Hydrogen peroxide as a chemical tool for your reef tank

[brandon429]

list of sensitives:

#1 lysmata shrimp are nearly guaranteed to die with any dose in-tank. fascinating metabolic weakness to peroxide
#2 anemones get offended, deflate, but I don't recall any dying
#3 xenia usually melts
#4 macro algae die for obvious reasons
#5 coralline algae is likely to bleach out, comes back about 80% of the time
#6 pods don't usually die at 1:10 doses until we exceed that to 3-4 mils per 10 gallons. if light pod death happened for someone at 1:10 dose I would not be surprised.

I don't have any fish we keep listed as sensitive to the 1:10 ratio though now that perx is used for fish disease control, Humblefish on his site has an exhaustive 200-fish count detailed list of max ld50 doses and sustain times.

pretty much all sps are tolerant for our 1:10 jobs and all lps.


***if peroxide is causing binding or liberation issues with iron, any other micronutrient, or any metals, we'd see it in that ten year list of tank applications as random tank deaths. that's not on file.

 

[zoomonster]

Used it for a long time mostly just for frag plugs getting a little green, especially zoanthids. Just started using it a while back for bacterial infections in Euphyllia. Jury is still out on that one. I tried this gimmicky pond thing years ago that was supposed to help clean and oxygenate your tank. Basically, just an upside-down clay pot filled with peroxide that slowly flowed out and reacted. Thats the closest I ever came to using it in tank.

 

[brandon429]

Soching Oxydator tests.

Oxydator peroxide tank water testing. Yesterday I filled my Oxydator A with the usual 12% peroxide with 2 catalysts. I waited 24 hours and just took a peroxide water test using test strips. It's a very simple test. Dip the test strip into the water for 2 seconds, wait 30 seconds and match to...

www.reef2reef.com

That's the oxydator

 

[brandon429]

Fascinating thing they did: that device has zero sensitives and kills no animals ever, totally safe, pretty effective too

 

[CoralB]

I've worked with hydrogen peroxide a bit as a means of algae control. I found that it is tricky to use, as the dose needed to kill hair algae seems lower than that which kills ornamental shrimp and nitrifying bacteria.

It has also gotten a lot of "press" as a cure for protozoan diseases. Here is something I wrote up about that on another thread:

Hydrogen Peroxide - as a low dose, static bath to treat acute disease issues.

The history of peroxide use goes like this: a paper was published showing how 75 ppm peroxide baths would eliminate Amyloodinium on Pacific threadfin fish. These fish were cured if the dips were done twice and the fish moved to clean tanks each time. Somebody read that and thought, "Hmmm, I wonder if low dose peroxide used as a static bath would work on ich?" They then began pushing the idea out there as an "experiment". The problem is that peroxide at levels high enough to kill ich theronts can also harm the beneficial bacteria, and sometimes ornamental shrimp. Additionally, hydrogen peroxide is an oxidizer. Like all of these (chlorine, ozone, permanganate etc.) the level of active chemical in the water is related to the organic levels. The less organics in the water, the higher the active dose. As you add peroxide, it consumes organics, causing a rise in unreacted peroxide. So - you need to use test strips to monitor that change.

Hydrogen peroxide has been shown to cause a reduction in theronts in marine aquariums, but the dose tested for an 80% reduction was 10 ppm, which is pretty high to use as a static bath.

The only time I would suggest it is when a person is attempting what is called "ich management" - as an adjunct treatment to a whole suite of efforts:

1) strong UV sterilizer
2) frequent water changes
3) siphoning the sand early every morning
4) good mechanical filtration to remove theronts
5) low dose peroxide additions

Ich management works if you catch the infection early enough and do it right. Once the number of trophonts on the fish reach a certain point (perhaps 30 or so spots on any one fish) then "propagule pressure" comes into play, where the effects of the trophonts themselves stresses the fish and the ich management techniques start to fail.

