AlgaeFix Marine to control Hair Algae

[HighlandReefer]

I decided to give AlgaeFix Marine a try. I will be starting today (3/10/2009) and post the results. My phosphate reading is zero using Salifert & Hach PO-19 kits. My Nitrate reading is 0.2 and declining using a Salifert Kit. I am currently dosing sugar.

I actually looked at the microalgae under a stereoscope I have (40X). From the pictures and data I have been able to find, it appears to be a type of hair algae, which does not really say a whole lot. The cells appear to be more square with rounded corners and form long non-branching green filaments.

These are pictures of what it looks like in my tank today, before any applications of AlgaeFix Marine. I will be following the recommended dosage rates and directions.

[HighlandReefer]

My current water parameters are:

Temp: 78
pH: 7.8 (I have a new probe on order. I am not certain on this)
SG: 1.0264 (refractometer)
Calcium: 430 (Salifert)
Mag: 1440 (Salifert)
Nitrate: 0.2 (Salifert)
Phosphate: 0 (Salifert & Hach PO-19)
Amonia: 0 (Salifert)
20,000K Radium bulbs (two 400W metal halides)
Using Rodi water and kalk in my top-off
Water circulation is very good.

[Percula9]

Don't forget to shut your skimmer down during treatment. I see you have some halimeda growing, I hope it doesn't kill it. Good luck.

[tmz]

Very curious about this product Cliff. Fortunately , I do not have much microalgae at all anymore but curious nonetheless. Thanks for posting your experience.

[HighlandReefer]

Update for my AlgaeFix Marine trial:

I have completed 5 doses at the recommended label directions rate. I stopped dosing sugar. I stopped GFO & carbon reactors per some of Randy's concerns about this product (Randy does have other concerns). I have cut back feeding my fish drastically during this time. I am using the 20,000 K Radium bulbs. I have fish and a mixed assortment of corals. I have a RBTA. I have snails, but no shrimp or crabs. My nitrates and phosphates are unreadable. My other water parameters are all within the recommended guidelines. My lights are on for 10 hrs a day.

At this point (5 doses) the dark green algae or cyano pest that I have is about 90% gone. The purple cyanobacteria that I have is still present, but seems to have been reduced. I can see my rock for the first time in a long time.

I plan to continue the dosing of AlgaeFix at the same rate and see if it can eradicate both of my pests.

[HighlandReefer]

I forgot to add:

The AlgaeFix has not seemed to effect my halimeda or chaetomorpha macroalgae at this point.

[Percula9]

I'm glad you are having a positive result. Keep us updated. I wonder, once the algae problem is eliminated, will it return, once dosing stops.

[HighlandReefer]

Good question. On the label, they recommend continued weekly dosing to maintain control. This could be to control the germinating spores. AlgaeFix Marine does not kill the spores.

In my field of land pest control, almost all the chemical products used against fungus, bacteria, molds and insects will take at least 60 days to gain complete control and in many cases much longer. How this translates to the marine aquarium, I am not sure. At this point, I have been dosing AlgaeFix Marine a little over two weeks.

[Percula9]

How is the use of the algaecide affecting your skimmer?

[HighlandReefer]

I have not properly cleaned my aquarium of the dead algae in over 1 1/2 weeks.

The dead algae is falling away from the rock and is being skimmed out only at this point. So, yes I have seen an increase.

I'm sure the AlgaeFix would be more effective if I was doing my job correctly.

[bubbly]

What is that blue colored stuff at the top left corner of your pictures?

[fourzero]

Originally posted by bubbly
What is that blue colored stuff at the top left corner of your pictures?

looks like the back of the tank to me.

[HighlandReefer]

The blue is the background color for the back glass of my tank.

[ShareReef]

Did you say that the AlgaeFix Marine is working for your cyano? I tried this stuff and it didn't seem to work. Of coarse, it sounds like my patience didn't last as long as yours. I think I'm going to buy another bottle of that AlgaeFix Marine and do what you are doing.

[HighlandReefer]

Identifying these algae type pests if difficult, IMHO. I have two different pests. The first one is pictured in the thread and is a dark green in color. I believe it may be a cyanobacteria, rather than a true green algae. There are numerous bubbles which appear in its mass. The AlageFix is working great on this pest.

The second pest I have is what I believe is the normal purple cyanobacteria that many hobbyists have problems with. This one seems to be reclining since dosing AlgaeFix, but there does not seem to be the control level that I am getting with the first pest.

I will keep this thread posted with my continued results with AlgaeFix Marine. I reserve judgment for a longer period of time.

[lbj]

i have used algaefix marine and it has work for me at one point i could not see my rocks at all. now the tank is clear. i will keep up on the weeky doses. this is one of the best products i have used in a long time...

[HighlandReefer]

lbj

Good to hear that it worked for you. I trust that you did not see any negative effects on corals, clams, fish and other invertebrates in your tank? Possibly a general list of tank inhabitants may help for our future mental data banks. Also a time frame of how long it took to achieve control?

[lbj]

No ill effects on any of the corals, hard or soft. I have a blue hepa tang, a yellow tang, two firefish, a mandarin, two damsels, two anthius, a false percula clown, a wrasse, two cleaner shrimp, four peppermint shrimp, a diamond goby, several snails and hermit crabs and a brittle starfish. The only thing that was slightly affected was the cheto in my refugium. It took a total of 5 doses to get rid of the green hair algae. Now we're battling the red slime algae. The algae fix bottle stated that it controls red slime algae, but mine seemed to get worse after the treatment.

[iamwrasseman]

just wanted you all to know it worked wonders for me with no ill effects and i am dosing once a week but my tank is 100% free of algea. amazing product so far absolutly no paramiter swings or any detectable bad side effects so its thumbs up for the algea-fix marine !

[iamwrasseman]

mine took eight doses before it really fell apart and stopped growing .i have fifteen wrasses ,many snails ans crabs in my system and tons of pods ,they are all not affected in any way .and i did notice something negative now that i really think of it i got a patch of red slimey algea on the back of one of the tanks and it produced many bubbles of something on its surfsce . i siphoned it off and it has been three weeks with no sigh of returning as of yet .

[HighlandReefer]

Thanks lbj & iamwrasseman for your reports about AlageFix Marine. I hope that any hobbyists who have had problems with it, will inform us of their experiences. It is wonderful to hear positive responses also. This information can prove valuable to other hobbyists who decide to risk using AlgaeFix Marine.

[john baker]

I have dosed twice with Alagefix Marine, with my algae at about the stage of your pics, I have been battling this pest for 4 months and finally realized that it could be the storage of my R/O water. I have a 80 gallon storage tank which has an automatic refill from the R/O unit. With using only about 6 gallons a week, so contamination is a problem. I have now discarded all the stored water and only making enough R/O water to last the week. I will continue the Alagefix Marine dosage to clear the problem hoping it works.

[lbj]

how can your storage water be contaminated if it is fresh.

[iamwrasseman]

2nd that

[ShareReef]

Originally posted by lbj
how can your storage water be contaminated if it is fresh.

If I am thinking what he is thinking, he may be holding the water in a garbage barrel with lid. This is how I have mine. And, if you leave the water stored in there for long periods of time without using it will start to grow algae. I do keep the lid on and the R/O system is mounted to come into the top side. I did as he did though and only make the water that I am going to use so that it doesn't sit and stagnate.