosing has to be done there could be times boyds chemi clean might be safer.
nano_reefer2010
New member
I wish this thread was around a few weeks ago and I could have been a great tester. 70% of the rocks in my tank were COVERED with bryopsis. I ended up cutting off lights, blasting rocks with turkey baster, run refugium 24/7, and dose crazy amounts of Tech M. There is a small rock with some still left, but i put it in a separate container and doubled my Mag level in there. Three weeks and its still here. Any estimate how long it would take for H202 to have killed it off?
brandon429
Active member
You would see an effect on the bryopsis, bleaching, in about 3 days with a spot treatment its much faster than mg however mg maintenance is a fairly well proven methodology as well it just takes longer.
This is my test environment, the very old reefbowl. peroxide tolerances reveal themselves quickly in a one gallon reef packed with established corals and tons of benthic life like brittles, asterinas, pods, live rock sabellids/sponges etc
spot treatments preserve them all. I included a snapshot of a green hair algae area I noticed in the bowl that was treated with one drop of peroxide while the bowl was drained for a water change yesterday. it will be dead by this weekend, reduced to just a green pigment on the rock which will go away in a week and reveal a clean area again. Winning the war on algae means catching all pests when they are new areas and not a growing community.
Treating with peroxide removes the initial mass of algae in my tank, and it only grows back once every three months or so. I don't have to manage water params to have an algae free tank they are just kept within normal levels. I don't even test for phosphate, just weekly water changes and spot treats as needed. I find clean up crews ineffective manual removal is thorough.
peroxide is used to clean the tiny niches in the bowl to keep it extremely clean of algae and to keep green haze off the glass. the coral growth only allows so much room to work in, but placing a drop of peroxide is always easy.
This is my test environment, the very old reefbowl. peroxide tolerances reveal themselves quickly in a one gallon reef packed with established corals and tons of benthic life like brittles, asterinas, pods, live rock sabellids/sponges etc
spot treatments preserve them all. I included a snapshot of a green hair algae area I noticed in the bowl that was treated with one drop of peroxide while the bowl was drained for a water change yesterday. it will be dead by this weekend, reduced to just a green pigment on the rock which will go away in a week and reveal a clean area again. Winning the war on algae means catching all pests when they are new areas and not a growing community.
Treating with peroxide removes the initial mass of algae in my tank, and it only grows back once every three months or so. I don't have to manage water params to have an algae free tank they are just kept within normal levels. I don't even test for phosphate, just weekly water changes and spot treats as needed. I find clean up crews ineffective manual removal is thorough.
peroxide is used to clean the tiny niches in the bowl to keep it extremely clean of algae and to keep green haze off the glass. the coral growth only allows so much room to work in, but placing a drop of peroxide is always easy.
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Ohiomom
New member
K well I did take out some pieces and dipped them completely in a mix..only issue is I did not use a new bottle which I understand can make a difference. (was too tired to run to the store.) If I see no change I will go buy a new bottle..I did take pictures but need to upload them still and will do that tomm. I will say for some reason my tang is now super interested in those particular rocks..
brandon429
Active member
Ohiomom you reminded me of something I forgot to mention. For some reason the clean up crews and algae grazers -really- go for the algae, like they are supposed to, after we 'cook' it.
Its a recurring theme across algae threads. Mexican turbos that are hit and miss on red brush algae go crazy and crowd on top of it when its been baked by peroxide. My own ceriths come out and actually clean the glass after the haze builds up and I put some liquid burn on it. Indeed something changes in the structure of the algae and actually makes clean up crews do their job. it was mentioned on the peroxide thread from ReefMiser several times.
Maybe its like broccoli... raw its edible but not as good as steamy, soft, somehow the structure is changed by peroxide and we notice this nibbling phase as its turning white.
stuff is so powerful I bet even the weak bottle will kill your targets we'll know in a couple thanks for trying!
Its a recurring theme across algae threads. Mexican turbos that are hit and miss on red brush algae go crazy and crowd on top of it when its been baked by peroxide. My own ceriths come out and actually clean the glass after the haze builds up and I put some liquid burn on it. Indeed something changes in the structure of the algae and actually makes clean up crews do their job. it was mentioned on the peroxide thread from ReefMiser several times.
Maybe its like broccoli... raw its edible but not as good as steamy, soft, somehow the structure is changed by peroxide and we notice this nibbling phase as its turning white.
stuff is so powerful I bet even the weak bottle will kill your targets we'll know in a couple thanks for trying!
brandon429
Active member
after treating the spot is gone about 30 hours later. the coral banded shrimp picked the whole algae tuft off last nite during the melting phase after a peroxide dip.
my applicator is a pipette with airline tubing on it so I can work it down into the bowl onto the target while the bowl is drained. you can see the low water line in the application pic.
follow up shot taken just now, the spot is totally barren and I never touched it. I repeat this method a few times a year to force the tank to be totally clean of all algae regardless of water params, its fast and easy and much much simpler than chasing zero phosphate water.
my applicator is a pipette with airline tubing on it so I can work it down into the bowl onto the target while the bowl is drained. you can see the low water line in the application pic.
follow up shot taken just now, the spot is totally barren and I never touched it. I repeat this method a few times a year to force the tank to be totally clean of all algae regardless of water params, its fast and easy and much much simpler than chasing zero phosphate water.
