pico reef pest algae problem challenge

[brandon429]

Personally id like to know if i'm allowed to mail it or not as well we need a shipper to chime in someone here is a shipper or married to one its a statistical certainty

But here's how I found it

Locate a store that specializes in an inventory of assorted powders, extracts and unregulated vitamin supplements with pictures of fit people prominently displayed. they sell it for 20 bucks a quart

like so many other nefarious substances, part of the sale is that you can bathe in it. They give you dilution cupfuls for a bath right on the bottle


Its also marked as a food cleaner, laundry agent and mouthwash right on the 35% label and dilution is covered but i'm still surprised how accessible is this bubbly that warped my Formica in pics a few pages ago

35% is mean, snarly, I want to burn through your latex glove anyway fun fluid and health food stores are the hidden source.

 

[brandon429]

not nationwide ones like GNC the mom and pop health food stores, I googled "health food store lubbock" and found it on like the second call.


Napi for sure 35% or lesser diluted would burn it but Ive never seen anything but new 3% required for any reef invader except tough microalgae on the glass thats really bad. that took 35%, Im stumped a little as to why you didn't get faster dieoff even from a half dose. If we keep pressing we'll find the cause, the success rate is very high for peroxide if pics are the currency...

 

[Napi Napoli]

Ok, I just took my test piece and dipped half of it in a 100% H202 for 2min.

Let's see what happens!!

 

[brandon429]

Nice! I can't wait to find something that yields results then we'll press hard on upscaling that to the rest of the tank

We are working on reversing a years worth of algal biomass that progressed unchecked, im not worried about a slower start because once we find the 'mode' your tank needs previous peroxide pics say it will start to revert back to clean

Your peroxide was brand new, unopened and had the seal on it before you dosed the 50 50 right?

Last nite I was thinking of ways that large tank owners can concentrate peroxide onto targets while keeping the tank full and not removing rocks, still need help brainstorming but just kicking around ideas...

Imagine taking a large square of Saran wrap plastic and submerging/conforming it to the rock surface over a particularly gnarly patch of algae anchored to the rock...pumps off so it won't be ripped away. You can use sewing pins around the perimeter to lock it into place pretty well...so it would be a little tarped area on your rock over a 1'x1' target area, harmless so far.

Then you take a fairly generous syringe + needle, maybe a 20 gauge or so, and inject whatever dilution of peroxide right through the tarp where for a brief time the solution is concentrated over the target. It will leak out slowly and disperse into the tank but this is an easy concentration tactic worth considering, seems like its not a lot of work compared to tank disassembly

since a full 7 minute 50 50 didn't work for you i'm not sure how this would work, but for the vast majority of other tanks showing results off diluted 3% it might be a nice concentrator

Nacl I wonder how that would work for you in a test area now that we are preparing for tankwide dosing

The area under the plastic and surrounding the target will hold a better concentration of peroxide longer that we'd see just dosing the tank or even the submerged spot dose approach

 

[aka_lal]

Hi Brandon,

You're right, I'm dosing from 5 ml to 10 ml per 50 gallons.

And what you mean that you get turf algae twice a year? ÃŽ really want to eradicate the thing from my tank. Hate it!!!

 

[brandon429]

Maybe that explains some of your recurring problem, mine is never truly eradicated

But it went from wrecking my tank, uncontrollable by any means, into totally submissive such that a little pops up every few mos and I kill it with one drop during a drained water change. Considering the power of this algae I think this is wonderful!

I'm not sure it can be eradicated. But it is now super easy to kill

 

[rk_tek]

I have the tank on NR that Brandon just linked. I have been battling neomeris for a long time and am thankful that this solution is working. For the big tank owners or those with giant - I am wondering if there is a way to gel h2o2 so it could be applied to the affected areas. I'm not a science guy, leave that to the rest of the family, but could 35% peroxide be mixed with pure gelatin or ultrasound gel? I don't know the effect this would have on a reef tank. Gelatin is just protein chains. It might give your skimmer a workout.
*this is just an idea, don't start dumping gelatin in your tank yet

 

[brandon429]

I think that's a great idea-what about a partially frozen slurry, can you even freeze peroxide and retain the o2 must ask Randy...would have to find a binder that's negatively buoyant but it would be neat if you could submerge inject a heavy fluid that would linger with pumps off...

 

[Napi Napoli]

Ok 72hrs later on a 50/50 on the whole rock and 24 hrs later on the lower half the rock with a 100%H202

The H202 was new but could it of been old at the store???

What next

 

[brandon429]

Guess so, when I look at all the linked threads no pictures of mixed green algae communities show resistance to even diluted 3%, something isn't right...well, do you have access to 35%?

 

[Napi Napoli]

I was going to order some off of Ebay. Is 35% safe for fish

 

[Napi Napoli]

I just figured out that Hydroponics shops sell it but it's on 29%

 

[brandon429]

It can be diluted safe back to any percentage, be sure not to ever touch it or get in any eye those stronger mixes are dangerous but that is cool you have access

Try to test and post back i'm curious

If your tank won't respond to a dilution treatment 1-3% I would not treat with any inhabitant in the tank

We have to consider it nuclear now in my opinion...I sure wish we could find 3% that works so your tank could be cleaned with little work but something isn't lining up. There's no way it could survive 20+% but now id look into nuclear remove everything to a holding tank and treat the rock and tank water with a powerful dose.

as the thread progresses more tanks will appear with dense, low profile algae growth that will help to look for details in why your rock won't respond...

There is no requirement to consider peroxide either, online threads show lots of nuclear cleaning/redoing options

If we had to give up on peroxide it would be neat if you would mail me a sample rock with some of it for me to culture and test. Id write up a new/separate thread to analyze the first green algae noted as peroxide resistant

 

[Napi Napoli]

Just bought this. New test to follow

 

[brandon429]

That's bad! Has to work can't wait to see

 

[Napi Napoli]

So 24hrs and 3 burns on my arms later 100% 29%H202 My new test piece still looks bad but is a tiny bit lighter green

BEFORE


AFTER


I'm starting to think something is up with this rock....,,,,,

 

[brandon429]

Yes sir what you have is rock from mars with algae ran by poly helical monster Dna

At least there's some change but honestly that's the result I expected off 50 50 initial dip!

On that test rock, with no more dips i'm interested in what it will look like by Sunday

I'm not sure how we'll extrapolate this test to your tank but I don't see how we'll get results treating anything with animals in the tank, nuke option looks to be only option

The Burns suck I know! First night I brought home 35% I got it all over my hand, seems like a nerve damage burn lol but it goes away in like 3 hours

 

[brandon429]

When I first pmd you to try this method I had no idea it would be this resistant for you! That being said, if 29% isn't instant kill I sure don't know a conventional method that would have worked...

All other forms of rock dipping in 3% turn out like this recent rock of heavy mixed algae communities from the nr.com site:
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=301417

 

[rk_tek]

Well, I'm a believer in h2o2. My tank has been turned around in 3 days

 

[brandon429]

Rk can you take a new after picture

It will help others with neomeris to see that back to back before and after, its shocking when paired like that...your first in tank picture before treatment and then one from tonite is awesome in a post!