Algae Cure!! Spot Treating Algae With Peroxide

[mcarroll]

For the record, there is no "cure" for algae as it's not a disease. That's the only reason the word "cure" is in the title.

Now for HOW to spot-treat algae! (More about "why" after the how...)

1. Fill a small syringe with 1-2 mL of regular hydrogen peroxide
2. Shut off all flow and wait for the water to become totally still
3. Treat a patch of algae at it's base – 1-2 square inches in size
4. Wait a few minutes and and turn the systems's flow back on
5. That patch will be toast

You can probable treat at least 2 patches per day and you might be fine leaving the pumps off for longer – but consider both options experimental and GO SLOWLY in those directions.

Depending on your confidence and where you need to use it, maybe wait to see how that first patch reacts over the course of a week before you decide how to proceed.

So why spot-treat?

In a nutshell: It's a very harsh treatment on the algae, but has almost no impact on the system's maturity or stability overall.

Contrast this with almost every other "algae treatment" you can name – most treat the whole tank vs just the algae. (I actually can't think of any other exceptions beside this right now. Hm.)

 

[Brew12]

For the record, there is no "cure" for algae as it's not a disease. That's the only reason the word "cure" is in the title.

Now for HOW to spot-treat algae! (More about "why" after the how...)

1. Fill a small syringe with 1-2 mL of regular hydrogen peroxide
2. Shut off all flow and wait for the water to become totally still
3. Treat a patch of algae at it's base – 1-2 square inches in size
4. Wait a few minutes and and turn the systems's flow back on
5. That patch will be toast

You can probable treat at least 2 patches per day and you might be fine leaving the pumps off for longer – but consider both options experimental and GO SLOWLY in those directions.

Depending on your confidence and where you need to use it, maybe wait to see how that first patch reacts over the course of a week before you decide how to proceed.

So why spot-treat?

In a nutshell: It's a very harsh treatment on the algae, but has almost no impact on the system's maturity or stability overall.

Contrast this with almost every other "algae treatment" you can name – most treat the whole tank vs just the algae. (I actually can't think of any other exceptions beside this right now. Hm.)

Love it!

Would you consider it safe to use up to 1ml/g of tank volume per day?

Edit: Another great all natural approach is one of these.
https://www.bluezooaquatics.com/productDetail.asp?did=2&pid=1166&cid=83

A local reefer turned me on to them recently. This is one of the few sea slugs that doesn't have a toxin that can wipe a tank. They are extremely effective at consuming algae so you may need to get one to share with a few reefers in the area or it will starve and disappear.

 

[mcarroll]

Love it!

Would you consider it safe to use up to 1ml/g of tank volume per day?

I'd start with one treatment and work my way up to that +1 at a time.

Likewise for leaving pumps off longer – start with 2-3 minutes and (if you want) work your way up to more +1 minute at a time.

 

[thimburg]

Love it!

Would you consider it safe to use up to 1ml/g of tank volume per day?

Edit: Another great all natural approach is one of these.
https://www.bluezooaquatics.com/productDetail.asp?did=2&pid=1166&cid=83

A local reefer turned me on to them recently. This is one of the few sea slugs that doesn't have a toxin that can wipe a tank. They are extremely effective at consuming algae so you may need to get one to share with a few reefers in the area or it will starve and disappear.

I use the sea hair in my sea horse tank.. I feed it heavily a couple times a day for the horses.. Always battling hair algae and they work great. Once algae is cleared up find a new home or feed them algae wafers or they may die.

 

[voiceinthedesert]

Since this seems to be evolving into a general "how to murder algae" thread, I'll just add that I started Vodka dosing about two months ago and my tank has never been so clear of algae. The only place it survives is in my sump, where it has a dedicated grow light. It's nice because it does double duty as a nitrate reducer as well.

 

[mcarroll]

Since this seems to be evolving into a general "how to murder algae" thread.

Nope.

Let's keep this focused on the title, please.

