|
03/10/2009, 11:28 AM | #1 |
Team RC Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Highland, Maryland Entomologist
Posts: 14,591
|
AlgaeFix Marine to control Hair Algae
I decided to give AlgaeFix Marine a try. I will be starting today (3/10/2009) and post the results. My phosphate reading is zero using Salifert & Hach PO-19 kits. My Nitrate reading is 0.2 and declining using a Salifert Kit. I am currently dosing sugar.
I actually looked at the microalgae under a stereoscope I have (40X). From the pictures and data I have been able to find, it appears to be a type of hair algae, which does not really say a whole lot. The cells appear to be more square with rounded corners and form long non-branching green filaments. These are pictures of what it looks like in my tank today, before any applications of AlgaeFix Marine. I will be following the recommended dosage rates and directions.
__________________
Cliff Babcock Intestests: Digital Microscopy; Marine Pest Control; Marine Plants & Macroalgae Current Tank Info: 180 g. mixed reef system |
03/10/2009, 12:00 PM | #2 |
Team RC Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Highland, Maryland Entomologist
Posts: 14,591
|
My current water parameters are:
Temp: 78 pH: 7.8 (I have a new probe on order. I am not certain on this) SG: 1.0264 (refractometer) Calcium: 430 (Salifert) Mag: 1440 (Salifert) Nitrate: 0.2 (Salifert) Phosphate: 0 (Salifert & Hach PO-19) Amonia: 0 (Salifert) 20,000K Radium bulbs (two 400W metal halides) Using Rodi water and kalk in my top-off Water circulation is very good.
__________________
Cliff Babcock Intestests: Digital Microscopy; Marine Pest Control; Marine Plants & Macroalgae Current Tank Info: 180 g. mixed reef system |
03/10/2009, 11:57 PM | #3 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Orange County CA
Posts: 3,819
|
Don't forget to shut your skimmer down during treatment. I see you have some halimeda growing, I hope it doesn't kill it. Good luck.
|
03/11/2009, 01:15 AM | #4 |
ReefKeeping Mag staff
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: West Seneca NY
Posts: 27,691
|
Very curious about this product Cliff. Fortunately , I do not have much microalgae at all anymore but curious nonetheless. Thanks for posting your experience.
__________________
Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals. |
03/25/2009, 02:36 PM | #5 |
Team RC Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Highland, Maryland Entomologist
Posts: 14,591
|
Update for my AlgaeFix Marine trial:
I have completed 5 doses at the recommended label directions rate. I stopped dosing sugar. I stopped GFO & carbon reactors per some of Randy's concerns about this product (Randy does have other concerns). I have cut back feeding my fish drastically during this time. I am using the 20,000 K Radium bulbs. I have fish and a mixed assortment of corals. I have a RBTA. I have snails, but no shrimp or crabs. My nitrates and phosphates are unreadable. My other water parameters are all within the recommended guidelines. My lights are on for 10 hrs a day. At this point (5 doses) the dark green algae or cyano pest that I have is about 90% gone. The purple cyanobacteria that I have is still present, but seems to have been reduced. I can see my rock for the first time in a long time. I plan to continue the dosing of AlgaeFix at the same rate and see if it can eradicate both of my pests.
__________________
Cliff Babcock Intestests: Digital Microscopy; Marine Pest Control; Marine Plants & Macroalgae Current Tank Info: 180 g. mixed reef system |
03/25/2009, 02:48 PM | #6 |
Team RC Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Highland, Maryland Entomologist
Posts: 14,591
|
I forgot to add:
The AlgaeFix has not seemed to effect my halimeda or chaetomorpha macroalgae at this point.
__________________
Cliff Babcock Intestests: Digital Microscopy; Marine Pest Control; Marine Plants & Macroalgae Current Tank Info: 180 g. mixed reef system |
03/25/2009, 10:14 PM | #7 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Orange County CA
Posts: 3,819
|
I'm glad you are having a positive result. Keep us updated. I wonder, once the algae problem is eliminated, will it return, once dosing stops.
|
03/26/2009, 04:51 AM | #8 |
Team RC Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Highland, Maryland Entomologist
Posts: 14,591
|
Good question. On the label, they recommend continued weekly dosing to maintain control. This could be to control the germinating spores. AlgaeFix Marine does not kill the spores.
