Peroxide and Algae

QuiGonJay · 04/09/2016, 12:21 PM

Anyone ever use hydrogen peroxide to spot kill bryopsis? Thinking of removing some small live rock and using eye dropper to apply peroxide directly to algae. The stores only carry 3% peroxide, is that strong enough to do anything? Will continue to keep nitrates and phosphates low, just looking to clean up a bloom that I think occurred because a xenia decided to melt away.

Thx

J

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FullBoreReefer · 04/09/2016, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by QuiGonJay

Anyone ever use hydrogen peroxide to spot kill bryopsis? Thinking of removing some small live rock and using eye dropper to apply peroxide directly to algae. The stores only carry 3% peroxide, is that strong enough to do anything? Will continue to keep nitrates and phosphates low, just looking to clean up a bloom that I think occurred because a xenia decided to melt away.

Thx

J

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

Are the rocks your wanting to treat have any corals or anything worth keeping attached to them?

Reef Frog · 04/09/2016, 03:07 PM

I've used it and it will disolve the bryopsis and other "soft" algae. 3% is fine. I'd read up on it first. I would brush the areas with a stiff plastic brush after applying the H2O2. I've never seen it harm LPS or SPS but I'd still take care to keep it off coral polyps & give it a good SW rinse when finished, before putting it back in the tank.

Many people may not understand that bryopsis can regenerate from a left over fragment so full tank dosing may be in order in some cases. Also, if nutrients, especially phosphates, are not driven to near zero and kept there for quite a while, it may very well return. Other methods of nutrient control should also be used; mechanical filtration, water changes, prudent feeding, wet skimming & perhaps GAC. Using H2O2 is a long(ish) term project but easy & inexpensive to do.

But it's so darn prolific that IMO your rocks should be taken out ASAP & treated in a QT tank or buckets. Don't give it an opportunity to spread. And then get on top of your nutrients! Good luck.

QuiGonJay · 04/09/2016, 08:18 PM

Thanks. The only thing I'm not doing is GAC. Going to try the spot cleaning and assess. Don't want to remove all the rocks but we will see.

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asharerin · 04/09/2016, 11:50 PM

I have used the 3% on Bryopsis and it kills it easily. You can also dip the rock in a solution of 2 gallons tank water to 1 cup 3% peroxide for 2-3 mins and that will also kill it in 2 days or so.

Alternatively you can take out the rock and use a scrubber and wash it off and then add some Mexican turbo snails. Contrary to popular belief turbos will happily eat bryopsis if it is very short (before it grows to the featherlike frond stage).

The bryopsis will come back if you just go the peroxide route as it will not kill all the fasteners on the rock so you will have to repeat every few weeks. Kent Tech-M is a better for permanent treatment, or the scrub and turbo snails will also get rid of it permanently if you want to avoid chemicals.

Ron Reefman · 04/10/2016, 07:35 AM

I had a rock with several very fluorescent rock anemones (so very important to me). The rock was getting over grown with hair algae because I was spot feeding the anemones a lot. They do much better being fed rather than relying on photosynthesis which I don't think they do very well due to their being from deeper water.

Anyway, I used a couple of Qtips to 'smear' on 3% peroxide. I let it sit in a dry rack for about 5 minutes and then put it back in the 65g shallow reef tank. The nems all got a bit pi$$ed off and closed up. But over the next day they opened back up and a few days later the algae was all gone! And it hasn't grown back in the last 6+ months.

QuiGonJay · 04/11/2016, 06:20 AM

I used an eyedropper to put the 3% peroxide on the algae after taking the rocks out. Let it sit for about 2 minutes, rinsed in salt water put back in. So far the corral inexpensive algae seems to have died, bur rest looks OK. Only been about 12 hours so maybe too soon. Don't want to risk treating the whole tank so will do another round of dose/scrub if need be. Really hard to get that algae off, even scrubbing hard!

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04/09/2016, 12:21 PM	#1
QuiGonJay Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 327	Peroxide and Algae Anyone ever use hydrogen peroxide to spot kill bryopsis? Thinking of removing some small live rock and using eye dropper to apply peroxide directly to algae. The stores only carry 3% peroxide, is that strong enough to do anything? Will continue to keep nitrates and phosphates low, just looking to clean up a bloom that I think occurred because a xenia decided to melt away. Thx J Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

04/10/2016, 07:35 AM	#6
Ron Reefman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Cape Coral, FL Posts: 10,431	I had a rock with several very fluorescent rock anemones (so very important to me). The rock was getting over grown with hair algae because I was spot feeding the anemones a lot. They do much better being fed rather than relying on photosynthesis which I don't think they do very well due to their being from deeper water. Anyway, I used a couple of Qtips to 'smear' on 3% peroxide. I let it sit in a dry rack for about 5 minutes and then put it back in the 65g shallow reef tank. The nems all got a bit pi$$ed off and closed up. But over the next day they opened back up and a few days later the algae was all gone! And it hasn't grown back in the last 6+ months. __________________ The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. (Neil deGrasse Tyson) Visit my build thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2593017

04/09/2016, 03:07 PM	#3
Reef Frog Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Maryland Posts: 3,121	I've used it and it will disolve the bryopsis and other "soft" algae. 3% is fine. I'd read up on it first. I would brush the areas with a stiff plastic brush after applying the H2O2. I've never seen it harm LPS or SPS but I'd still take care to keep it off coral polyps & give it a good SW rinse when finished, before putting it back in the tank. Many people may not understand that bryopsis can regenerate from a left over fragment so full tank dosing may be in order in some cases. Also, if nutrients, especially phosphates, are not driven to near zero and kept there for quite a while, it may very well return. Other methods of nutrient control should also be used; mechanical filtration, water changes, prudent feeding, wet skimming & perhaps GAC. Using H2O2 is a long(ish) term project but easy & inexpensive to do. But it's so darn prolific that IMO your rocks should be taken out ASAP & treated in a QT tank or buckets. Don't give it an opportunity to spread. And then get on top of your nutrients! Good luck.

04/09/2016, 08:18 PM	#4
QuiGonJay Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 327	Thanks. The only thing I'm not doing is GAC. Going to try the spot cleaning and assess. Don't want to remove all the rocks but we will see. Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

04/09/2016, 11:50 PM	#5
asharerin Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 21	I have used the 3% on Bryopsis and it kills it easily. You can also dip the rock in a solution of 2 gallons tank water to 1 cup 3% peroxide for 2-3 mins and that will also kill it in 2 days or so. Alternatively you can take out the rock and use a scrubber and wash it off and then add some Mexican turbo snails. Contrary to popular belief turbos will happily eat bryopsis if it is very short (before it grows to the featherlike frond stage). The bryopsis will come back if you just go the peroxide route as it will not kill all the fasteners on the rock so you will have to repeat every few weeks. Kent Tech-M is a better for permanent treatment, or the scrub and turbo snails will also get rid of it permanently if you want to avoid chemicals.

04/11/2016, 06:20 AM	#7
QuiGonJay Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 327	I used an eyedropper to put the 3% peroxide on the algae after taking the rocks out. Let it sit for about 2 minutes, rinsed in salt water put back in. So far the corral inexpensive algae seems to have died, bur rest looks OK. Only been about 12 hours so maybe too soon. Don't want to risk treating the whole tank so will do another round of dose/scrub if need be. Really hard to get that algae off, even scrubbing hard! Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk