Chemical Algae inhibitors: Are they a cure, or just a band-aid to cover an underlying issue?

[PeterC99]

Chemicals did zip for me (OK it helped me really marginally, but made no meaningful long-lasting imapact), and I would be very hesitant to consider them again.

Hi PeterC99, I see that you have been chasing an oxidator for quite some time. Did you manage to finally get one, and use it? I am looking for Model W (sounds like a poor man's Tesla, doesn't it?... ah well)

For any and all of you, who are using oxydators I have 3 questions:

1. Is an oxydator beneficial against all nuisance algae, or only cyano?
2. How different is the impact of using Peroxide/Oxydator than using Ozone, given that the active reagent is a free oxygen radical, for both?
3. Will usage of peroxide/oxydators negatively impact PVC pipes, corals, fish, other inverts etc. upon usage? What about macroalgae?

I have stubborn nuisance algae in my tank, and am currently trying lights out with daily doses of Microbacter Clean.

I have benefitted from:

1. Strictly feeding live
2. UV sterilizer
3. Daily Doses of MB7

However, I still have a bad case of the uglies.

So I acquired and have used and Oxydator for the last 5 months and love it. Whenever algae starts to build up a little bit on the sand, I know it's time to refill. The other thing I find that really helps with the algae is phytoplankton. I'm cranking my Radions with 70% whites and 100% blues on a 2 foot deep aquarium and don't have any algae problems.

 

[chaoticreefer]

I voted both, while they are just a band-aid, but they also buy you some time to find and work on the real problem before the pest (algae, cyano, etc) puts a complete crash into motion.

 

[ReefGeezer]

like a "Band-aid" I say... useful for the short term to keep blood off the new carpet but does nothing to remove the source of the wound. I have used many. Most work in the short term, and while the offending algae/cyano might disappear, something else always pops up in its place. It becomes a vicious circle.

 

[mdb_talon]

Cyano /diatoms/ Dinos are not algae. Since we are talking about algae in would be very last result. I haven’t had any algae ugly phase so I wouldn’t know.

Diatoms are algae. There is still debate whether dinos should be classified as algae or protazoa. In any case based off the reference to cyano in the original post/question, I think it is fair and was intended that they are included in the discussion.

 

[tenurepro]

Thank you to @LiveFreeAndReef for the QOTD idea!

1. Chemical Algae inhibitors: Are they a cure, or just a band-aid to cover an underlying issue?

2. What products have you used to successfully beat an algae issue?

image via @WallyB

@WallyB you finally got a pictured featured on R2R take that POTM competition!

 

[Gogol_frag]

So I acquired and have used and Oxydator for the last 5 months and love it. Whenever algae starts to build up a little bit on the sand, I know it's time to refill. The other thing I find that really helps with the algae is phytoplankton. I'm cranking my Radions with 70% whites and 100% blues on a 2 foot deep aquarium and don't have any algae problems.

That's super helpful PeterC99. Thanks. I will definitely consider the W Oxidator.
w.r.t. Phytos: I grow Nannochloropsis, Isochrysis and Tertraselmis and will definitely try the Phytoplakton route once I turn my lights back on.

Thanks again good sir!

 

[MONTANTK]

In most cases I feel they are a band aid. The best course of action is remediating the issue that causes the algae. Some inhibitors can cause the algae to build an immunity to it anyway!

 

[Gogol_frag]

Cannot agree more. My first handful of builds were all live rock, and I really began to feel like I knew what I was doing. So I re-built a tank with this gorgeous aquascape of primarily dead rock, with a some live stuff in the sump. That system went through one nuisance after another. Dinos, cyano, GHA, Ich, vermetids... you name it, that tank went through it.

Same reefing methods & philosophy I used with all the others. Took almost 2 years to age in and settle down. Sucked out much of the fun. My other tanks had healthy acros within weeks of getting wet. Never, ever again.

Ditto my experience. I am actually genuinely miffed that dead rock doesn't get a very bad rep from the stores/websites/BRS etc. for this problem. The aggravated nuisance algae problem was something that no one needed.

I am also unsure if all of the problem is because the rocks are "dead/dry" or because dry rocks are downright algae-magnets. Never again!!

Side note: If you are in the DFW area, then one my LFS - Dallas North Aquarium, has "live rock" being cultured in their tank for $5/per pound. While I have not bought the rock from them (and kick myself for not having done so)... they have helped me from installing my aquarium to supplying dry/live goods, and I truly trust them to be a friend of the reefers.

 

[BCTA]

Thank you to @LiveFreeAndReef for the QOTD idea!

1. Chemical Algae inhibitors: Are they a cure, or just a band-aid to cover an underlying issue?

2. What products have you used to successfully beat an algae issue?

image via @WallyB

I found that cleaning, Water changes,testing my Rodi water,testing freshly made saltwater and testing my system. That has work best for myself,Ive had bad experiences with alge inhibitors,even when I've under dosed my system.

