Oxydator and Hydrogen peroxide.

[metrokat]

If the oxydator unbalances tanks then why some and not others? I don't believe the cause of algae growth is anything other than a nutrients issue an oxydator does nor release nutrients just oxygen and a little water. If anybody can point me to anything other logical than I have already stated I would like to hear it.

Never said the oxydator releases nutrients Atoll. I know it makes you happy to continue stating what the oxydator releases (as if that was, now, in any doubt) but doesn't explain what happens in "my tank" with the oxydator.

[atoll]

Did I say you did cat as I can't see anywhere I said such? I asked a question after giving my thoughts on why some may experience algae issues and asked if anybody had a better idea as yet nobody yourself included has but up any other theory and it is just a theory. You may not like the thought that your rocks and or sand is harbouring nutrients that the oxydator maybe releasing and it wasn't my intention to embarrass you with the notion. Untill somebody comes up with a better logical theory it would appear to be the best we have to date. Perhaps if I am right any nutrients that maybe bound up in the rock are released now rather than for another reason who knows. In the meantime plenty of oxydator uses are enjoying the benefits it has brought to thier tanks shame yours and a few more don't appear to be but I will leave you to ponder just why.

[Rehype]

No more than putting 15% peroxide in an oxydator with a magnifica nem in it after being told thats a definite no no but then people sometimes do the silliest thing and against sound advice.

 

Im referring to my own coral since Im only using the recommended 6% At this point my zoos,xenia, feather dusters are mostly closed, my softies (green nepthea and neon toadstool) and sps all have reduced polyp extension. I did expect some of my coral to react negatively to the addition so ill give it a week or so before I make any changes.

[metrokat]

Did I say you did cat as I can't see anywhere I said such? I asked a question after giving my thoughts on why some may experience algae issues and asked if anybody had a better idea as yet nobody yourself included has but up any other theory and it is just a theory. You may not like the thought that your rocks and or sand is harbouring nutrients that the oxydator maybe releasing and it wasn't my intention to embarrass you with the notion. Untill somebody comes up with a better logical theory it would appear to be the best we have to date. Perhaps if I am right any nutrients that maybe bound up in the rock are released now rather than for another reason who knows. In the meantime plenty of oxydator uses are enjoying the benefits it has brought to thier tanks shame yours and a few more don't appear to be but I will leave you to ponder just why.

Not in the least embarrassed. Whatever gave you that idea. I just had some Mc Vites, want a few?

 

The oxydator in my tank was against the glass with a frag rack above it. The algae that grew, did so on the glass and the frag rack. I'm sure my rocks were leeching, are leeching and will always leech. But that doesn't explain why I had algae grow on the GLASS above the oxydator. Not on my rocks.

[Chrisl1976]

The issue I see with this is the variability of everyone's tank. Did you use dry rock, live rock, dry sand, live sand. Lighting spectrum, water quality control schedule, feeding....ect ect. I am also going along with the idea that it's a balance issue within the tank. It just seems some tank balances keep kicked off further then others. Long term data seems to be positive using the unit, but the question comes how long do you wait for balance to resume and at what point do you pull the plug if quality of life for tank inhabitants is being affected.

[atoll]

You gave me the idea kat I got it ftom nowhere else.

[atoll]

Not sure what people mean by balance. GHA and most others require light and nutrients to appear and grow. If you had no problems with undesirable algae before then an increase in nutrients seems the logical cause. If little has changed in your tank other than the introduction of an oxydator then one can assume it is responsible for in some way causing nutrients to be released. There is another possibility in that the oxydator could be converting ammonia to nitrate before your filter can deal with it and causing a spike in nitrate but even then I would expect denitrification to deal with it. Nitrate can only be produced and in balance with the amount of food we feed so the amount of nitrate produced should be the same. Just saying.

[Chrisl1976]

ok, first......is it typical for a oxydator to float when it's empty?

 

Les, for weeks I was fighting 1/2" of GHA growth a week on a few chunks of rock. After I started the oxydator I am suddenly fighting 1" of growth a week and more cyano then I had previously. Nothing else has changed. Obviously the balance my tank tank was at where it only fed enough for 1/2" growth a week has changes and something is significantly feeding the algae more.

[CronicReefer]

ok, first......is it typical for a oxydator to float when it's empty?

