Need to know if there is any algae control medications that won’t hurt corals or anemones or scaleless fish?

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

Pretty much what I typed in the title, anyone know?😂 My LFS said that most of the stuff that they have there will harm what I have in the tank. Just wondering if there is something that I’m not seeing?

[HarryPotter]

Algae control is algae control.... less feeding or better filtration. Check your source water too.

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

26 minutes ago, HarryPotter said:

Algae control is algae control.... less feeding or better filtration. Check your source water too.

Is there any chemical things that I can use that won’t hurt anything?

I’ve already tried everything else, and I don’t have enough money right now for better filtration or for something to make better water movement

[HarryPotter]

9 minutes ago, EthanPhillyCheesesteak said:

Is there any chemical things that I can use that won’t hurt anything?

I’ve already tried everything else, and I don’t have enough money right now for better filtration or for something to make better water movement

 

There is no chemical that will just kill all the algae without harming the tank. You have to address the issue causing the algae. 

[Tamberav]

10 minutes ago, EthanPhillyCheesesteak said:

Is there any chemical things that I can use that won’t hurt anything?

I’ve already tried everything else, and I don’t have enough money right now for better filtration or for something to make better water movement

You really need to stop looking for chemicals to add to the tank. Proper stocking, feeding, and filtration will lead to success. 

 

Don't you have 7 fish in a 30g? Two clowns, sixline, fire fish, yellow watchman, orange spotted goby and a flame angel?

 

An angel and clowns are pretty big bioload fish on their own. 

 

That is your problem. I do around 5 fish in a 30g with half them being low bioload/small fish. As your fish grow, it is only going to get worse. 

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

5 minutes ago, HarryPotter said:

 

There is no chemical that will just kill all the algae without harming the tank. You have to address the issue causing the algae. 

I’ve been trying, I’ve stopped feeding everyday, switched to feeding once every other day, and I haven’t noticed much of a difference? I’ve got in the tank, and cleaned some of the live rock of algae by taking it out and washing it off in the sink, I’ve tried to clean the sand bed, but that’s hard without a sand sifter. I’m about to change the filter, I took it out, and it was nasty, so I’m hoping that may help, but I’m leaving the filter out for a bit, bc I’m trying to cure my flame angel of ich using Melafix. Could it possibly get better after I put in a new filter?

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

5 minutes ago, Tamberav said:

You really need to stop looking for chemicals to add to the tank. Proper stocking, feeding, and filtration will lead to success. 

 

Don't you have 7 fish in a 30g? Two clowns, sixline, fire fish, yellow watchman, orange spotted goby and a flame angel?

 

An angel and clowns are pretty big bioload fish on their own. 

 

That is your problem. I do around 5 fish in a 30g with half them being low bioload/small fish. As your fish grow, it is only going to get worse. 

I didn’t even want the angel fish, I knew that  was going to be a problem, but the person that I got it from was going to just kill it, bc it had something wrong with its tail fin. I took it from him, bc I couldn’t just let it die. I fixed the tail problem, but I think he’s starting to develop ich, so I’m now also dealing with that.

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

He had some holes in the tail, and he had a blemish on his cheek, and the person that I got it from was just going to kill it. I fixed everything, but now it has ich I think☹️

I’ve never had very much luck with angels, even when I had a bigger tank.☹️

[Griever]

17 minutes ago, HarryPotter said:

Algae control is algae control.... less feeding or better filtration. Check your source water too.

@HarryPotter is right here. The absolute best thing is to figure out what's causing the algae address that. Based on your last thread, I think you need to test what you're using for "new" water during water changes and make sure your RODI source is reading 0 TDS or if you're buying premade from a LFS that it isn't introducing phosphates. 

That being said, GHA and Bryopsis can be really stubborn once established and persist even after you've taken measures to control nutrients. I've had success with Reef Flux (fluconazole) to help while things stabilized. I had no impact to my fish, corals, or inverts. I'd use that as a last resort after you've addressed other issues. 

[Tamberav]

6 minutes ago, EthanPhillyCheesesteak said:

He had some holes in the tail, and he had a blemish on his cheek, and the person that I got it from was just going to kill it. I fixed everything, but now it has ich I think☹️

Then I would cure it in a QT and give it to a LFS or just give it to the LFS.

 

Reducing feedings does not help fish fight off ich. They should be well fed with a variety of food. 

