Algaefix

[Steve W]

Algaefix
Does anyone know if Algaefix will hurt macroalgae? I know it's a temporary solution, but I'm trying to prevent a hair algae growth on a single rock from getting out of hand. I have a beautiful red macroalgae that I really like, so I don't want to kill it, but I'd like to knock this hair algae back while I work at fixing the cause. I think the macroalgae may be a Halymenia sp., but it doesn't look exactly like anything that I can find on the web.

I'm a little confused as to what is feeding this growth, as my water quality parameters keep testing 0 for nitrates and phosphates to the limits of my test kits. I'm also have a Polypad filter in my sump and am running AC. I'm wondering if the phosphates are leaching out of this particular rock, since it is the only place in my tank where I have hair algae and it is growing prolifically on it. I also have a little cyanobacteria growth on the sand, again only around this rock. The rock is a piece of Tonga branching coral I got at a LFS.

Also, I've tried increasing the flow around it. I have a powerhead pointed directly at this rock. I would just remove the rock but I have two colonies of deepwater zoas and a palythoa attached to this rock.

Steve W

 

[beaslbob]

the only safe assumption is that algaefix will harm the macros.

I would adjust lighting, use mechanical cleanups, algae consumers like snails to control unwanted algae.

Never use an algaecide IMHO.

It is at least unnecessary and at most dangerous.


my .02

 

[jerl77]

i used it works takes some time didnt kill my cheto

 

[shelbyc]

i used it works takes some time didnt kill my cheto

jerl77, how long did it take to kill your HA, how many doses?

 

[jerl77]

a while i think i used 3/4 of the bottle before it was gone

 

[beaslbob]

I have heard that dosing very small amounts of iron helps the macros at the expense of the hair algae.

I use a ferris gluconate (spelling lol) tablet from wall greens dissolved in an old coke bottle then add a capful each week. That should be enough to insure the macros don't get iron limited but so low as to not be dangerous to corals and the like.


my .02

 

[RadReef]

I'm a little confused as to what is feeding this growth, as my water quality parameters keep testing 0 for nitrates and phosphates to the limits of my test kits.

I've read that tests can come back with zero for nitrates and phosphates, however, this is deceiving because the algaes are taking-up those elements to grow and so you can have LOTS of algae like bryopsis and low levels, even zero.

 

[beaslbob]

Yep

The goal is to have the algaes you want (like corraline or refugium macros) consuming the nutrients not the unwanted hair, bryopsis, cyano and so on. Cyano can be a particular problem because is can use gassous nitrogen for its nitrogen instead of nitrates/ammonia.

In order to accomplish that I change lighting so the desirables are in control. Things like killing the display lighting to allow refugiums to expand and so on.


my .02