In my field of land pest control, almost all the chemical products used against fungus, bacteria, molds and insects will take at least 60 days to gain complete control and in many cases much longer. How this translates to the marine aquarium, I am not sure. At this point, I have been dosing AlgaeFix Marine a little over two weeks.
__________________
Cliff Babcock Intestests: Digital Microscopy; Marine Pest Control; Marine Plants & Macroalgae Current Tank Info: 180 g. mixed reef system Last edited by HighlandReefer; 03/26/2009 at 04:56 AM. |
03/26/2009, 10:36 AM | #9 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Orange County CA
Posts: 3,819
|
How is the use of the algaecide affecting your skimmer?
|
03/26/2009, 12:01 PM | #10 |
Team RC Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Highland, Maryland Entomologist
Posts: 14,591
|
I have not properly cleaned my aquarium of the dead algae in over 1 1/2 weeks.
The dead algae is falling away from the rock and is being skimmed out only at this point. So, yes I have seen an increase. I'm sure the AlgaeFix would be more effective if I was doing my job correctly.
__________________
Cliff Babcock Intestests: Digital Microscopy; Marine Pest Control; Marine Plants & Macroalgae Current Tank Info: 180 g. mixed reef system |
03/26/2009, 08:57 PM | #11 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 331
|
What is that blue colored stuff at the top left corner of your pictures?
|
03/27/2009, 01:14 AM | #12 | |
Registered Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Bakersfield, CA
Posts: 118
|
Quote:
|
|
03/27/2009, 05:54 AM | #13 |
Team RC Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Highland, Maryland Entomologist
Posts: 14,591
|
The blue is the background color for the back glass of my tank.
__________________
Cliff Babcock Intestests: Digital Microscopy; Marine Pest Control; Marine Plants & Macroalgae Current Tank Info: 180 g. mixed reef system |
03/27/2009, 07:11 AM | #14 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Polk County, FL
Posts: 78
|
Did you say that the AlgaeFix Marine is working for your cyano? I tried this stuff and it didn't seem to work. Of coarse, it sounds like my patience didn't last as long as yours. I think I'm going to buy another bottle of that AlgaeFix Marine and do what you are doing.
__________________
Member O.R.C.A and T.B.R.C Current Tank Info: Est. 10/2006, 120 gallon acrylic, 2-250w MH, 4-96w atinic |
03/27/2009, 10:45 AM | #15 |
Team RC Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Highland, Maryland Entomologist
Posts: 14,591
|
Identifying these algae type pests if difficult, IMHO. I have two different pests. The first one is pictured in the thread and is a dark green in color. I believe it may be a cyanobacteria, rather than a true green algae. There are numerous bubbles which appear in its mass. The AlageFix is working great on this pest.
The second pest I have is what I believe is the normal purple cyanobacteria that many hobbyists have problems with. This one seems to be reclining since dosing AlgaeFix, but there does not seem to be the control level that I am getting with the first pest. I will keep this thread posted with my continued results with AlgaeFix Marine. I reserve judgment for a longer period of time.
__________________
Cliff Babcock Intestests: Digital Microscopy; Marine Pest Control; Marine Plants & Macroalgae Current Tank Info: 180 g. mixed reef system |
03/27/2009, 08:44 PM | #16 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Heath, Ohio
Posts: 89
|
i have used algaefix marine and it has work for me at one point i could not see my rocks at all. now the tank is clear. i will keep up on the weeky doses. this is one of the best products i have used in a long time...
|
03/28/2009, 11:12 AM | #17 |
Team RC Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Highland, Maryland Entomologist
Posts: 14,591
|
lbj
Good to hear that it worked for you. I trust that you did not see any negative effects on corals, clams, fish and other invertebrates in your tank? Possibly a general list of tank inhabitants may help for our future mental data banks. Also a time frame of how long it took to achieve control?