 

Even if you can get the algae out, it is just an upward battle if the tanks filtration can not keep up with stock. It would just come back.

 

 

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

2 minutes ago, Tamberav said:

Then I would cure it in a QT and give it to a LFS or just give it to the LFS.

 

Reducing feedings does not help fish fight off ich. They should be well fed with a variety of food. 

I’m really just considering doing that, it’s definitely not gonna help with the algae🤷‍♂️

[Tamberav]

2 minutes ago, EthanPhillyCheesesteak said:

I’m really just considering doing that, it’s definitely not gonna help with the algae🤷‍♂️

 

If the filter was nasty, then you should clean it more often. Once or twice a week even. 

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

I just cleaned it, and I’m planning to clean it every week. I also bought a bunch of filter cartridges to be ready when the next one runs out.

[mitten_reef]

How often do you do water change?

 

You have a lot of problems and questions, but have yet to post any photos to help us help you. 

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

I do water changes weekly, but I’m not adding the correct water, I had to use purified bottled water the past few changes, bc I ran out of the stuff that I get from my LFS. The closest LFS to me is an hour away, that’s why I haven’t been able to get any more yet, I’ve just been really busy lately. Tight on money too. I’m sorry about the pictures, I’ll get some in a few minutes.

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

I know that this is probably a newb question, but is it safe for the coral if I take it out of the water to get algae off of it? 

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

I want to turn off the lights in my tank for a few days, but I’m afraid that it may hurt my BTA and mini carpet nem. Would it drastically hurt them to do this?

[Griever]

I know you're not going to like this answer, but you're looking for shortcuts in a hobby that doesn't really have any. You need to take a step back and address the fundamentals first.

1. You're overstocked. Reduce your bioload, or increase nutrient export via more frequent water changes or equipment (bigger skimmer, refugium, etc)
2. You don't have a good water source. Your top off water NEEDS to be as low in TDS as possible. Invest in an RODI system for both top off water and for mixing fresh salt-water for water changes
3. Do as much manual removal as possible.

To answer some of your other questions... I wouldn't make a habit of it, but short exposure to air is typically OK for your corals, a three day long blackout won't kill your corals, but it'll likely piss them off and could kill anything that's already stressed out, and it won't solve your problem. The algae will just continue to grow once you turn the lights back on.

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

16 minutes ago, Griever said:

I know you're not going to like this answer, but you're looking for shortcuts in a hobby that doesn't really have any. You need to take a step back and address the fundamentals first.

1. You're overstocked. Reduce your bioload, or increase nutrient export via more frequent water changes or equipment (bigger skimmer, refugium, etc)
2. You don't have a good water source. Your top off water NEEDS to be as low in TDS as possible. Invest in an RODI system for both top off water and for mixing fresh salt-water for water changes
3. Do as much manual removal as possible.

To answer some of your other questions... I wouldn't make a habit of it, but short exposure to air is typically OK for your corals, a three day long blackout won't kill your corals, but it'll likely piss them off and could kill anything that's already stressed out, and it won't solve your problem. The algae will just continue to grow once you turn the lights back on.

Yea, I’ll have to get rid if that flame angel, he’s just too much

[GlassHouse]

 

1 hour ago, HarryPotter said:

 

There is no chemical that will just kill all the algae without harming the tank. You have to address the issue causing the algae. 

 

Absolutely not true. Not sure where everyone's been for the last couple of years, but there is a simple, reef safe "bottled" solution to algae problems. It's called Fluconazole. 

https://www.saltwateraquarium.com/reef-flux-algae-buster-fluconazole-bryopsis-green-hair-algae-reefhd/

 

Pretty thorough thread here: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/bryopsis-cure-my-battle-with-bryopsis-using-fluconazole.285096/

and a fellow nano-reefer post here: 

 

tl;dr: Dose your tank with Fluconazole (20 mg/gallon). remove charcoal. Wait 2 weeks for Bryopsis to die. Wait 4 weeks for GHA to die. Water change.

 

 

[HarryPotter]

14 minutes ago, GlassHouse said:

 

 

Absolutely not true. Not sure where everyone's been for the last couple of years, but there is a simple, reef safe "bottled" solution to algae problems. It's called Fluconazole. 

https://www.saltwateraquarium.com/reef-flux-algae-buster-fluconazole-bryopsis-green-hair-algae-reefhd/

 

Pretty thorough thread here: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/bryopsis-cure-my-battle-with-bryopsis-using-fluconazole.285096/

and a fellow nano-reefer post here: 

 

tl;dr: Dose your tank with Fluconazole (20 mg/gallon). remove charcoal. Wait 2 weeks for Bryopsis to die. Wait 4 weeks for GHA to die. Water change.

