Acan Colony Red Hair Algae Removal

[nitrox2000]

Hi

I have an Acan Lord colony (medium size) that I purchased a few months back which came with some red hair algae attached to it between a few of the heads.

I tried to manually pick it off with tweezers but didn't make much progress so I have resorted to using a hydrogen peroxide bath.
I used an undiluted 3% hydrogen peroxide and soaked for 2 minutes, which I have now repeated again.

I would have assumed that this bath would have killed any algae from the acan colony, but it still has the issue, albeit a little thinned out!

The acan comes back after around 24 hours and looks better after a feed, but how many times do I keep repeating the bath until the algae goes? - Also I wonder if 2 mins is not enough as this is a medium sized colony and not a frag on a plug.

Please any advice or experience using this method on a colony to remove red hair algae would be welcomed or additional ideas to rid this acan of it's hitch-hiker would be welcomed?

Tank parameters are good with very low nutrient levels, as this is a frag tank not a main DT system, so no real excess nutrients for the algae to feed off.

Look forward to you're views.

Thanks

Nitrox

 

[VintageReefer]

Hydrogen peroxide dip for acans

Prepare Dip:
1 liter saltwater
350ml hydrogen peroxide 3%

Prepare Coral:
Baste coral with water so all polyps close up / retract before removing from tank

Dip process:
Dip 10 minutes
then return to tank

If not successful, can repeat with either:
10ml more hydrogen peroxide (450ml / L)
Or
Increase dip duration to 20 min

Also, regardless of outcome, redo process 24-48 hours later.

 

[nitrox2000]

Hydrogen peroxide dip for acans

Prepare Dip:
1 liter saltwater
350ml hydrogen peroxide 3%

Prepare Coral:
Baste coral with water so all polyps close up / retract before removing from tank

Dip process:
Dip 10 minutes
then return to tank

If not successful, can repeat with either:
10ml more hydrogen peroxide (450ml / L)
Or
Increase dip duration to 20 min

Also, regardless of outcome, redo process 24-48 hours later.

Thank you for the recommendation.

I assume the coral requires rinsing in clean salt water after the dip prior to returning to the tank, or would you suggest just simply returning the colony back to the tank without rinsing?

Also you suggested adding an additional 10 ml to increase from 350ml to 450ml, did you mean 100ml?

My previous dipping procedure included rinsing the colony in clean salt water before returning to tank, perhaps this is a mistake on my part!

Thanks

Nitrox

 

[VintageReefer]

Thank you for the recommendation.

I assume the coral requires rinsing in clean salt water after the dip prior to returning to the tank, or would you suggest just simply returning the colony back to the tank without rinsing?

My previous dipping procedure included rinsing the colony in clean salt water before returning to tank, perhaps this is a mistake on my part!

Thanks

Nitrox

Don’t rinse it just put it back in the tank
It will continue to work a few minutes longer

 

[nitrox2000]

Don’t rinse it just put it back in the tank
It will continue to work a few minutes longer

Understood, will give it try and update on progress.

Many thanks again.

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

This is the Formula I use, 16 ounces of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide to 2.5 Gallons of Saltwater. Turn off my ATO, Syphon out 2.5 gallons from the tank. Add 16 oz bottle. No need to measure, with a 16 oz bottle. Dip the Coral, soak for Ten Minutes. Return the Coral to the Aquarium. Dump the Hydrogen Peroxide Solution in the Sump, since my Aquariums are 65 and 120 gallons. No problem. BTW, don’t be alarmed if Hermit Crabs and Emerald Crabs, start going over the Coral. For some reason they like the Marinaded Algae.

 

[nitrox2000]

This is the Formula I use, 16 ounces of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide to 2.5 Gallons of Saltwater. Turn off my ATO, Syphon out 2.5 gallons from the tank. Add 16 oz bottle. No need to measure, with a 16 oz bottle. Dip the Coral, soak for Ten Minutes. Return the Coral to the Aquarium. Dump the Hydrogen Peroxide Solution in the Sump, since my Aquariums are 65 and 120 gallons. No problem. BTW, don’t be alarmed if Hermit Crabs and Emerald Crabs, start going over the Coral. For some reason they like the Marinaded Algae.

Thanks the input.... No danger of any of my hermits or emerald crabs taking an interest or having a march over the dipped acan as the colony is in my frag tank!

Interesting method though. I have read that some reefers actually dose hydrogen peroxide to keep DT clean, not sure I would, but I have manually spot targeted turf and hair algae clumps with a syringe full of peroxide (with all flow and pumps off) from time to time. I have had success but requires repeating the process several times to clear it all.

 

[VintageReefer]

Have you tried it? What were the results ?

 

[nitrox2000]

Have you tried it? What were the results ?

Sorry for the late reply getting back to the thread.

Yes I tried this and seemed to do the trick although after a few attempts so thank you!

I now have a small amount of bryopsis growing on the side of one colony so will be repeated again, but no hair algae since.

Thank you all for the advice.