Peroxide saves my Tank! With pics to Prove It!

[Cintax]

it could also be the food. I switched to pellet food many months ago, Schmoopy lost his color and became and old brownish looking dude. I switched to frozen blood worms last week and already his blue is back.

 

Maybe it was the quality of the pellet food.

[Cintax]

I've spot treated a few rocks and met with success killing off some Botryocladia skottsbergii but I have some rocks that would be quite an effort to treat this way. I'd like to try a whole tank treatment but I am worried about the affect of my decorative macro algae. Has anyone tried this who has macro algae?

 

Also, a word of warning, I got distracted and left some full strength Hydrogen Peroxide on one of my rocks for about 7-10 minutes and it completely bleached all the coraline. I don't want to discourage anyone, but just be mindful to not get distracted like I did.

[OceanFlyer]

There have been a couple of posts that said they lost macro algae with the H202. Can't remember if they put some directly into the tank or used the spot treatment method.

[briansbelle]

I used this method and it works!

 

I used it on some hair algae,red turf algae and bryopsis and its almost all gone! Yay!

 

The red turf algae is now neon..lol.

 

The hair algae is gone in the spots I put it on.

 

I didn't dose the whole tank as only one rock has the algae. And its a big branch rock so when I drain down to do my 6g water change the part with the algae is exposed, so I put a paper towel under the area and used a very thin syringe(like the one in the salifert alk test) and used 3% peroxide solution on the rock, using the paper towel to catch any excess that may run off.

 

Let it sit 5 mins, it bubbled a little, then I dabbed the rock with the paper towel to get excess, then filled the tank.

The algae kept bubbling. Today its almost all gone, I also have been using tech m to raise my mag up to 1500.

 

I used the paper towel method bc I have red titan macro algae in the tank and didn't want to kill it off too by dosing the tank.

 

Next treatment I'm going to use the same idea as I do with coraline in an aquarium I'm trying to clean(empty)

I'm going to wet the paper towel(size I need) with peroxide then lay it on the algae,to reduce risk of it getting into my water.

[brandon429]

you did all this without pics just to hurt my feelings.

[brandon429]

Ocean it was spot treatments in the main tank, not external treatments where a complete rinsing separates the macro from the treated rock. I don't think it will happen across all tanks treated with peroxide but the only reason Im such a proponent of peroxide use is its consistency across any tank using it, not to cause untargeted loss. on this thread and the ones from other forums there were enough reports of loss from lysmata, decorative macros, fireworms and xenia-even with spot treatments that I felt they warranted a label as preclusions to use. just so there could be some tanks where the owner could be -guaranteed- safe use if exact procedures followed.

 

the goal was to have 100% similar outcome across tanks treating with peroxide, each success is a reinforcement to Reefmiser's main posit that it can cure problematic growths.

 

 

Bryansbelle Im really glad to have that feedback I can see it in my minds eye because all of it looked like that in my tank too~you used a creative solution and we can watch the red titan to see how well you separated them.

 

Ive also done, and recommended double up water changes on tanks like yours. If you had a sensitive target and had to do an in-tank treatment, after you fill up the tank how about just drain and refill it again with clean water. No double change ever hurt a nano reef, they beg for them and never get them. either way its nice assurance no peroxide was left inside for the sensitives

Edited December 22, 2011 by brandon429

[briansbelle]

Yeah once I get my rodi unit after xmas I will be doing 5g 2x a week. Monday and Thursday.

 

So 10g a week on a 25g aquarium will hopefully keep the algae in check. I believe getting water from someone local is what caused my algae problem.

 

So now I get my rodi water from my local fish store phishy business.

[Cintax]

There have been a couple of posts that said they lost macro algae with the H202. Can't remember if they put some directly into the tank or used the spot treatment method.

 

I did read the whole thread, I guess I missed that part. I rinsed my rock very well after the spot treatment and have seen no ill effects from that with regard to my other macro algae.

 

Maybe some kind of decorative macro holding pen?

 

Dispite always reading 0 on any PO4 test, I also added 7 table spoons of GFO to my mechanical filtration in an effort to slow any further growth of the Botryocladia. I think I might be doing some major work while I am off Monday / Tuesday to spot treat all my rock work.

[kevlow]

Great thread. Don"t have time to read all 26 pgs. Read first five and last five. Will go back to read in it's entirity.

 

Are there entries specific to brown algae? The fuzzy kind?

 

Will try direct syringe application w/ rinse.

 

Kevin

[brandon429]

yep it will kill all algae and macro when used as a spot treatment, take before and after pics pls! if you can take out the target rock and work on it outside the tank that's best. if not, drain the tank down to the target level and only use a couple drops on a target area of algae, wait 2 mins, refill tank, repeat in a few days don't rush it if its an in tank treatment. guaranteed algae kill

B

[iball1804]

Does this peroxide harm corals near the spot treating?

[brandon429]

not by gaseous contact or anything, only direct. and there are many it doesn't even harm, what kind of coral has you concerned? if you can accurately target the treatment no coral will be affected.

[kevlow]

yep it will kill all algae and macro when used as a spot treatment, take before and after pics pls! if you can take out the target rock and work on it outside the tank that's best. if not, drain the tank down to the target level and only use a couple drops on a target area of algae, wait 2 mins, refill tank, repeat in a few days don't rush it if its an in tank treatment. guaranteed algae kill

B

 

 

Just used peroxide spot treatment with a tester kit syringe. Took the frags and rocks out and soaked the algae with a 50/50 solution of SW and H2O2. Then rinsed them in a bucket of tank water. I worry that I did not let it stay on long enough. Only about 30 seconds before I dip rinsed them. Will try again if I did not wait long enough.