__________________
Cliff Babcock Intestests: Digital Microscopy; Marine Pest Control; Marine Plants & Macroalgae Current Tank Info: 180 g. mixed reef system |
03/28/2009, 10:26 PM | #18 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Heath, Ohio
Posts: 89
|
No ill effects on any of the corals, hard or soft. I have a blue hepa tang, a yellow tang, two firefish, a mandarin, two damsels, two anthius, a false percula clown, a wrasse, two cleaner shrimp, four peppermint shrimp, a diamond goby, several snails and hermit crabs and a brittle starfish. The only thing that was slightly affected was the cheto in my refugium. It took a total of 5 doses to get rid of the green hair algae. Now we're battling the red slime algae. The algae fix bottle stated that it controls red slime algae, but mine seemed to get worse after the treatment.
|
03/28/2009, 10:59 PM | #19 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: syracuse
Posts: 7,003
|
just wanted you all to know it worked wonders for me with no ill effects and i am dosing once a week but my tank is 100% free of algea. amazing product so far absolutly no paramiter swings or any detectable bad side effects so its thumbs up for the algea-fix marine !
__________________
This hobby certainly can put you in some weird positions ! Dave Current Tank Info: 40 freshwater,25saltwater 2000 gallons ,enough tanks for an army ? |
03/28/2009, 11:05 PM | #20 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: syracuse
Posts: 7,003
|
mine took eight doses before it really fell apart and stopped growing .i have fifteen wrasses ,many snails ans crabs in my system and tons of pods ,they are all not affected in any way .and i did notice something negative now that i really think of it i got a patch of red slimey algea on the back of one of the tanks and it produced many bubbles of something on its surfsce . i siphoned it off and it has been three weeks with no sigh of returning as of yet .
__________________
This hobby certainly can put you in some weird positions ! Dave Current Tank Info: 40 freshwater,25saltwater 2000 gallons ,enough tanks for an army ? |
03/29/2009, 05:42 AM | #21 |
Team RC Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Highland, Maryland Entomologist
Posts: 14,591
|
Thanks lbj & iamwrasseman for your reports about AlageFix Marine. I hope that any hobbyists who have had problems with it, will inform us of their experiences. It is wonderful to hear positive responses also. This information can prove valuable to other hobbyists who decide to risk using AlgaeFix Marine.
__________________
Cliff Babcock Intestests: Digital Microscopy; Marine Pest Control; Marine Plants & Macroalgae Current Tank Info: 180 g. mixed reef system |
03/30/2009, 08:54 PM | #22 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: australia
Posts: 46
|
I have dosed twice with Alagefix Marine, with my algae at about the stage of your pics, I have been battling this pest for 4 months and finally realized that it could be the storage of my R/O water. I have a 80 gallon storage tank which has an automatic refill from the R/O unit. With using only about 6 gallons a week, so contamination is a problem. I have now discarded all the stored water and only making enough R/O water to last the week. I will continue the Alagefix Marine dosage to clear the problem hoping it works.
|
03/30/2009, 09:04 PM | #23 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Heath, Ohio
Posts: 89
|
how can your storage water be contaminated if it is fresh.
|
03/30/2009, 11:57 PM | #24 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: syracuse
Posts: 7,003
|
2nd that
__________________
This hobby certainly can put you in some weird positions ! Dave Current Tank Info: 40 freshwater,25saltwater 2000 gallons ,enough tanks for an army ? |
03/31/2009, 03:35 AM | #25 | |
Registered Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Polk County, FL
Posts: 78
|
Quote:
__________________
Member O.R.C.A and T.B.R.C Current Tank Info: Est. 10/2006, 120 gallon acrylic, 2-250w MH, 4-96w atinic |
|
Tags |
ganjero |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
RowaPhos and Hair Algae? | GlassReef | Lighting, Filtration & Other Equipment | 74 | 11/21/2012 01:51 AM |
zoas have green hair algae growing in side | coraltankmaster | Zoanthids | 6 | 02/05/2012 11:45 PM |
Hair Algae...Give Me Your Thoughts | blemere | Reef Discussion | 36 | 10/12/2011 07:49 PM |
taming my hair algae | BradMugs | Do It Yourself | 13 | 02/27/2011 09:14 PM |
Hair algae on chaetomorpha? | krazedkazoo | Tampa Bay Reef Club | 6 | 08/23/2010 10:47 PM |