 

[guysmiley]

iv been battling hair algae for months now iv been slack on testing but got advised last week to test nitrates and phosphates and wow they were low almost zero on both iv had to feed heavy to get them up lol.. i tried fluconasol it partly helped iv added a blue tang and a goldrim tang along with a lawnmower blenny my 11 year old yellow tang and purple tang they are eating it now , i have found having a large roller filter large uv steriliser algae scrubber large skimmer and gfo running is all abit much lol iv taken gfo and uv and scrubber offline feeding more everything looks happier and my algae is slowly going away.. i read on here the other day that having nitrates actually lower phosphate = mind blown iv always thought having clean water was the answer to not having algae and iv been reefing for 15 years now still pleased im learning . i have abit of a time trying to learn stuff especially the science side of things

 

[Blackstar]

Given time, manual removal & good water quality the various stages of Algae Diatoms etc burn themselves out. At the first sign of anything some people panic & start chucking in chemicals or antibiotics & that will upset or damage the natural balance & maturity of the aquarium

 

[Dindsy]

Well I said combination because I had a massive green hair algae problem in my tank. I was attacking vigorously with water changes syphoning into a filter sock, pulling the algae off rocks manually and I just could not get on top of it. I used Flux Rx and in 2 weeks it was completely gone.

But then I started to get Cyano (or dino's, I'm not sure yet) and I tried chemiclean and it mostly just killed my hammers. I am still fighting the cyano but won't resort to chemiclean again.

BTW what is CUC?

Doh ! Clean Up Crew

 

[Pattys]

Thank you to @LiveFreeAndReef for the QOTD idea!

1. Chemical Algae inhibitors: Are they a cure, or just a band-aid to cover an underlying issue?

2. What products have you used to successfully beat an algae issue?

image via @WallyB

I prevent it by using a UV light

 

[Glenner’sreef]

I chose BOTH. Because I think it’s the right answer. That being said, Chemicals in such confined areas such as our tanks is a long term recipe for what equates to pollution in our world. Blue Hippo Tangs can live upwards of 30 years in the wild. We drop that number to 20 years with the challenges we face trying to make out tank water equal to that of natural sea water. This question is a bitter pill. Thx though.

 

[attiland]

Diatoms are algae. There is still debate whether dinos should be classified as algae or protazoa. In any case based off the reference to cyano in the original post/question, I think it is fair and was intended that they are included in the discussion.

My bad diatoms class as algae - I wouldn’t treat it with chemicals though
If we include cyano- I would without hesitation use chemiclean
If you want to include Dinos - I wouldn’t add chemicals to treat it except silicates for some strains

 

[outhouse]

Questions and answers are flawed so I voted cure. Its not stand alone and nothing replaces keeping water in check. But if water conditions are as good as you can manage and you still have algae, then maybe it is a cure.

vibrant can give you a buffer to help keep unwanted algae at bay.

 

[shwareefer]

I know there are last resort situations, however...

I used AlgaeFix Marine years ago and for many years no hair algae or film algae would grow at all. Trust me, it's strange never having to scrape your glass. This made way for bryopsis, turf, chrysophites and some black goo. It's like growing monocultures and is the opposite of balance. It took a long time for "normal" algaes to appear in my tank and I'm happy to see them and my tank health overall is much better. I got a frag on a trade a while ago and there's a bubble algae forming on it. Is it weird that I'm thrilled by this?

I think using these chemicals just reduces competition for nutrients and what you end up with dominating may be way worse. You'd be better off upping your CUC ( I discovered money cowries are fantastic and eat virtually everything), and getting more corals to suck up those nutrients. Instant gratification is not the road to balance in this hobby.

 

[Double monti 61]

I just do weekly water changes and have had good results using no filter media but I do have small ceramic tubes in my filters that seem to attract small life that like the flow through the filters also the filters and power head give the system adequate flow and I believe more small life that lives in your tank that is not invasive the better it will do

 

[KK's Reef]

It's probably a little bit of both, but it comes down to patience and balance. I'm new to reefing, but even I waited two months+ before even turning the lights on. I dosed bacteria before adding livestock. The result was not having an ugly stage. I had a bit of an algea outbreak not too long ago, but that was due to sparse feeding and the corals uptaking all of the PO4. Once I got the PO4 to be detectible, the dusting of algae on the sand started to go away.

I'd also prefer a natural way of battling algae vs. chemicals. Once I started seeing pods in the tank, I started to feed the tank phyto. The pod population comes and goes, but they're always there. Coincidentally, when the pods are booming, the sand and filter pad stays cleaner longer.

 

[Steph72]

I voted “other” because I’m not convinced that algae is completely detrimental. Yes, it’s ugly. Yes, it can choke out corals if it gets out of control. Good flow, limited nutrients and a shorter lighting schedule helps but the ocean is brimming with algae and it’s a part of a natural ecosystem. I scrape it off rocks, clean the glass daily and try to keep my parameters in check but I’ve given up on having an algae-free tank.