AlgaeFix Marine to control Hair Algae

[muerk1]

I have been using this product for 2-3 months. It is fantastic! My tank was 75% covered with hair algae (Derbesia I think). I was doing doses for about 30 to 45 days when I stopped. By this time there were only a few quarter sized spots left. I added carbon to remove any leftover chemicals but in two weeks the algae was coming back fast. I started using it again and it is finally almost gone. This stuff works great, it killed the hair algae and brown diatoms on the glass, but coralline, cheato, caulerpa, and halimeda were all unaffected. It seems like cyano is starting to grow in my sump and on the back glass, but I figured I would use chemi-clean to kill that off once all the hair algae is gone. My advice is make sure the hair algae is all gone before you stop using it. I tried to give everything in the tank a break from chemicals for a couple weeks, but that wasn't a good idea, and now its going to take longer to totally get rid of the algae.

[iamwrasseman]

if the algea returned quickly remember there probably are reasons that it is growing po4 and nutrient both add to the problem so waterchanges and GFO will certainly help removing them and it may be easier to controll with a weekly dose rather a daily regimine .

[HighlandReefer]

I really like what I have read regarding the hobbyists' experiences using AlgaeFix Marine in this thread, so far.

In other threads on RC, I have read where one hobbyist lost some coral (he was not positive that the AlgaeFix Marine caused it). In another situation, a hobbyist lost some shrimp when using AlgaeFix Marine. He was not positive that the AlgaeFix caused it, but could not account for another reason. These shrimp had been in his tank for a number of years.

The manufacturer claims that it is safe for corals, shrimp, fish and all reef tank inhabitants. Obviously, they could not test every living organism in the ocean. The manufacturer has tested their product on a limited number of algae type pests and it did not kill all that were tested, although the positive percentage was high on those tested.

The active ingredient in AlgaeFix Marine is a broad spectrum biocide, meaning it can kill a wide range of micro-organisms. The active ingredient is labeled as a sterilant (I use this term loosely) at higher concentrations.

So far regarding my ongoing experience, I see AlageFix as a useful tool for hobbyists who have exhausted all other conventional means for eradicating their pests. Caution should be taken when using a pesticide, as there are usually some bad side effects for just about every chemical I have used in over 30 years experience in my field of expertise. That said, other means of eradicating algae type problems such as GFO, GAC, vodka dosing and other chemical products are not without risk, also.

An interesting aspect to consider is Randy's statement, "FWIW, this polymer will bind to calcium carbonate surfaces in seawater, as well as possibly GFO and anything with a net negative charge, including tissues and GAC". Perhaps, discontinuing the use of GFO and GAC while dosing AlgaeFix Marine is desirable. I'm not so sure about carbon dosing (vodka) either. I personally have discontinued my sugar dosing during my trial with AlgaeFix Marine.

[iamwrasseman]

interesting info ,thanks i have always wondered how others have experienced the product and how it works . i was using GFO at the time i dosed the algea fix and also carbon because the directions never stated to remove any of them .i also have heard the skimmer will remove it too so really API should have had better directions if all this is really correct . just for your info i did not lose a single organizm in my tanks but i really havent seen many pods after ,i do have thirtyish wrasses in that system though so the pod population is certainly at a major disadvantage.

[edandsandy]

Today is the 3rd dose of Alagefix.
We have not notice any real die off yet.....
Ed tried to pull some of the GHA off some of the rocks yesterday, he said it still has a strong hold on the rocks.
The GHA was easily removed from our sump area, maybe because it was on the acrylic, not rocks.......
We haven't given up on this product yet. I know a few reefers here on RC have had great success around the 5th or 6th treatment.

[iamwrasseman]

edandsandy give it a bit more time to work ,maybe a couple more doses . be patient your first and second doses were only two days apart so please follow the directions because i would hate to have something terrable happen from overdosing . please keep us posted on your progress please

[edandsandy]

Just trying to share our results

[iamwrasseman]

thats why were here ,i hope it works as good for you as it did for me . really astonished me .

