pico reef pest algae problem challenge

urbanrat84 said:
Thats the results I would expect to see when the nitrifying bacteria population is at a healthy level. So perhaps rock leaching IS the problem.
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Yeah, I think what you're saying as an overall problem is very plausible. I think the trigger for all of my immediate issues with algae/dino was certainly the change in lights which were much more powerful. I did just add more live rock recently (after algae/dino issue showed up), and I think I'll do some more of the cleaning you mentioned, continue H2O2 dosing, keep lights on a lower schedule and intensity, and then go from there. The wife and I have discussed upgrading to a larger tank when budget allows, but due to job situation with her we will be waiting at least a year I'd say. So if I can get these "old tank syndrome" issues in check until the upgrade, then that would be great.

Side note - i know that many people say not to filter the sand bed when doing a water change, but I do periodically in a few spots that I know get a ton of waste from fish staying there (very dark green/brown water comes out). Would it be advisable in an older tank like mine to go ahead and do more of this cleaning to try and remove some of the older bacteria? Or is it best to just leave it completely alone still even in my case? I do try to be very careful that everything stirred up is removed when I do this at all.
 
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glocklt4 said:
Side note - i know that many people say not to filter the sand bed when doing a water change, but I do periodically in a few spots that I know get a ton of waste from fish staying there (very dark green/brown water comes out). Would it be advisable in an older tank like mine to go ahead and do more of this cleaning to try and remove some of the older bacteria? Or is it best to just leave it completely alone still even in my case? I do try to be very careful that everything stirred up is removed when I do this at all.
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Absolutely, its that kind of advice that leads to the problems you are having now. I experienced the same thing. Unfortunately most tanks around the place are only young - so while it looks like the methods being used are working well for the tank, down the track their may be issues once there is a gradual accumulation of wastes in the sand and rocks.

If you go on Youtube and look up some fish tank maintenance channels, see how they are managing older tanks. Every one siphons the substrate thoroughly when a water change is being done. In a manner we tend to associate more with freshwater tanks.
 
Thanks Brandon

Thanks Brandon

Just wanting to say thanks to Brandon and everyone that has been involved in this thread :bounce3:

I had a stubborn patch of Bryopsis in my 9L Pico that I just couldnt shake.

I removed the rock and spot treated the area directly with 3%, then soaked the display rocks (corals included) in a 50/50 mix.

I have been dosing over the past week .25ml per day after lights out, and my tank has never been cleaner or brighter!

The below photos are of the problem patch directly after the treatment (when the tank was refilled) and again one hour later. The algae was actually falling off to to the touch and the CUC went wild for it that evening :-)

IMG_6702.jpg

IMG_6701.jpg
 
I have a 2ó gallon tank. This is going to be random. I either have a bad diatom or Dino issue....and it's mostly on my sandbed. I do weekly water changes and siphon as much as I can. Usually I do this at night time. Always looks great. By the time morning comes around the same brown stuff is down on the samdbed again. Params are all good. So I was thinking of spot treating my sandbed. But what I'd like to do is get some aluminum foil, put it down on a third of the tank, and then inject 3 mls of peroxide under the foil. I'd like to let it sit like that for 3 days to light deprive it. What is everyone's thought? Is there anything bad from aluminum that can bleach into the water?
 
Never mind...I'll do the suran wrap method ..aluminum ion can cause toxicity to some corals..don't know if it'd bleach out of it into the water. Not gonna chance it.
 
Hi all - brand new here; my first post actually.

I have a 300g with about 60% of my LR covered in thick red turf algae. Is there a list somewhere of corals that will not tolerate exposure to peroxide?
 
I have found that hydnophora, Xenia, and some montipora do not react well to h2o2.
Zoas tolerate it well and I have dipped some acroporas in a 50/50 solution (half tank water, half 3% peroxide). It will do a number on your corraline and bleach it.
Some inverts and star fish don't tolerate it well either.
 
Tank size doesn't matter unless you are dosing the entire tank. If you put peroxide on algae it WILL die.
 
i am planing of dosing the tank. my tank is over run by bryopsis and spot treatment will nto do anything.
 
Where are you guys buying the H2O2? Is over the counter ok? Also, after the treatment when is a water change needed? i have a 40B with a few nems
thanks.
 
Local drug store or Walmart is fine. No water change needed as it breaks down quickly so you need to dose daily if you go that route
 
I have been dosing 1 ml per 10 gallons of water daily in my tank to try to get rid of GHA...This will be day 5 and I have not really seen any improvement. About how many days does this take to work? Thanks.
 
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