AlgaeFix Marine to control Hair Algae

[rollster]

Hello HighlandReefer, I have been keeping track of this thread for a while. I am currently having this problem too. I have dose twice and it seems to be going away! I have had NO negative effects against fish, shrimp or Corals. my skimmer has been off since I started dosing. I will add one last dose on tomorrow (just in case) and turn the skimmer back on

I like to thank you for all the time and information you have vested in maintaining this thread, as well as everyone else that has contributed

[ctenophors rule]

it has been working like a charm for me, though myu skimate has turned green?

any ideas?

[bshumake]

Originally posted by ctenophors rule
it has been working like a charm for me, though myu skimate has turned green?

any ideas?

Mine has too and really stinks. Its the dead/dieing algae.

[ctenophors rule]

interesting, thanks!

[HighlandReefer]

rollster,

Your welcome. I'm happy that the AlgaeFix has worked for you.

I don't believe from what has been posted regarding AlgaeFix and the results that have been achieved while skimming that is necessary to turn off skimmers. IMHO, I would recommend that anyone who decides to use AlgaeFix, that they continue skimming. I believe that the benefits of skimming in helping to remove both dead and living algae pests out weighs any possible negative effects that it may have on the use of AlgaeFix. The AlgaeFix label makes no mention of turning off skimmers or any other devices run in conjunction with reef aquariums. When using some of the other chemicals for controlling especially cyanobacteria, these products do recommend that you stop skimming. Perhaps the fact that AlgaeFix will brake down very quickly in the reef system (in less than 24 hrs) has something to do with this. If someone disagrees with me, I would be interested in their input on this subject.

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I agree with the green color found in most cases while using AlgaeFix is attributed to the dead and living algae being skimmed from the water column. When carbon dosing, you will get a dark brown color which is probably due to the bacteria being skimmed from the water column in this situation.

[lilmonster]

Originally posted by Bruno3047
DFS has it on sale:

https://www.drsfostersmith.com/produ...=37735&catid=3

If you plug in coupon code 11318418, you get an extra $5 off your order.

Thank you, i just ordered a bottle, and the coupon came in handy too.

[Bruno3047]

Originally posted by lilmonster
Thank you, i just ordered a bottle, and the coupon came in handy too.

You're welcome. This stuff really does the job. I'm pretty sure you'll be happy with the results.

[Logzor]

I wish I would have taken pictures because the dictyota is peeling off of my big shelf rock - I now have nearly bleach white rock appearing

Other than dosing algaefix I am lightly feeding spectrum 1mm pellets 1x a day and doing 14-28 gallon water changes every Sunday (90g tank).

[leoan]

so do you guys do water changes during dosing? Seems most people see results around the 5th or 6th dose which would be 15-18 days of no water changes. I change 15%-20% weekly.

[iFisch]

Any difference between AlgaeFix Marine and just "AlgaeFix" (for "FW")?

[HighlandReefer]

Originally posted by leoan
so do you guys do water changes during dosing? Seems most people see results around the 5th or 6th dose which would be 15-18 days of no water changes. I change 15%-20% weekly.

AlgaeFix will brake down completely within 24 hrs. I would continue with water changes. I would do your water change 24 hrs or sooner before you are scheduled to dose your AlgaeFix. This gives the prior dose of AlgaeFix the time needed to work before it brakes down.

[HighlandReefer]

Originally posted by iFisch
Any difference between AlgaeFix Marine and just "AlgaeFix" (for "FW")?

This subject was discussed back on this page in this same thread:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...5&pagenumber=8

[HighlandReefer]

Originally posted by Logzor
I wish I would have taken pictures because the dictyota is peeling off of my big shelf rock - I now have nearly bleach white rock appearing

Other than dosing algaefix I am lightly feeding spectrum 1mm pellets 1x a day and doing 14-28 gallon water changes every Sunday (90g tank).

I would have like to see those pictures too.

[iFisch]

Originally posted by HighlandReefer
This subject was discussed back on this page in this same thread:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...5&pagenumber=8

Well I decided to give it a try. The "FW" version. I got the smaller, cheaper bottle, $5. The "Marine" was $16 and 3x the size. Since I have a small tank, I didn't think it was necessary to get the larger bottle.


Had a "small" area with a patch or two of HA. One my second dose, according to label, 95% controlled. Just use the scrapper and it came right off.

I don't know if this was part of the initial "cycle" or not, but it wasn't there previously, until I had a diatom outbreak. This stuff was "hairy" and green in color. Not as bad as others here though.

Since I only had a Damsel in the tank, and LR/LS, I figured my loss would be minimal, IF anything happened not according to the instructions.


It DID:

"ate" my cheato stock - ended up throwing it away.