Here is an article I wrote that discusses some of that:

Hydrogen Peroxide Bench-testing

Bench testing of the effects of hydrogen peroxide in aquariums.

www.reef2reef.com

Jay

Jay has anyone documented or mention a negative effect of peroxide on the sealant used to hold the aquariums together . I ask this knowing that 3% peroxide is much weaker than the potassium permanganate that I used back in the day when I used to breed discus which upon first dose to new tanks would turn the clear silicone to opaque white . I also experience unexpected tank seam separation on a couple of the large grow out tanks . That being said both are oxygenators and even though weaker could this /has this ever been documented as a issue ??

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Jay has anyone documented or mention a negative effect of peroxide on the sealant used to hold the aquariums together . I ask this knowing that 3% peroxide is much weaker than the potassium permanganate that I used back in the day when I used to breed discus which upon first dose to new tanks would turn the clear silicone to opaque white . I also experience unexpected tank seam separation on a couple of the large grow out tanks . That being said both are oxygenators and even though weaker could this /has this ever been documented as a issue ??

I didn’t know that about permanganate and silicone.

I do not think peroxide is damaging to silicone at any reasonable dosage, but I have not tried higher than 3% on it. Other oxidizers such as ozone and bleach don’t cause any issues with silicone.
I have read some weird comments about using glass, not plastic containers to hold peroxide solutions, due to some reaction - but that’s kinda odd because it is sold in plastic bottles (grin).

Jay

 

[I never finish anythi]

1. Are you currently using peroxide as a chemical tool in your reef tank and for what reason?

• I am using it, 100 ML of 3% for a 70 gallon system

2. Have you found hydrogen peroxide to be effective in tackling specific issues such as algae outbreaks or pests?

• Yes, it helps a TON with algae as i feed a lot, it also keeps my white sand.... white

3. How do you determine the appropriate dosage and application method to ensure the safety of your corals, fish, and invertebrates?

• Google and R2R

4. Have you encountered any challenges or drawbacks when using hydrogen peroxide for your reef tank?

• Pods are all gone, i dose using @Dinkins Aquatic Gardens now.

You use 100ml of peroxide in a 70g system?

 

[Sleeping Giant]

 

[RedReefer]

Question. How many milliliters per gallon water to use as a coral dip?

 

[CoralB]

I didn’t know that about permanganate and silicone.

I do not think peroxide is damaging to silicone at any reasonable dosage, but I have not tried higher than 3% on it. Other oxidizers such as ozone and bleach don’t cause any issues with silicone.
I have read some weird comments about using glass, not plastic containers to hold peroxide solutions, due to some reaction - but that’s kinda odd because it is sold in plastic bottles (grin).

Jay

I’ve heard that too about glass and peroxide . I don’t use peroxide in my tanks but I do store it in the bathroom cabinet in the brown plastic container and I might be wrong but I think I have one that might be five years old still intact with no leaks or deterioration on the bottle . Maybe their referring to a much higher percentage. But hey thanks for responding to my question .

 

[EugeneVan]

The best solution for killing any unwanted alage. I used a syringe to target treat and work great. Never see any side effect on coral, fish or snail.

 

[I never finish anythi]

My tank was looking a bit grubby. So I dosed 1 ml per 10 gallons in the DT for 3 maybe 4 days when lights go out . I also dosed 1.5ml of microbactor7 in the day and my tank looks like new again . No adverse affects that I can see . I'm lying I have noticed my pods are gone . Copepods and amphipods.

 

[atoll]

Jay has anyone documented or mention a negative effect of peroxide on the sealant used to hold the aquariums together . I ask this knowing that 3% peroxide is much weaker than the potassium permanganate that I used back in the day when I used to breed discus which upon first dose to new tanks would turn the clear silicone to opaque white . I also experience unexpected tank seam separation on a couple of the large grow out tanks . That being said both are oxygenators and even though weaker could this /has this ever been documented as a issue ??

Having used Oxydator's for many years on numerous aquariums with 12% peroxide I have never experienced any degradation of the silicon what so ever.

 

[vlangel]

Hey R2R fam! Let's talk—hydrogen peroxide.

We often hear about its versatile applications in various fields, but its use in reef tanks has been a subject of discussion more and more lately. I would love to hear your answers to the following questions:

1. Are you currently using peroxide as a chemical tool in your reef tank and for what reason?

2. Have you found hydrogen peroxide to be effective in tackling specific issues such as algae outbreaks or pests?

3. How do you determine the appropriate dosage and application method to ensure the safety of your corals, fish, and invertebrates?

