Dexters Reef
New member
Took a look this morning, and couldnt believe the progress. Will post pics later today
pico reef pest algae problem challenge
- Thread starter brandon429
- Start date
Dexters Reef
New member
Updated pics
Yes, my hogfish HAS to be in every picture. He thinks it's feeding time whenever I look at the tank
View attachment 205004
Yes, my hogfish HAS to be in every picture. He thinks it's feeding time whenever I look at the tank
View attachment 205004
Last edited:
Ok I have a question for you Brandon:
In these smaller systems it is always mentioned that CA can be used as an age reference but if we are killing it all then without a thread build how can we tell how old a tank is?
Sadly my tank looks brand new now and it looks like it would be less than 6 months old. The only way I could tell would be the zoa growth pattern on the rock work.
In these smaller systems it is always mentioned that CA can be used as an age reference but if we are killing it all then without a thread build how can we tell how old a tank is?
Sadly my tank looks brand new now and it looks like it would be less than 6 months old. The only way I could tell would be the zoa growth pattern on the rock work.
brandon429
Active member
Dexter thats a 70%~ reduction looking sharp, youd be surprised how fast a new bottle works, but that tuft was pretty thick any juice would take a few days to hack on it lol
a retreat won't hurt just to speed up
Kafuda,
My best advice draws on my gallon reefbowl for comparison...I use 35% as drain and treats by comparison, which limits contact time, and my coralline is still plague levels. I purposely burn some of it with direct treatments to keep it off glass but within the next month its right back to normal
so Id ask, whats your primary mode of treatment? my drain and treats drain the tank, install the peroxide, wait 4 mins to burn, refill tank with old water which is now burning everything with peroxide shortly, then its all changed out with new water such that total tank contact with peroxide is like 20 seconds max (in between the second refill and drain with new water re added)
so thats a short actual contact time for the peroxide on my systemic coralline
are you dosing the whole tank? just wondering, I thought you were spot treating externally and that should only affect the coralline on the treated spots
next I have to ask how are you selecting for coralline's best growth rate>?
water changes alone don't compare to tanks using c balance, its a ridiculous CA accelerator, our pico reefs get tons of it so that may not make for a fair comparison of coralline growth rates between undosed/dosed systems
a retreat won't hurt just to speed up
Kafuda,
My best advice draws on my gallon reefbowl for comparison...I use 35% as drain and treats by comparison, which limits contact time, and my coralline is still plague levels. I purposely burn some of it with direct treatments to keep it off glass but within the next month its right back to normal
so Id ask, whats your primary mode of treatment? my drain and treats drain the tank, install the peroxide, wait 4 mins to burn, refill tank with old water which is now burning everything with peroxide shortly, then its all changed out with new water such that total tank contact with peroxide is like 20 seconds max (in between the second refill and drain with new water re added)
so thats a short actual contact time for the peroxide on my systemic coralline
are you dosing the whole tank? just wondering, I thought you were spot treating externally and that should only affect the coralline on the treated spots
next I have to ask how are you selecting for coralline's best growth rate>?
water changes alone don't compare to tanks using c balance, its a ridiculous CA accelerator, our pico reefs get tons of it so that may not make for a fair comparison of coralline growth rates between undosed/dosed systems
brandon429
Active member
also not everyone would mind not having a coralline prob, unless you just like the colors like I do. I date tank pics using that but its really just to hack on people who are overstating the age of the tank 
just nerds picking on one another lol
if coral is fine and tank is algae free and ion levels are correct most wouldn't miss the coralline. I think a tank looks bare without it so I would, are you the same kafuda?
just nerds picking on one another lolif coral is fine and tank is algae free and ion levels are correct most wouldn't miss the coralline. I think a tank looks bare without it so I would, are you the same kafuda?
I approve of this and would be happy with a tank (CAOWLR) of just this:
I had some doing this in my tank but it died but I saw some CA on my glass and in a few areas last night so I am hoping it will return.
I drain all of my water, spot treat, fill it back, drain, and exchange. I have been playing Where is Waldo though with my gha for the last several months and had just about beaten it, when I decided to feed the tank (bristleworms etc) and it came back. I will treat one area like one of the rocks, kill the algae and a new area will pop up several days later. I will treat that new area and so on so I have treated the entire tank on several occassions it seems. I have a huge amount of surface area of rock: two sides, back wall, floor, and additional rock formations.
The gha is milky green in color so I know it isn't very healthy right now and if I continue I hope to have it all gone by the end of October.
This popping up makes me wonder if by killing the existing gha I am providing available nutrients to the rest of the tank. Instead of me breaking the cycle I am continuing it. I wonder if some poly filter would help.