 

 

 

 

Actually, what you posted IS ABSOLUTLY NOT TRUE.

 

I do find it humorous that you think Fluconazole is “true”, as in its effectivness is not debatable.

 

It kills all algae? And is reef safe? You realize that it is a stupid statement given that corals need zooxanthellae to survive. 

 

Fluconazole is effective against a limited variety of algaes, AND, for as many threads that say it helped, I can find another that says it did nothing. 

 

Even if it does kill algae, then the overlying issue of excess nutrients will become even worse as there is even less to consume them. 

[GlassHouse]

1 minute ago, HarryPotter said:

Actually, what you posted IS ABSOLUTLY NOT TRUE.

 

I do find it humorous that you think Fluconazole is “true”, as in its effectivness is not debatable.

 

It kills all algae? And is reef safe? You realize that it is a stupid statement given that corals need zooxanthellae to survive. 

 

Fluconazole is effective against a limited variety of algaes, AND, for as many threads that say it helped, I can find another that says it did nothing. 

 

Even if it does kill algae, then the overlying issue of excess nutrients will become even worse as there is even less to consume them. 

 

Have you used Fluconazole? Do you know what it does? Do you know how it works? It doesn't appear that you do.

Yes. It kills bryopsis and hair algae.

 

Yes. It's completely reef safe.

No, it doesn't effect zooxanthellae in corals.

Yes, when the algae dies, you have to remove the nutrients via water changes

 

Yes, once you get the algae under control using Fluconazole, you need to fix the underlying problems. I'd suggest large (75% or more) water changes on a nano and then keep up with nutrient export.

 

Most of these things are covered in the thread I linked. Perhaps you should read it.

 

[HarryPotter]

7 minutes ago, GlassHouse said:

 

 

"Yes. It kills bryopsis and hair algae"

In some tanks. In others it appears to have done nothing. This could be due to different species perhaps. 

 

 

 

"Yes. It's completely reef safe."

So can you elaborate on what exactly it kills? Not all algae clearly, we agree about that, but what ones DOES it work on 100% of the time? 

(And you know me saying 100% is just leading you into a trap, because I can easily find a thread where someone complains it didnt help 😉 ). 

 

 

 

"Yes, when the algae dies, you have to remove the nutrients via water changes" 

Water changes will temporally remove nutrients, but the inherent surplus of nutrients is what caused it in the first place. Hence you will either have high nutrients, or grow algae again without addressing the issue. 

 

 

"Most of these things are covered in the thread I linked. Perhaps you should read it."

Ive read it. Works for some to kill certain species of algaes. Doesn't work for everyone.

 

I am not saying it is a "bad" solution, but the way you tried to present it was totally inaccurate. 

 

[WV Reefer]

Post the pics. We need to see what’s happening in there. 🙂

[Tamberav]

1 hour ago, GlassHouse said:

 

 

Absolutely not true. Not sure where everyone's been for the last couple of years, but there is a simple, reef safe "bottled" solution to algae problems. It's called Fluconazole. 

https://www.saltwateraquarium.com/reef-flux-algae-buster-fluconazole-bryopsis-green-hair-algae-reefhd/

 

Pretty thorough thread here: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/bryopsis-cure-my-battle-with-bryopsis-using-fluconazole.285096/

and a fellow nano-reefer post here: 

 

tl;dr: Dose your tank with Fluconazole (20 mg/gallon). remove charcoal. Wait 2 weeks for Bryopsis to die. Wait 4 weeks for GHA to die. Water change.

 

 

 

I don't see the point of this use in this instance, once the OP removes this medication, the algae will come back as he is overstocked, poor water source, probably poor husbandry that need to be addressed (very dirty filters, why were they dirty to begin with?). Unless you run flucanozole 100% of the time, the algae will just come back. I have used flucanozole and it killed bryposis for me but I had no on-going water quality issue.

 

it is likely if he kills off algae this way, He will end up with cyano... or even worse, dino. Because his tank has many issues right now that need to be addressed. You say do water changes but his source water is suspect so that won't help. 

 

Also he is already dosing medication in his tank for ich and we have no idea if these meds are compatible to mix. Another thing that needs to be addressed.