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Best Anti-Algae Dip?


jservedio

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I was wondering what the consensus was for the best thing to dip corals in that will kill off algae, cyano, dinos, etc. (with no consideration for pests at all)? I know H2O2 is probably my best bet, but at what concentration and for how long?

 

I went through an epic battle with an unidentified nasty, nasty algae or algae-like hell (the closest anyone got to ID was "soemthing similar to Calothrix") and I don't want to possibly spread it to my other tanks. I know that nothing has pests since everything in that tank was dipped and QT'd, so that isn't a concern. Also, for new corals after they are dipped and QT'd, I don't want to be introducing anything like this to my tanks so would like an "after QT" dip.

 

I haven't transferred anything out of that tank in 6 months or so, but I would really like to move stuff to my work pico. What would be my best bet to make sure that nothing gets through?

 

Let me know 1. what you are using, 2. What the concentration is, 3. How long you dip, 4. How harsh it is on the corals (ex. should I reduce concentration for acros), and 5. Is there anything that is a no-no to dip in it.

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What the omlette said. Even a brief dip will weaken hair algae to the point of being irresistible to your clean-up crew if not kill it outright.

 

EDIT: At least for clearing unwanted algae off zoa/palythoa frags. I don't know about other corals.

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12_egg_Omelette

Also if you pull off as much as you can when you pull the coral out of the tank. I tried five minutes but I lost a lot of color on coral that is enentually combining back a week later. See if you can increase flow a little bit as well once you get it back in the tank.

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Mike Savage

50/50 salt water, hydrogen peroxide 3 mins. That's what I do to kill algae on stuff. Hydrogen peroxide is 3%.

This is what I do too.

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My process for introducing new corals to my tank:

 

Iodine dipping 40 drops to 1 gal of water and let sit for approx 5 minutes, rinse with salt water.

 

HP Dip, straight 3% (not mixed with salt water) and leave sit for approx 60 seconds, rinse with salt water.

 

Probably overkill BUT I have never had pests, or problem algae introduced into my tank ;)

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HP Dip, straight 3% (not mixed with salt water) and leave sit for approx 60 seconds, rinse with salt water.

 

 

Acros in 3% H2O2 for 60 seconds? I am not so worried about dipping my LPS and have peroxided them for years, but have always steered away from doing acros like this.

50/50 salt water, hydrogen peroxide 3 mins. That's what I do to kill algae on stuff. Hydrogen peroxide is 3%.

Do you weaken this for acros or shorten the dip time?

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Acros in 3% H2O2 for 60 seconds? I am not so worried about dipping my LPS and have peroxided them for years, but have always steered away from doing acros like this.

Do you weaken this for acros or shorten the dip time?

Acros will bleach in 60 seconds straight peroxide.

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12_egg_Omelette

The acros I did the same but they had brown jelly. They did indeed bleach. However within a week polyp extension was back and within two weeks color is returning.

 

My apologies for not mentioning that sps caveat.

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Kat when you say straight hydrogen peroxide you mean 3% right? Straight peroxide is extremely dangerous.

Yes straight 3%. As in without dilution. Most people cannot get a hold of anything other than the 3%

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I just learned today that you can buy 27% H202 from pool supply stores. Goes under the name "Aqua Silk chlorine-free shock oxidizer".

 

Not saying go out & play with the stuff by I'm looking back on a DIY oxydator project I shelved a year or so ago and debating if anther go is in the works..

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Acros will bleach in 60 seconds straight peroxide.

 

Sorry for not mentioning this in my earlier post, I have not dipped every type of Acro and SPS variant out there, so here is what SPS I have dipped without any ill effects (hence using the 60 second mark as a guideline)

 

Pocillopora (Green)

Green Slimer (Acropora Yongei?)

Birdsnest Pink and Green (Cannot remember what variant each was)

Montipora Capricornis (Green)

 

Yes they do slightly bleach (once again I never go more than 60 seconds) however I have never had any of them die on me :D

 

And as 12_egg_Omlette mentioned, they all come back to full extension and color within a few weeks.

 

NOTE: Let me be clear on the "Dip" eg: if there is a frag of Acro and the bottom 1/8 inch is the only thing that has signs of unwanted algae, then that portion is all that gets dipped/ear-budded in the HP 3%. However if the entire frag looks a mess, then it will be dipped entirely.

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Yes straight 3%. As in without dilution. Most people cannot get a hold of anything other than the 3%

 

Thanks! By "bleach" do you mean expelling all their zooxanthella and doing basically the same thing as when you fry them with massive amounts of light or do you mean something else?

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