4. Have you encountered any challenges or drawbacks when using hydrogen peroxide for your reef tank?

Please sum up in a post your experience and usage of peroxide!

1. I have a bottle under the cabinet of my tank but never use it.
2. I have never needed it to control algae pests as I use ormamental macroalgae to outcompete the pest algae and that is working very well for me.
3. Dosage is scarey to me as I never really knew how I would figure that out and hated to put the whole tank at risk. If it were necessary and possible, I would probably attempt to remove the effected rock, use the hydrogen peroxide, rinse it in salt water and then return it to the tank.
4. Never have used it so no.

 

[Nano_Man]

All members well done you are learning a old dog new tricks.

 

[cbnspanky]

Not only does it help with bacterial infections in corals, algae, but keeps tank threatening marine ich, and velvet at bay (much safer for long term life expectancy of fish compared to copper). I use as a dip and also keep oxydators in each of my reef tanks.

I’ve had an oxydator in my tank from day one. I have a 12 long nano. First two fish added everything was fine. Added a third that gave everyone velvet. The fish did hang around the oxydator to get extra oxygen. I should have quarantined. I lost 2 of the three. As far as algae control, it seems to help some. It doesn’t seem to want to get rid of my Dino/ diatoms (can’t identify). Mixed results. I’m running 6% with one catalyst due to zoas not liking more. During the outbreak I ran 12% with 2 catalyst and my tang would lay next to it for more oxygen while he battled velvet.

 

[cbnspanky]

Used it for a long time mostly just for frag plugs getting a little green, especially zoanthids. Just started using it a while back for bacterial infections in Euphyllia. Jury is still out on that one. I tried this gimmicky pond thing years ago that was supposed to help clean and oxygenate your tank. Basically, just an upside-down clay pot filled with peroxide that slowly flowed out and reacted. Thats the closest I ever came to using it in tank.

It’s an oxydator

 

[floridareeflabs]

straight peroxide works great dipping toothbrush and scrubbing frags but be very careful with SPS as tends to kill them or cause them to bleach out if get on them directly. We have seen and have done ourselves years ago, drain tank down to below hair algae issue and then use spray bottle and tooth brush to scrub problematic areas then refill and filter with high micron mesh for a day and carbon. Dosing does work too but you have to be very careful not to overdose as you will kill things. In the end, hair algae can be overcome by keeping nutrients from getting too high but also from getting too low or out of balance like nitrate too high and phosphate too low. You need to find a middle balance and ensure things like copepods/phytoplankton/lots of rocks and sand and even fish that will nibble on hair (some species of blennies).

Any system we setup we ALWAYS setup a algae only tank. Just what we have found works to ensure never any hair algae in our main tanks. The algae tank has pink/red/full spectrum lights from 5pm to 8am daily and it will usually ensure hair algae cycles there. Eventaully it goes away, both cycled and manual cleanup and we know things are stable when not growing much but everyone will go through "lazy" times and this is a great way to catch it and keep it under control always. Just out 2 cents!

 

[Stahre]

I heard it is great to remove mineral deposits that has built up in the tank on the glass. corrosive effect (I will try it myself in a couple of days)

 

[Tavero]

@brandon429
My tank has always had a chronic lack of oxygen during the night, because im not running a skimmer and i lost lot of animals due to that. Therefore i was running an aeration stone during the night. I got interested in oxydators due to their ability to supply oxygen, but im not confident enough to fill them up rigorosly every week. Therefore i have build a custom dosing pump which is constantly dosing tiny amounts of H2O2 into a perforated ceramic disc.
I am dosing 5ml/10g 12% peroxide. It worked for a while but last night i have observed my fish gasping for air. This is the maximum i can dose with my corals still being unaffected. Does that mean i have remove all organics and now the peroxid is not able to release oxygen?
Seems like i'll have to reactivate my Air Stone. Is it possible clay/ceramics/concete get "used up" by peroxide and lose their catalytic function? I will buy a peroxide test to check the amount in the water but im expecting to see a lot.