Chemiclean + Algaefix Marine

[Deathtohipsters]

Hello all,

Just going to give you the system low down up front:

29 gal +20 gal sump
CPR BakPak
DIY coil denitrator (not established yet; started up on 6/20)
175W 20K metal halides + 2 15W actinics (12h/day)
sump flow return ~ 600gph
Bag full o' carbon stuffed in output of bubble trap in skimmer (changed monthly - mainly for water polishing)
50 lbs LR with 2" sandbed.
Dosing Seachem Reef Builder and Buffer according to Mfg. Reccomendations
Feeding Hikari Mysis shrimp 2x weekly and flake 3x weekly with 2x fasting days (or low feeding)
All parameters within normal limits


Live stock:

2 Bar Gobies
1 Orange Spot Watchman Goby
1 Engineer Goby
2 False Percula Clowns
1 Royal Gramma
1 Cleaner Shrimp
Cleaner crew of blue leg hermits and nasarius snails ~ 1:2 ratio at 0.5 cleaners/gal
*all livestock appears active, well-colored, and disease free*

Branching Torch Coral
Kenya tree
Xenia (not doing well status post fall)
var. Discosoma sp. mushrooms


Situation:

I've been battling HA and red slime for almost 2+ months. It's a losing battle on my part (never give up, never surrender!). Tried water changes, reduced feedings, reduced lighting, putting Chaetomorphia in refugium, sucking debris out of tank, stirring substrate, all to no avail. Last night I sucked the crud out of my tank, 50% water change, vacuuming all algae I could see. I woke up this morning and found that almost the entire tank was covered in a lovely red velvety slime with attached hair algae in spots I couldn't reach. I think there may be some live rock in there somewhere too. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH AND NO MEANS NO! after going through a 150 gal bucket in 1 month, I can't help but think its time for this algae to die a quick and very painful death.

So,

Today I find myself at my LFS, angry and pseudopsychotic and definitely sleep deprived, in search of the dreaded "quick fix."

Guess what?...... I was REALLY angry at my algae! BAD, algae, BAD!!!

Since I had both HA and cyano, I decided it would be an interesting chemical experiment to see how I could nuke my tank and (hopfully) not kill my fish, or Chaeto., for that matter.

Now I find myself dosing Boyd's Chemiclean red slime remover and Algaefix Marine to tackle my foes and woes.

I will be continuing to dose according to Mfg. reccomendations. I tried to space my doses so that I would lessen the chance of unwanted secondary chemical reactions in the tank. I first dosed Chemiclean at 4pm (turning off skimmer per Mfg.), following with the Algaefix Marine at 1100pm.


Results:

When I came back to my apartment from a party at 11pm, I noticed that all my freakin' water was maroon-cyano red! Upon closer inspection, there are holes in the cyano. carpets that were not present before - almost like the cyano. is melting!!! I notice increased foaming in my sump by the return line - really the only vigorous aeration in the sump besides the skimmer. I then dosed Algaefix Marine to the return line's opening to the sump to increase aeration and distribution.


Notes:

Carbon bag removed for duration of treatment.

I turned the skimmer back on in an attempt to control what I could see as being a massive fluctuation in water parameters secondary to the death of bacteria and algae. It is my researched (on this forum and others) opinion that the death of the cells related to HA and cyano. could potentially release toxins and nutrients back into the water; and, it was my goal to limit the impact of this possible release of toxins and nutrients. I will be closely watching my skimmer cup, as I understand that the Chemiclean will cause the skimmer to overflow if not emptied on a regular, frequent basis. I will be leaving my lights on 24/7 for the following 48 hours to increase light to zooxanthelae in the corals - the red is really more like a red FOG!

Corals all seem to be open, and all fish and inverts are accounted for. I will post tomorrow night (~24 hours) and after 48 hours to tell the difference and then repeat as deemed necessary.

[HighlandReefer]

Deathtohipsters


To Reef Central

We have had some hobbyists who have asked what results would be achieved by dosing Chemiclean + AlgaeFix Marine together. Your experiment will provide some details as to what to expect. I will be following along.

I can only guess that your water is turning a red color due to the cyano cells dieing and disintegrating, which will release a lot of organics into your water column. Increased aeration for your organisms may be important due to this situation. Running a filter bag in addition to good skimming may help clean some of these organics out. I would continue to run GAC to help absorb dissolved organics from your water column.

Pictures would be nice.

I hope everything survives.

[HighlandReefer]

It is believed that Chemiclean contains Erythromycin as its active ingredient.

http://www.elmhurst.edu/~chm/vchembo...ntibiotic.html

"Mechanism of Action

Erythromycin and other macrolide antibiotics inhibit protein synthesis by binding to the 23S rRNA molecule (in the 50S subunit) of the bacterial ribosome blocking the exit of the growing peptide chain. of sensitive microorganisms. (Humans do not have 50 S ribosomal subunits, but have ribosomes composed of 40 S and 60 S subunits). Certain resistant microorganisms with mutational changes in components of this subunit of the ribosome fail to bind the drug. The association between erythromycin and the ribosome is reversible and takes place only when the 50 S subunit is free from tRNA molecules bearing nascent peptide chains. Gram-positive bacteria accumulate about 100 times more erythromycin than do gram-negative microorganisms. The non ionized from of the drug is considerably more permeable to cells, and this probably explains the increased antimicrobial activity that is observed in alkaline pH."

The mode of action on cells with AlgaeFix Marine, is that it causes holes in the cell membrane of the algae & cyanobacteria, which causes the contents of the cell to leak out.

Perhaps the holes produced by the AlgaeFix in the cell walls allows more Erythromycin to enter the cell, especially in cells that are resistant to it.

Hopefully, the AlgaeFix and Erythromycin can't enter the coral tissue or mucal membranes of the coral and cause problems as well for the coral in regards to their symbiotic algae and bacteria.

[elijaher]

Tagged alone hope things turn out good.