"ate" GHA patches - 2 of them

"ate" my diatoms


It DID NOT:

kill my fish

turn my rock any different colors (LOADED with purple coraline)

affect any parameters



If you have a larger system, I would TRY a small bottle of the "FW" stuff and see if it works on a larger problem. It says its safe to dose 1ml per 10g (I think) a week to keep algae under control.

I am continuing to do weekly doses. When I run out of the small bottle, I'll step back and see if there's any ill effects.



Since dosing, I have added an ORA clown, and CuC. None seem effected by the dosing. All eat, fish look and swim healthy.



Let me know if you have any more questions. If I decide to continue very small weekly doses, I will be switching over to the "Marine" product. It's more product for the money, but for $5, I got to see if the "FW" version works. And it did for me.

[HighlandReefer]

iFisch,

Thanks for posting your results. It has been added to my old memory banks for future reference.

[iFisch]

Originally posted by HighlandReefer
iFisch,

Thanks for posting your results. It has been added to my old memory banks for future reference.

I will try and get some FTS up. You should see the coraline already ridging out like a monticap does.

Well, partially due to the purplest rock I have ever laid my eyes on. But it's got some nice ripples to it. Really deep purple. Gorgeous stuff.



Give me a little time to play with the FTS. I have a crappy $100 point-n-shoot.

[nrannalli]

Algae fix marine worked wonders on removing HA from my tank unless it looks like this.



It also killed my cheato but spared my Neomeris annulata, sawblade and my mangroves seem to be doing fine. It also seemed to work on a small patch of cyanobacteria that showed up once the HA was gone. It didn't touch my outbreak of bubble algae or this red stuff



This stuff seems to be happy too which I wish it would die



I also did not turn off my protein skimmer.

[iFisch]

Can't you at least cut it down? God, that looks atrocious. Almost disgusting looking.

I'm sorry..

[nrannalli]

Originally posted by iFisch
Can't you at least cut it down? God, that looks atrocious. Almost disgusting looking.

I'm sorry..

Your telling me it just keeps coming back and it is very difficult to get too since I don't have very good access to that section of the tank. The red stuff and the first picture are a couple of months old and since have perished now that my nitrates are down to 20 ppm. But I still can't get rid of the bubble algae.

[iFisch]

Originally posted by nrannalli
Your telling me it just keeps coming back and it is very difficult to get too since I don't have very good access to that section of the tank. The red stuff and the first picture are a couple of months old and since have perished now that my nitrates are down to 20 ppm. But I still can't get rid of the bubble algae.

For stuff that bad, you'd think there's a reef safe sealant out there. Mow as much off as you can, apply sealant to rock, suffocate algae and ta-da! But of course that's too easy...

[nrannalli]

Originally posted by iFisch
For stuff that bad, you'd think there's a reef safe sealant out there. Mow as much off as you can, apply sealant to rock, suffocate algae and ta-da! But of course that's too easy...

I guess you could pull the rock out and use a combination of baking soda and super glue to fry it and in case it in a plastic like shell. Maybe a tang might eat it I will get some next month when I have some extra doe.

[Logzor]

Originally posted by HighlandReefer
I would have like to see those pictures too.

I took some pictures last night. I am not sure how much they will help though. Once visible thing is the bleach white area where the algae used to be. Since I do not have a before picture this is the only real indication.

You would otherwise have a hard time guessing I have algae issues. I took a macro shot to show how the algae is like "skin" on my rockwork.

I will try and get a few uploaded this evening.

[HighlandReefer]

nrannalli,

Bring us up to date on your dosing of AlgaeFix. How many doses?

You have quite an assortment of unwanted pests in your tank.

What are your current phosphate and nitrate levels? I see Xenia in there, so you can not reduce nitrates too low.

If you are having problems removing the pest and keeping up, I would concentrate on one section of your tank at a time. Remove as much as possible of your pests in that one area. If you have too much growth, this will diminish the effects of the AlgaeFix. I have found that once you clear a section away it will stay that way if you continue dosing the AlgaeFix. The areas where the pest is hard to reach will have to be dealt with in some manor. Perhaps being creative with some device to hook the growth away will work if you can't reach it. There is too much pest mass to gain control IMHO.

Some of the hobbyists in this thread have mixed the AlgaeFix dose required in some tank water and then have used a turkey baster to apply it directly on their pest. This has seemed to help.

[HighlandReefer]

Originally posted by nrannalli
I guess you could pull the rock out and use a combination of baking soda and super glue to fry it and in case it in a plastic like shell. Maybe a tang might eat it I will get some next month when I have some extra doe.

IMHO, this will not work for too many reasons. If you give up on your pest, then you will need to pull everything out and bleach/vinegar soak your rock and sand using the proper methods stated in other threads. Otherwise the pests will come back through their spores released. This will be an involved process taking into consideration the corals and fish which can also serve as a source for re-infestation.

[HighlandReefer]

nrannalli,

Pulling rocks out and scrubbing them down will certainly help the AlgaeFix work also.