 

[mcarroll]

Since this seems to be evolving into a general "how to murder algae" thread, I'll just add that I started Vodka dosing about two months ago and my tank has never been so clear of algae. The only place it survives is in my sump, where it has a dedicated grow light. It's nice because it does double duty as a nitrate reducer as well.

Carbon dosing is a bad idea in a reef.

Real reefs depend heavily on being carbon limited. That's the niche that coral (and many other photosyntheticss) inhabit.

Stay away from carbon dosing – or at least realize the crutch that it is.

 

[cracker]

I can speak from personal experience that spot treating with peroxide works very well.

 

[Brew12]

Nope.

Let's keep this focused on the title, please.

My apologies. I think I started the straying.

I have a little turf algae growing in my DT. I don't want to kill off too much of it since I am growing it for my Urchin, but I may test this method when I get a chance. Will provide another data point at least.

 

[mcarroll]

I am growing it for my Urchin, but I may test this method when I get a chance. Will provide another data point at least.

All good! Pics when you do it!

 

[OnPointCorals]

How close could you get to SPS Corals with this treatment without expecting damage?

 

[Lasse]

regular hydrogen peroxide

For the records - what is the strength of "regular hydrogen peroxide" I ask because there is probably not one standard world around.

And the method work - I have used 6 % and 12 %. And it works for Aiptasia too

Sincerely Lasse.

 

[mcarroll]

For the records - what is the strength of "regular hydrogen peroxide" I ask because there is probably not one standard world around.

And the method work - I have used 6 % and 12 %. And it works for Aiptasia too

Sincerely Lasse.

I think 3% concentration, and often stabilized with Sn. (Oddly this is not always on the label.)

We (some of us) can get "food grade" which I think starts at 30%, but is not stabilized....so the concentration is kinda unknown but expected to be "high".

 

[mcarroll]

How close could you get to SPS Corals with this treatment without expecting damage?

A) Corals have protection in their mucus.
B) That's the reason for the small dose-size and treatment area....so you can "go anywhere with it".

Still tread lightly at the beginning...as you would with anything. (Right?? )

 

[fishnugget1]

A) Corals have protection in their mucus.
B) That's the reason for the small dose-size and treatment area....so you can "go anywhere with it".

Still tread lightly at the beginning...as you would with anything. (Right?? )

What type of peroxide would you use?

 

[mcarroll]

Any kind, as you can see from the variety of reports so far.

My instructions were based on the 3% stabilized peroxide that's in the first aid section of every grocery store and pharmacy in the US.

You might be able to find food grade peroxide if you have a health-oriented food store around you. This is not stabilized, but can be up to 30% – or ten times stronger than first aid peroxide.

I don't think you'd have a problem using my instructions with the stronger stuff as it's a pretty conservative deployment, but maybe don't start with the patch of algae that's in the most sensitive place so you can get a measure of the response of the stronger stuff.

(Make sense?)

 

[Brew12]

All good! Pics when you do it!

I didn't take pics, and it turns out it was a form of Bryopsis, not turf algae.

The first dose whitened it but didn't kill it. I did a 2nd dose at the 3 day mark and it looks like it may have been enough to take it out. Can't confirm though because I started a full tank treatment with Fluco at that point.

 

[blebs]

been trying the spot treatments so far. 2cc per treatment in 80 gallons. The contact time of the h202 and the algae is very minimal with this method, I can see it swirling up instead of settling which i would have preferred. still, there is oxidation and bubbles forming.

after 2 days of treating 1 spot, the turf algae is thin and white. i have started to treat another area near an acro tenius, so far no ill effects.

i might bump it up to 2 treatments a day but super busy at work right now.

 

[Brew12]

@mcarroll I'm curious, have you ever tried injecting a bubble of bubble algae with H2O2 to see what happens?

 

[cracker]

@mcarroll I'm curious, have you ever tried injecting a bubble of bubble algae with H2O2 to see what happens?

interesting, I actually have a couple syringes with needles However if I subject said needle to salt water it's history.