As far as dosing I have always used pickling lime in the top off water and had added a specific amount each day but I have increased it to all water being kalkwater. I also dose Mg at a concentration.
I am by no means in a rush and still enjoy each step of the journey. The strange thing about my tank is I rarely have any CA on the front glass even when I had the greatest amount on the rocks.
Also my entire reef was DIY rock with hydralic water stop so I wonder if during the best growth the rock was buffering the water and now the rock would be adding to the phosphates in the sytem since it is a smaller sytem with a large amount of rock.
But as you said, my coral is growing etc. so I cannot complain too much.
Thanks and sorry for the long read.
+1 to dripping kalk and you wouldn't believe the growth, I have coralline algae that grows into caps in my tank
I had some doing this in my tank but it died but I saw some CA on my glass and in a few areas last night so I am hoping it will return.
I drain all of my water, spot treat, fill it back, drain, and exchange. I have been playing Where is Waldo though with my gha for the last several months and had just about beaten it, when I decided to feed the tank (bristleworms etc) and it came back. I will treat one area like one of the rocks, kill the algae and a new area will pop up several days later. I will treat that new area and so on so I have treated the entire tank on several occassions it seems. I have a huge amount of surface area of rock: two sides, back wall, floor, and additional rock formations.
The gha is milky green in color so I know it isn't very healthy right now and if I continue I hope to have it all gone by the end of October.
This popping up makes me wonder if by killing the existing gha I am providing available nutrients to the rest of the tank. Instead of me breaking the cycle I am continuing it. I wonder if some poly filter would help.
As far as dosing I have always used pickling lime in the top off water and had added a specific amount each day but I have increased it to all water being kalkwater. I also dose Mg at a concentration.
I am by no means in a rush and still enjoy each step of the journey. The strange thing about my tank is I rarely have any CA on the front glass even when I had the greatest amount on the rocks.
Also my entire reef was DIY rock with hydralic water stop so I wonder if during the best growth the rock was buffering the water and now the rock would be adding to the phosphates in the sytem since it is a smaller sytem with a large amount of rock.
But as you said, my coral is growing etc. so I cannot complain too much.
Thanks and sorry for the long read.
Dexters Reef
New member
I dont have an updated picture, but as of today, the rock is bare and there is no HA on it. I am a fan of this method.
I have a question, in another tank, a frag I picked up had a brown/red stiff algae on it. It is short, approx .25" in height, and feels like toothbrush bristles. It has spread small amounts to two other frags. Will peroxide kill this stuff as well?
Will the peroxide harm mushroom corals or a birdsnest frag?
I have a question, in another tank, a frag I picked up had a brown/red stiff algae on it. It is short, approx .25" in height, and feels like toothbrush bristles. It has spread small amounts to two other frags. Will peroxide kill this stuff as well?
Will the peroxide harm mushroom corals or a birdsnest frag?
brandon429
Active member
Kafuda that's the meanest coralline shot I've seen mine is no where near that nice, just messy enough to block the view in critical places lol
Dexter it will kill red brush type algae but it takes five days. I wouldn't dip the frags, id paint on peroxide with a little brush and keep it off the polyps
Dexter it will kill red brush type algae but it takes five days. I wouldn't dip the frags, id paint on peroxide with a little brush and keep it off the polyps
I agree and it would be an incredible display in a 2.5 with a pom pom crab or two.
I would make the rock all flat and arch out from the walls and above the floor to maximize surface area.
I would make the rock all flat and arch out from the walls and above the floor to maximize surface area.
Dexters Reef
New member
Thanks for the tip! Fortunately the pieces of reddish algae are not touching corals, so it will be easy to add directly. Just wanted to make sure the bubbles it gives off won't hurt my sps
They are also much smaller than my gha "colony" from my other posts. This red stuff is small .25" - .5" groups.
I know exactly what frag it came from, and where I got the frag from. I remember trying to scrub it off when I got it and a few weeks later it was starting to reappear and spread on the frag plug. Now 2 months later it magically popped up on 2 more nearby frags.
I'll take some pics also to document progress. I might have to apply twice.
After I apply it, should I let it sit for 5 minutes and then rinse with saltwater? Or rinse with plain RODI?
They are also much smaller than my gha "colony" from my other posts. This red stuff is small .25" - .5" groups.
I know exactly what frag it came from, and where I got the frag from. I remember trying to scrub it off when I got it and a few weeks later it was starting to reappear and spread on the frag plug. Now 2 months later it magically popped up on 2 more nearby frags.
I'll take some pics also to document progress. I might have to apply twice.