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frog.pauley
New member
Ran across this today...am actually in the process of putting up a small tank to house my clowns, nem and a couple corals while i break down my 75. Was planning on doing this to sanitze my system and start over due to the insane amout of crap i am dealing with. So...I got a couple question...
Will dosing the entre tank harm my clowns? Will there be an impact on my nem? Everything else should be fine as i have found in the rest of the thread. If they will not be harmed i may start a dosage on my entire sytem and we will see what the effects can be on the absolute worst cases of a little of everything
Then again, I may set up my temporary tank then dose just to see what happens. My horrible luck, may turn out to be very informative for everyone else
Will dosing the entre tank harm my clowns? Will there be an impact on my nem? Everything else should be fine as i have found in the rest of the thread. If they will not be harmed i may start a dosage on my entire sytem and we will see what the effects can be on the absolute worst cases of a little of everything
Then again, I may set up my temporary tank then dose just to see what happens. My horrible luck, may turn out to be very informative for everyone else
brandon429
Active member
great pics Ohiomom, really great thank you for posting.
In the very early pages of the peroxide thread there were anemone tanks it was used on with mixed results. If there's any way you can drain the tank down or lift out the rocks and treat only the bad spots, that should be the way its done and then I am sure it will harm nothing.
there hasn't been any normal dose put into a tank that harmed a clown, I have seen them in pm's and other peroxide threads be totally insensitive to its use even when slightly overdosed. surely there is a caustic threshold but its not in the amounts you would be lightly dosing with.
as a general cleaner for tank parts, tubes, filter outlets etc where direct livestock contact isn't an issue its absolutely suited to tank cleaning and sludge removal.
when rinsed off it leaves no harmful traces
All of the peroxide Im talking about is the 3% version not the powerful stuff that is food grade or meant for cleaning purposes
what we are waiting three days for the food grade will do in 3 hours but it will burn your live rock permawhite this 3% is better. Ohiomom if it works that well there is nothing wrong with the mix you are using
the anemone should be viewed as sensitive to systemic peroxide additions. Heres where the spot of algae was in my tank:
In the very early pages of the peroxide thread there were anemone tanks it was used on with mixed results. If there's any way you can drain the tank down or lift out the rocks and treat only the bad spots, that should be the way its done and then I am sure it will harm nothing.
there hasn't been any normal dose put into a tank that harmed a clown, I have seen them in pm's and other peroxide threads be totally insensitive to its use even when slightly overdosed. surely there is a caustic threshold but its not in the amounts you would be lightly dosing with.
as a general cleaner for tank parts, tubes, filter outlets etc where direct livestock contact isn't an issue its absolutely suited to tank cleaning and sludge removal.
when rinsed off it leaves no harmful traces
All of the peroxide Im talking about is the 3% version not the powerful stuff that is food grade or meant for cleaning purposes
what we are waiting three days for the food grade will do in 3 hours but it will burn your live rock permawhite this 3% is better. Ohiomom if it works that well there is nothing wrong with the mix you are using
the anemone should be viewed as sensitive to systemic peroxide additions. Heres where the spot of algae was in my tank:
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frog.pauley
New member
gonna mull it over a bit. Think I am just gonna set up my temorary tank and sanitze my system. I may us this as an entire tank experiment to see what it does with dosing to the entire system. I will post results here and i will also start a new thread in the chemistry forum as well.
Ohiomom
New member
K well here is an update for anyone interested..yesterday I did not turn my lights on for one reason or another but here is today..as you can see there is a big difference..I think the clean up crew is just more interested in those rocks..but either way it is working and I will be doing more pieces.
p.s. I did not dip them again nor remove anything manually..
p.s. I did not dip them again nor remove anything manually..
brandon429
Active member
Ohiomom thank you for your participation!! the pics look wonderful~ its a very handy cheat, the h202 ace of spades
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brad65ford
New member
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brandon429
Active member
ReefMiser at RC posted that original thread and he did it in such a way that it convinced me to try it on my delicate pico earlier this year. he posted massive before and after pics that are shocking lol not a bad start...
once i got ahold of it in my bowl it was very easy to scale up the model for larger tanks, and across threads/forums the result is the same. Right now Im trying to start a thread on it w my friends in France (francenanorecif.com, cool forum, use chrome to xlate and go to town they are NICE- foreign lang. board chatting is cool, pics speak)
once i got ahold of it in my bowl it was very easy to scale up the model for larger tanks, and across threads/forums the result is the same. Right now Im trying to start a thread on it w my friends in France (francenanorecif.com, cool forum, use chrome to xlate and go to town they are NICE- foreign lang. board chatting is cool, pics speak)
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Ok I think my earlier post about not having any algae cursed me.
I have a small shell that came with a tailspot blenny last year and there was/is a small patch of GHA just like in Brandon's post above.
It will appear for a week or 3, I cut my feeding back and it disappears. It is like a gauge to my system.
Next time I am the store I will get some H2O2 and attack it. It should be pretty easy to work with out of the tank and I will try and get some pics of it.
Yeahz?
I have a small shell that came with a tailspot blenny last year and there was/is a small patch of GHA just like in Brandon's post above.
It will appear for a week or 3, I cut my feeding back and it disappears. It is like a gauge to my system.
Next time I am the store I will get some H2O2 and attack it. It should be pretty easy to work with out of the tank and I will try and get some pics of it.
Yeahz?