[rhunter513]

As I have posted on other threads, the algeafix is working for me. I did a round of 7 total doses - stopped my GFO and activated carbon - and its working well. After the 7th dose I did a large volume water change and added back activated carbon and then saw a little bit of new growth so I am doing another round of 7 total doses. I expect to be algae free by the end of that 7 dose round. Then my plan is weekly dosing for a number of weeks. Using the chemcial was a last resort for me and its working and giving me new motivation to keep my tank when I was ready to tear it down and give up.

[iamwrasseman]

well you have to understand that the algea is fueled by something and the algeafix temporally breaks the food chain in a way . it supposidly locks up the sugar or stops the sugar from being useable . so when you stop its use the algea will probably return and the cause needs to be found and erradicated .the algeafix is a bandaid in a way .

[HighlandReefer]

rhunter513,

Good to hear AlgaeFix is helping you. One thing about the AlgaeFix is that it will not kill the spores. IMHO, this is why they recommend a weekly maintenance dose after the algae disappears. The weekly dose will kill any spores as they germinate into the vegetative stage. It could take a considerable period of time before the spores all germinate, once the algae appears to have all died off. Algae can multiply very quickly, even from a few spores.

[HighlandReefer]

Another property of AlgaeFix Marine which is important to understand when using it, is that it will brake down quickly in a reef aquarium. The manufacturer told me that it will brake down within 24 hrs.

Picture adding AlgaeFix to your aquarium. It will quickly disperse throughout your volume of reef water. Anything with a net negative charge that it comes in contact with, it will bind to. This will include rock, sand, bacteria, algae and many other dissolved and suspended organic compounds in your tank water. When you take into consideration the total area that it can bind to compared to the pest in your tank, you can begin to understand the complexity of its use. Water flow in a reef tank is not normally uniform throughout. There will be low flow areas which will not get much AlgaeFix Marine by the time it is dispersed there. Perhaps, directing better flow to those areas which are not showing the results you want, will help.

This is one reason why I choose to discontinue sugar dosing, since it will increase the number of bacteria......etc of beneficial organisms in your tank. AlgaeFix does not know the difference between the good guys and the bad guys. The AlgaeFix will be wasted on the good guys, which are normally skimmed out.

[HighlandReefer]

Since the symbiotic bacteria,....., and algae that the coral host are somewhat protected by the coral, perhaps the above is the reason why AlgaeFix does not have much effect on them?

[rhunter513]

iamwrasseman - I understand the importance at getting to the root of the problem and that aglaefix is a bandaid. If you search through all the threads about algaefix you will see most people including myself have a very large infestation of HA and have tried all the conventional methods to rid our tanks of HA and are now using algaefix as a last resort.

Highlandreefer - Yes my plan is to use the algaefix for as long as it takes. Once i am done with this second round of dosing I will go to the once a week dose and see what happens.

[saltygeek]

Anyone have bubble algae in there tanks? Did the algaefix have any effect on it? I know the manufacturer doesnt claim it would but thought i'd ask anyway.
thanks

[rhunter513]

I have some bubble algae but I don't really know if algaefix is killing it. Emerald crabs work well for my bubble algae.

[pIankton]

I've been using it for a little while now and this is my assessment:

1.) I really believe that if you have an EXTREME HA problem, then it's probably best to remove and scrub the rock first before using the product. I think you need to beat the stuff down, then kick it while it's down.
2.) If you have some slight HA, then dose as recommended.
3.) It appears to have caused some cyano in certain areas which are now gone.
4.) It also appeared to have a slight effect on lobophora type algae. My lobophora would receed from the center, then flake off after maybe 4 weeks of dosing.
5.) It didn't appear to have any effects on my grape caulerpa.