After I apply it, should I let it sit for 5 minutes and then rinse with saltwater? Or rinse with plain RODI?
Last edited:
brandon429
Active member
Just a quick sw rinse w do
jayinh
New member
I need some help... I have been battleing byopsis for about 2 months, I have posted in reef chem before and have been given lots of advice. I want to try peroxide on the entire tank as i cant get to all the areas affected. I need advise on how and what to do... I am at the point of throwing in the towel if this does not work!
i have tried the tech m route and no luck, i have also doubled up on GFO, wet skim, water changes and no luck. its all over the tank. I scrubbed every area i could and it comes back, seems to have slowed up on speed of return but it does come back. here is a pic of one area to give you an idea. I will work on a full tank shot.
BRANDON PLEASE HELP.......
http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr360/jayinh/bryopsis.jpg[/IMG
[IMG]http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr360/jayinh/BRYOPSISFTS.jpg
i have tried the tech m route and no luck, i have also doubled up on GFO, wet skim, water changes and no luck. its all over the tank. I scrubbed every area i could and it comes back, seems to have slowed up on speed of return but it does come back. here is a pic of one area to give you an idea. I will work on a full tank shot.
BRANDON PLEASE HELP.......
http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr360/jayinh/bryopsis.jpg[/IMG
[IMG]http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr360/jayinh/BRYOPSISFTS.jpg
Last edited:
brandon429
Active member
Now that's a true, true challenge Jay, thanks for posting. Not that killing bryopsis is hard, any time you contact peroxide to it it dies in that spot permanently, but I spy some details in your fts that will set our brainstorm in motion, they are:
brandon429
Active member
-the twinkling antennae of a Lysmata cleaner up under the acro cave (sensitive species list)
-exquisitely placed lr with grown in, not frag plug, sps. Sps are not sensitive, that's nice.people assume because they are tricky to grow peroxide must be lethal, its not, they are among the most genetically hardy genera for peroxide use. Direct contact will burn, and it will regrow, but they tolerate diluted dips and accidental splashes and tank wide doses better than most corals
Disassembling the rock is last option...the nuke stage for your tank should involve peroxide and nothing else because you won't have to recycle the setup. Nuking simply means taking the scape apart and spot treating, externally, every surface with bryopsis
Not nuking means we fix it with no scape takedown
-low level infestation concentrated on back walls I see and some areas in the primary visual field, this is not bad. Its your Cindy Crawford fine rockwork that is daunting
The anemone and shrimp are your two sensitives
-exquisitely placed lr with grown in, not frag plug, sps. Sps are not sensitive, that's nice.people assume because they are tricky to grow peroxide must be lethal, its not, they are among the most genetically hardy genera for peroxide use. Direct contact will burn, and it will regrow, but they tolerate diluted dips and accidental splashes and tank wide doses better than most corals
Disassembling the rock is last option...the nuke stage for your tank should involve peroxide and nothing else because you won't have to recycle the setup. Nuking simply means taking the scape apart and spot treating, externally, every surface with bryopsis
Not nuking means we fix it with no scape takedown
-low level infestation concentrated on back walls I see and some areas in the primary visual field, this is not bad. Its your Cindy Crawford fine rockwork that is daunting
The anemone and shrimp are your two sensitives
Last edited:
jayinh
New member
LOL, thanks for replying brandon. if the cleaners and fire shrimp can be caught i will place them in a nano tank i have. the pic does not show how bad the tank is infected either, you may remeber a while back i posted, i scrubbed every inch i could get to . its coming back but the pic does not show in detail.
I am really not wanting to pull all the rock out, some is glued together and will be a PITB. I would like to try a whole tank dose and am willing to what ever that involves...this is my LAST resort before i part out the tank and bail on the hobby
whatever you recomend for my situation is what i will do, i have faith in you...
please help
I am really not wanting to pull all the rock out, some is glued together and will be a PITB. I would like to try a whole tank dose and am willing to what ever that involves...this is my LAST resort before i part out the tank and bail on the hobby
whatever you recomend for my situation is what i will do, i have faith in you...