 

Pics not possible. No camera phone, only video camera which the wife keeps.

 

Kevin

[iball1804]

not by gaseous contact or anything, only direct. and there are many it doesn't even harm, what kind of coral has you concerned? if you can accurately target the treatment no coral will be affected.

 

I got a frag of Sinularia that has some GHA around its base. If I some put some peroxide on the whole plug, will it adversely effect the coral?

[brandon429]

We need to test it first to see, like a spot test on your rug.

 

I would get a q tip wet with peroxide and touch it to the base of the frag right on the flesh, just a tiny touch. let sit for 1 minute, then rinse off and reinstall the frag and watch for two days. its just like we'd treat the algae, only now we are watching for flesh reactions in sinularia. This is VERY helpful to this thread as we don't have any previous sinularia data like we do with zoanthids. Id love to see the outcome. I predict harmless to the sinularia.

 

Leathers will heal up from small insults (Ive cut mine in half with a razor bleeding them out into the change water) and this is a nice test to see your particular corals reaction. worse case the spot irritates the coral, then heals up (as its a small insult) and we know to place sinularia on the sensitive list along with lysmata and xenia.

 

no need to rush the treatment, GHA will die as soon as we bother to treat it.

 

I don't think a thing will happen to your coral. if it was mine Id drip a few drops right on the bad part/wait/rinse but for online advice its better to take things slow since its your $$ we are jacking with lol

 

I may have already linked this in the last million pages but if not here's our friends at livingreefs running their own peroxide thread. http://www.livingreefs.com/ive-tried-peroxide-t38044p8.html

Edited January 4, 2012 by brandon429

[iball1804]

For now, I think I'll stay with snails.

 

Will peroxide kill dinos?

[brandon429]

yes we have lots of documentation across the web of it killing any undesirable it contacts from the dino/plant realm

[iball1804]

Perfect.

 

Thanks Master Algae.

[brandon429]

lol its only good until our targets develop a biological resistance to peroxide through one or more means then Im searching for a new grail lol.

 

If that ever happens I'll go back to fire burning which sustained me many a year. there is no resistance to a micro blue flame

[iball1804]

Will it harm zoanthids at close contact?

 

Also, what's the ratio of peroxide to water for an effective treatment?

[brandon429]

Personally I never use diluted

I just place the peroxide on the target, wait, rinse and refill and try not to touch it to the coral. if contact occurs I rinse fast to minimize burn time

 

an ultra safe peroxide method for your frag:

a 50 50 mix of peroxide w saltwater, then lightly dopper-apply it to the algae around the base of the frag

 

you can leave it on for like 30-40 seconds, then rinse and the algae will still die, no way this will hurt your frag, 1 mm of tissue maximum gets the heavily diluted peroxide and then its rinsed in 30 seconds

 

 

 

 

for fire burning,

Im using a blue jet flame lighter, not alot of collateral heat damage,

wet live rock is a terrible conductor.

 

I make paddles out of tin foil if needed as heat shields for the concerning areas

 

 

The algae doesn't turn black (people always expect the harshest actions w peroxide and fire, its not)

merely the ends pop, then you wait a couple days for it to turn white and die

 

A retreatment if needed is easy flame surgery. here was me fire burning some red brush algae on my incoming airline

Edited January 4, 2012 by brandon429

[briansbelle]

I'm going to be treating my branch rock again tomorrow. There are a few spots I missed.

Also a patch of hair algae has popped up on the lower part of the rock.

 

So I am going to mix 10g of water,drain the tank,pull the branch rock and treat with full strength 3% peroxide. Then let it sit for a few mins, rinse in the old water change water.

 

Then treat the rock again with peroxide, let sit and rinse again,put back in the tank,and fill tank with new salt water.

 

Also going to pick up a few emerald crabs,and some trochus snails...

[kevlow]

Personally I never use diluted

I just place the peroxide on the target, wait, rinse and refill and try not to touch it to the coral. if contact occurs I rinse fast to minimize burn time

 

an ultra safe peroxide method for your frag:

a 50 50 mix of peroxide w saltwater, then lightly dopper-apply it to the algae around the base of the frag

 

you can leave it on for like 30-40 seconds, then rinse and the algae will still die, no way this will hurt your frag, 1 mm of tissue maximum gets the heavily diluted peroxide and then its rinsed in 30 seconds

 

 

I will be trying your method in a day or two. It has been twenty four hours since my treatment and some GHA is brownish white. The brown fuzzy algae looks un affected. Will wait another 24 hours then re apply with q-tip and undiluted.

 

Thanks.

 

Kevin

[brandon429]

glad it worked man try to post some pics w a cell of something if you can before it all dies off, to track the degredation of the organism

[briansbelle]

I did a treatment on my branch rock today and I took pics.

 

 

 

before treatment, notice how nasty the gha is...ewwww

 

 

my arsenal of buckets, did a 10g water change on the tank today.

 

treatment area, towel,peroxide,tweezers,and bucket with a bit of old tank water to dip and swish the rock in.

 

rocks out!

 

eww algae!

 

peroxide turns this red turf algae clear and kills it too

 

after treatment, the gha is patchy and looks to be dying

 

lots of bubbles...lol

 

oh there is a great assortment of corals on the tonga branch, montipora vietnamensis,monti caps,gorgonian,and candy cane, none of which seemed affected by the peroxide i used on the rock, i tried to keep it off the corals but with the monti cap that is encrusting the rock its kinda hard to keep the peroxide off of it.

 

i will update tomorrow once the lights come on with pics

 

oh and for fun, this is my newest coral, my torch

 

Edited January 5, 2012 by briansbelle