I did testing on 2 different tanks at the same time. Once was a 90 gallon that had minimal HA at best. After probably 2 weeks, the HA was gone and I continue with a weekly dose as a maintenance routine. The second tank was a 20L and it was fully covered in HA. I didn't scrub the rock or anything - strictly dosed only and I would say it took care of about a third of the HA. I ended up with an ich outbreak in the 20L due to bad QT practices and once I removed my fish to QT them, I simply cut the lights for weeks straight as there were no corals or anything, just rock and HA. I'm in the process of breaking down that tank for other reasons at the moment.

[edandsandy]

I will be dosing my 4th round this morning.

[HighlandReefer]

pIankton,

Thanks for chiming in. Do you have any kind of snails, crabs, shrimp.......ect in your tanks?

I had to look up Lobophora. Is this an example of what you are refering to?

[dazed]

I picked up some of this over the weekend and would like some clarification from the users who have been successful with the product, as the directions are not real clear. I run carbon in a tlf reactor should i remove this during the dosing time? I am trying to get rid of a gha issue in the tank. I have only dosed one time so far and i did it at half the recommend dosage as i wanted to see if it would cause the skimmer to act up. I have also been carbon dosing for about 2 weeks now with the vodka method should this be discontinued with this product? has anyone done both?

[HighlandReefer]

From other threads, I have read where some hobbyists were dosing carbon sources, running GFO and GAC, while dosing AlgaeFix. Some claimed success and a couple felt that the vodka dosing was interfering.

Personally, I have stopped sugar dosing, GAC and GFO while I have been dosing Algae fix because of the statement by Randy, which I quoted earlier in this thread.

I would say if you like, try dosing it with whatever and see what kind of results you get. I would be interested to hear about your results however you decide to do it.

IME, regarding your skimmer, you may see an increase, but nothing out of the ordinary to deal with. I would recommend following the label directions.

[pIankton]

Yeah kinda. Your pic looks a little different - mine looks almost like tree bark but has the leafy growth pattern. It's tough to control.

I actually had all kinds of corals in there ranging from softies to SPS, but didn't have any extravagant inverts - pretty much a bare bones cleanup crew. That was the 90. In the 20 I had a few urchins, some xenia and some GSP. The xenia did OK, but it did seem to have a slight reaction after dosage but other than that - all was ok.

Dazed - I ran carbon the whole time as well as my skimmer too. No problems. I have heard that people dosing vodka while using this product had less than desirable effects - to the point where they stopped dosing the Algaefix due to poor polyp extension and just plain bad health of their corals.

HTH.

[HighlandReefer]

I have, so to speak, been playing with the AlgaeFix so far. I have completed 10 doses (missed a couple of days here and there from my schedule). Once my back squares away, I will give it a good cleaning

I cleaned the pest (I believe is a green cyanobacteria) from some of my rock (not all). The areas which I cleaned are now pest free and back to rock. The cancerous algae is beginning to cover those areas.

The areas I did not clean the rock, still have pest problems. The pest is discolored, but still growing much slower. One of the areas is the rock with the Halimeda on it. This green pest of mine grows well on it and is very difficult to get off.

The red cyano on the sand and some rocks is not being affected by the AlgaeFix like the green pest I have. I have not cleaned it up since I started the AlgaeFix dosing though.

All the occupants are quite happy. Since I switched to 20,000 K Radons, my RBTA is looking great compared to the 10,000 K I was running.

[edandsandy]

We are noticing some die off on our GHA, it looks like it is beginning to thin out now, also the dark green color is not looking so dark now!
I will try to remove some of the GHA this week end.

I am wondering if I should "pull" the GHA or should I try to siphon it out, and add FSW back into the tank.
If I do decide to siphon it out and add FSW, will this interfere with the progress of the chemical in the tank?

[HighlandReefer]

The AlgaeFix will brake down within 24 hrs, so I would wait till the 24 hrs is up after dosing it and then clean the algae out. The goal would be to try to get rid of as much algae as you can. Both siphoning and physical extraction would be best IMHO. Good to hear you are seeing results.