please help
brandon429
Active member
So just going after low hanging fruit first, which bryopsis rocks can you remove, spot treat, rinse well, and reinstall? That's a Morale booster right off the bat, to watch your target die selectively, its motivational to consider ripping apart more rocks to dip cuz that's fast/easy, and if rinsed well it imports no peroxide to test sensitives
brandon429
Active member
And I don't blame you for wanting to do a full tank treatment that's one big tank
Try to remove and house elsewhere any Lysmata cleaners and the anemone up front, and any other anemones I might be missing
The known safe dose for the rest of the fish and corals is one ml per ten gallons dosed 3x per week in the mornings
But don't add it to the tank on top...you do underwater spot injections w pumps off
Pick a patch, inject it using the tools we've mentioned earlier, slowly, with your calculated amounts
Next day hit another patch
Stop after one week, let's see how it does. This is not a fast method, its safe though. Make sure to read the whole thread for ideas we are missing
Try to remove and house elsewhere any Lysmata cleaners and the anemone up front, and any other anemones I might be missing
The known safe dose for the rest of the fish and corals is one ml per ten gallons dosed 3x per week in the mornings
But don't add it to the tank on top...you do underwater spot injections w pumps off
Pick a patch, inject it using the tools we've mentioned earlier, slowly, with your calculated amounts
Next day hit another patch
Stop after one week, let's see how it does. This is not a fast method, its safe though. Make sure to read the whole thread for ideas we are missing
brandon429
Active member
my logic was this:
in the first page or pages of this thread on the pico reef challenge I linked to nano-reef.com where reefmiser started their big thread on peroxide. It was him with an absolutely wrecked tank w bryopsis, 500x worse than yours
all he did was add peroxde 3% from wal mart like you said right into the tank a few times, and in about two weeks his tank was totally clean like his follow up pics posted. TOtally cured-clean
So your underwater spot injections are my take on whole-tank dosing, because that brief time of actual direct contact speeds up the kill, then the bleed off becomes the usual 1:10 he mentioned in the big nr thread
so I think if we get lucky and 1:10 is enough, it will just kill the other areas but they may take longer to die.
Its possible to exceed the 1:10 dose mentioned here, you only have two sensitives. In other peroxide threads Ive linked here we show dosing up to 4mls per 10 (4:10) with a much faster cure, but we aren't in a rush to max out just yet.
If you have bryopsis on the smooth sides of the walls, Id manually remove that with a down-run of a straight edge razor, then siphon up all the mess that collects at the bottom so it won't ditribute around the tank
But you have one heck of a nice animal load, and this process may take a little longer than reefmiser's since his was just some rock, a fish and an acanthastrea
The worst case scenario in this thread, as evidenced by gazzman earlier and Napoli, was that it didn't stay gone. Notice we have zero reports of collateral loss. So I see this as a great chance to save your headache before you nuke it all the classic way, it won't hurt your tank to try.
The one thing to keep in mind is that any external treatments ran with peroxide are worth the effort, and give a way better chance of a sustained kill.
My own bryopsis never came back
neither did reefmisers, Im not sure why some tanks get a rebound, we're working on those details as we speak. Your contributions through pics and testimony follow up will help tremendously
in the first page or pages of this thread on the pico reef challenge I linked to nano-reef.com where reefmiser started their big thread on peroxide. It was him with an absolutely wrecked tank w bryopsis, 500x worse than yours
all he did was add peroxde 3% from wal mart like you said right into the tank a few times, and in about two weeks his tank was totally clean like his follow up pics posted. TOtally cured-clean
So your underwater spot injections are my take on whole-tank dosing, because that brief time of actual direct contact speeds up the kill, then the bleed off becomes the usual 1:10 he mentioned in the big nr thread
so I think if we get lucky and 1:10 is enough, it will just kill the other areas but they may take longer to die.
Its possible to exceed the 1:10 dose mentioned here, you only have two sensitives. In other peroxide threads Ive linked here we show dosing up to 4mls per 10 (4:10) with a much faster cure, but we aren't in a rush to max out just yet.
If you have bryopsis on the smooth sides of the walls, Id manually remove that with a down-run of a straight edge razor, then siphon up all the mess that collects at the bottom so it won't ditribute around the tank
But you have one heck of a nice animal load, and this process may take a little longer than reefmiser's since his was just some rock, a fish and an acanthastrea
The worst case scenario in this thread, as evidenced by gazzman earlier and Napoli, was that it didn't stay gone. Notice we have zero reports of collateral loss. So I see this as a great chance to save your headache before you nuke it all the classic way, it won't hurt your tank to try.
The one thing to keep in mind is that any external treatments ran with peroxide are worth the effort, and give a way better chance of a sustained kill.
My own bryopsis never came back
neither did reefmisers, Im not sure why some tanks get a rebound, we're working on those details as we speak. Your contributions through pics and testimony follow up will help tremendously
Last edited:
jayinh
New member
thanks, I am going to try it today. i will remove the nem and 2 shrimp and dose a 1:10 right into the areas i can get to. if i do remove rocks how should the be treated outside the tank? is there a ratio for a bucket mix and do a dip? I am also going to get a closer pic of the problem. thanks again for all your help and i will post pics as the project starts and finishes.