 

Les, for weeks I was fighting 1/2" of GHA growth a week on a few chunks of rock. After I started the oxydator I am suddenly fighting 1" of growth a week and more cyano then I had previously. Nothing else has changed. Obviously the balance my tank tank was at where it only fed enough for 1/2" growth a week has changes and something is significantly feeding the algae more.

Just to reiterate this again for you and everyone else who can't figure out where the extra nutrients are coming from after adding the Oxydator. The Oxydator states that it will increase CO2 levels during its initial use. It says that this increase will exist as long as it takes for your Oxydator to break down all the organic molecules that react with O2 and produce CO2 as a byproduct. It does not state how long this usually takes either (until it is done basically). I too had a little bit of GHA growth on the rocks but apart from that I have had no other issues (turbo snails love that GHA). Now both cyano and GHA thrive on elevated CO2 levels as they are largely photosynthetic. CO2 affects algae/plants much more than nitrates or phosphates aid in algae growth. Elevated CO2 greatly aids in the photosynthesis process which is why many of you are seeing this algae growth you may not have had before. It will fade with time if you are willing to be patient and algae is honestly beneficial for the tank (nuisance or otherwise). We can even see this on land based plants where elevated CO2 levels in the atmosphere has led to plants growing much quicker than they would without the high CO2 present.

[albertthiel]

ok, first......is it typical for a oxydator to float when it's empty?

 

Les, for weeks I was fighting 1/2" of GHA growth a week on a few chunks of rock. After I started the oxydator I am suddenly fighting 1" of growth a week and more cyano then I had previously. Nothing else has changed. Obviously the balance my tank tank was at where it only fed enough for 1/2" growth a week has changes and something is significantly feeding the algae more.

 

It is weighted at the base so it does not float ... to be honest I have never seen one that does

 

Albert

[Chrisl1976]

 

It is weighted at the base so it does not float ... to be honest I have never seen one that does

 

Albert

Mine was floating this morning. Witj the rapid amounts it releasing, i think its time to contact the vendor on this one

[atoll]

ok, first......is it typical for a oxydator to float when it's empty?

 

 

The only Oxydator that floats as far as I am aware is the "W" which is for very large tanks and ponds. All the rest should be weighed down by their ceramic base. Perhaps you didn't locate the base properly and it has come off it's base?

[albertthiel]

Mine was floating this morning. Witj the rapid amounts it releasing, i think its time to contact the vendor on this one

 

Was it floating with the base attached to the peroxide container, or was it just the container and the ceramic base was still at the bottom where you placed it ? Just wondering

[atoll]

Just to reiterate this again for you and everyone else who can't figure out where the extra nutrients are coming from after adding the Oxydator. The Oxydator states that it will increase CO2 levels during its initial use. It says that this increase will exist as long as it takes for your Oxydator to break down all the organic molecules that react with O2 and produce CO2 as a byproduct. It does not state how long this usually takes either (until it is done basically). I too had a little bit of GHA growth on the rocks but apart from that I have had no other issues (turbo snails love that GHA). Now both cyano and GHA thrive on elevated CO2 levels as they are largely photosynthetic. CO2 affects algae/plants much more than nitrates or phosphates aid in algae growth. Elevated CO2 greatly aids in the photosynthesis process which is why many of you are seeing this algae growth you may not have had before. It will fade with time if you are willing to be patient and algae is honestly beneficial for the tank (nuisance or otherwise). We can even see this on land based plants where elevated CO2 levels in the atmosphere has led to plants growing much quicker than they would without the high CO2 present.

Yes that makes sense. CO2 is much more soluble than O2 so in order to remove excess CO2 perhaps we need to increase the mixing of the tank layers with the CO2 which tends to be more abundant in the lower levels brought to the surface and to have plenty of surface movement raising gas exchange or perhaps a CO2 scrubber. .

[Chrisl1976]

 

Was it floating with the base attached to the peroxide container, or was it just the container and the ceramic base was still at the bottom where you placed it ? Just wondering

 

Entire unit, base and all.

[metrokat]

The issue I see with this is the variability of everyone's tank. Did you use dry rock, live rock, dry sand, live sand. Lighting spectrum, water quality control schedule, feeding....ect ect. I am also going along with the idea that it's a balance issue within the tank. It just seems some tank balances keep kicked off further then others. Long term data seems to be positive using the unit, but the question comes how long do you wait for balance to resume and at what point do you pull the plug if quality of life for tank inhabitants is being affected.

