Hydrogen peroxide dip on growing zoas?

Stuckita · Jan 18, 2024

Hey everyone, I have some zoa colonies that are growing but beginning to get a lot of hair algae and it looks to be irritated. I dipped some zoas that were covered a couple weeks ago and it worked pretty good.. I’d like to dip the rest but I don’t want to slow down growth. Will dipping slow down the growth?

CasperOe · Jan 18, 2024

It probably will, however not dramatically!

you dip your corals when you bring them home from your LFS as well..

I am not so sure that I would do it though, I would rather address the problem instead, otherwise it will just come back again. Nothing happens fast in reefing so getting out of this position will take just as long as it took to get into it!

Stuckita · Jan 18, 2024

CasperOe said:
It probably will, however not dramatically! you dip your corals when you bring them home from your LFS as well..

I am not so sure that I would do it though, I would rather address the problem instead, otherwise it will just come back again. Nothing happens fast in reefing so getting out of this position will take just as long as it took to get into it!

yeah I know what you mean! Honestly my nutrients are pretty low (10-15 nitrate and 0.05-0.08 phosphates) I do need to dose or else I bottom out so the hair algae seems to be the trade off. It's really not too bad but the CUC seem to ignore the frags.

Hurlaroid · Feb 6, 2024

I have dipped all my zoa frags in peroxide before I put them in the tank. I'll fill a glass full of straight peroxide (no dillution) and put the zoas in for 1-2 minutes. They will release a slime coat and look unhappy for a day or two but I've had no mortalties across maybe the dozen times I've done it.

TBH if Zoas are already growing well in your tank I dont think it will slow them down much. when it comes to hair algae and cyano, I find that using a soft toothbrush or paintbrush to clean em off with is suffecient, and just treat the underlying algae problem. They will clear up on their own from there.

kevgib67 · Feb 6, 2024

I’ve used 2/1 water to 3% hydrogen peroxide for 10 minutes. No ill effects, just unhappy for a couple of days. I don’t think in the long term it really has any impact on growth.