+1

Just to reiterate this again for you and everyone else who can't figure out where the extra nutrients are coming from after adding the Oxydator. The Oxydator states that it will increase CO2 levels during its initial use. It says that this increase will exist as long as it takes for your Oxydator to break down all the organic molecules that react with O2 and produce CO2 as a byproduct. It does not state how long this usually takes either (until it is done basically). I too had a little bit of GHA growth on the rocks but apart from that I have had no other issues (turbo snails love that GHA). Now both cyano and GHA thrive on elevated CO2 levels as they are largely photosynthetic. CO2 affects algae/plants much more than nitrates or phosphates aid in algae growth. Elevated CO2 greatly aids in the photosynthesis process which is why many of you are seeing this algae growth you may not have had before. It will fade with time if you are willing to be patient and algae is honestly beneficial for the tank (nuisance or otherwise). We can even see this on land based plants where elevated CO2 levels in the atmosphere has led to plants growing much quicker than they would without the high CO2 present.

This makes a lot of sense to me. And therefore I must conclude that while the Oxydator does not release nutrients, in "my tank" and some others like Chris, Jedi, etc, the end result is an increase in nutrients which feed the algae.

 

I appreciate this explanation. Thank you.

[albertthiel]

Entire unit, base and all.

 

That is very odd ... never seen that happen

[Chrisl1976]

[Chrisl1976]

Just to reiterate this again for you and everyone else who can't figure out where the extra nutrients are coming from after adding the Oxydator. The Oxydator states that it will increase CO2 levels during its initial use. It says that this increase will exist as long as it takes for your Oxydator to break down all the organic molecules that react with O2 and produce CO2 as a byproduct. It does not state how long this usually takes either (until it is done basically). I too had a little bit of GHA growth on the rocks but apart from that I have had no other issues (turbo snails love that GHA). Now both cyano and GHA thrive on elevated CO2 levels as they are largely photosynthetic. CO2 affects algae/plants much more than nitrates or phosphates aid in algae growth. Elevated CO2 greatly aids in the photosynthesis process which is why many of you are seeing this algae growth you may not have had before. It will fade with time if you are willing to be patient and algae is honestly beneficial for the tank (nuisance or otherwise). We can even see this on land based plants where elevated CO2 levels in the atmosphere has led to plants growing much quicker than they would without the high CO2 present.

 

 

So there in lies the variable with everyone's tank. If you have loads of built up organics your CO2 load is going to be going crazy till they get used up. If you have very little then your experience with the oxydator will be much more positive quicker.

 

So the organics issues get from liverock and sand beds that we balance out with frequent water changes, reactors, different absorbing medias, UV filters, scrubbers ect......could mostly be resolved by long term use of the oxydator? Is that the general consensus? At some point it's going to break down all the organic molecules correct?

[CronicReefer]

 

 

So there in lies the variable with everyone's tank. If you have loads of built up organics your CO2 load is going to be going crazy till they get used up. If you have very little then your experience with the oxydator will be much more positive quicker.

 

So the organics issues get from liverock and sand beds that we balance out with frequent water changes, reactors, different absorbing medias, UV filters, scrubbers ect......could mostly be resolved by long term use of the oxydator? Is that the general consensus? At some point it's going to break down all the organic molecules correct?

The only way I could see the CO2 staying elevated is if there are enough organics to continue producing it. I would say I haven't seen a decrease in algae yet but I haven't had any explosions like I've seen many people report. Maybe because my tank is newer than most?

[Chrisl1976]

I will say the floating oxydator makes it easy to get out of the sump. Barly have to get my hands wet.

[Rehype]

 

Chris I believe you and I both have defective units...

I will say the floating oxydator makes it easy to get out of the sump. Barly have to get my hands wet.

 

How long did it take to empty?

[Chrisl1976]

 

Chris I believe you and I both have defective units...

 

 

How long did it take to empty?

Takes about 4-5 days

I got it from tbe shrimp place. Been emailingback and forth witb then. He has never had one float and not sure why its dosing so fast.

[Rehype]

Takes about 4-5 days

I got it from tbe shrimp place. Been emailingback and forth witb then. He has never had one float and not sure why its dosing so fast.

 

So did I.I just changed the orientation of the plastic base. Im testing it now in a bucket to see if it makes a difference

[Chrisl1976]

Any of you guys have a wet base handy and a scale? Curious if mine weighs less.