peroxide dosing

[unclejed]

So, I am getting a lot of conflicting info about peroxide dosing. I have read 1ml per 10 gal. aquarium water is the starter dose...true? Also, how often do you dose? I read, every other day for a week....true? Suggestions please.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So, I am getting a lot of conflicting info about peroxide dosing. I have read 1ml per 10 gal. aquarium water is the starter dose...true? Also, how often do you dose? I read, every other day for a week....true? Suggestions please.

Why do you want to dose it?

 

[unclejed]

Why do you want to dose it?

I have an extreme green hair, more like turf, algae problem. 2 days ago I took most of the rock out and scrubbed the bejeebers out of it and got the majority of it off. I read it will prevent it from coming back.r

 

[dakoop]

Did you scrub rocks with peroxide?

 

[Poseidon03]

I have an extreme green hair, more like turf, algae problem. 2 days ago I took most of the rock out and scrubbed the bejeebers out of it and got the majority of it off. I read it will prevent it from coming back.r

Best thing to prevent it coming back is to manage it through your nitrate and phosphate and a cleanup crew. Try to keep stable nitrates between 5-20ppm and phosphates between .03-.12ppm. You want your rocks to be coated with Coraline algae, which will out compete the uglies.

Peroxide can be dosed, but should be a complement to other methods. I've peroxide dosed for dinos and when adding new fish (I don't do a full qt). I've dosed 1.5mL/10 gal 2x per day, 12 hours apart on a doser. I'd start with 1 ml/10 gal if you decide to go forward with the dosing.

Edit: from what I've seen, green hair algae stems from imbalanced nutrients (typically high). Other factors can be newer rocks. Turf algae is a little harder to get rid of and bryopsis is a pain.

 

[Subsea]

So, I am getting a lot of conflicting info about peroxide dosing. I have read 1ml per 10 gal. aquarium water is the starter dose...true? Also, how often do you dose? I read, every other day for a week....true? Suggestions please.

Yes, I dosed 1ml of 3% peroxide per 10G of system water in 120G display each day when lights went out. Within 5 days, I no longer saw amphipods and I discontinued application.

Every system has a BOD ( Biological Oxygen Demand). At the reef hobbiest level, without oxygen probes, you would not know how much peroxide is required to kill algae.

I suggest you get some janitors to consume GHA.

 

[unclejed]

Did you scrub rocks with peroxide?

No, I had used a product that makes the algae come off more easily...it did, I brushed off 95% or more.

 

[unclejed]

Best thing to prevent it coming back is to manage it through your nitrate and phosphate and a cleanup crew. Try to keep stable nitrates between 5-20ppm and phosphates between .03-.12ppm. You want your rocks to be coated with Coraline algae, which will out compete the uglies.

Peroxide can be dosed, but should be a complement to other methods. I've peroxide dosed for dinos and when adding new fish (I don't do a full qt). I've dosed 1.5mL/10 gal 2x per day, 12 hours apart on a doser. I'd start with 1 ml/10 gal if you decide to go forward with the dosing.

Edit: from what I've seen, green hair algae stems from imbalanced nutrients (typically high). Other factors can be newer rocks. Turf algae is a little harder to get rid of and bryopsis is a pain.

The vexing thing is that parameters were all good...0 on everything. I will check again today. I believe it is the rock;

 

[Subsea]

“Zero on everything”

@unclejed
Does that mean nitrate & phosphate are both at zero?

PS: What makes you think that dry rock is the problem? How did you cycle your tank?

 

[Subsea]

No, I had used a product that makes the algae come off more easily...it did, I brushed off 95% or more.

What product did you use to sanitize the rock.

In that sceanario, a 10 minute peroxide bath in a 10% solution of 3% peroxide would have sanitized the rock of ALL algae without harming sensitive inverts in display tank.

 

[Subsea]

Yes, I dosed 1ml of 3% peroxide per 10G of system water in 120G display each day when lights went out. Within 5 days, I no longer saw amphipods and I discontinued application.

Every system has a BOD ( Biological Oxygen Demand). At the reef hobbiest level, without oxygen probes, you would not know how much peroxide is required to kill algae.

I suggest you get some janitors to consume GHA.

After posting the above, I read a reply that Jay Hemdal made to my post on natural immunity of fish slime, in which he describes peroxide test strips to enable peroxide dosing with a method to read peroxide concentration.

Post in thread 'Ich or velvet?'
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/ich-or-velvet.1096502/post-13296691

Not knowing your experience level or your method of Reefing, I emulate Nature.

KNOW THIS:
Coral reefs would be algae dominated if it were not for herbivores.

 

[unclejed]

What product did you use to sanitize the rock.

In that sceanario, a 10 minute peroxide bath in a 10% solution of 3% peroxide would have sanitized the rock of ALL algae without harming sensitive inverts in display tank.

I believe the product called "Vibrant" made the claim of making the algae easier to remove.

 

[unclejed]

“Zero on everything”

@unclejed
Does that mean nitrate & phosphate are both at zero?

PS: What makes you think that dry rock is the problem? How did you cycle your tank?

Ok, just ran the tests...Phosphate = .25
Nitrate = 0
KH = 7-8
High Range PH = 7.8

 

[Poseidon03]

Ok, just ran the tests...Phosphate = .25
Nitrate = 0
KH = 7-8
High Range PH = 7.8

That is what I'd predict. The phosphates are elevated. Lower them to under .1 and the hair algae will not be able to root as well on the rocks. Slowly increase your nitrates or you will have the potential of getting dinos, which is more toxic and harder to get rid of.

 

[unclejed]

That is what I'd predict. The phosphates are elevated. Lower them to under .1 and the hair algae will not be able to root as well on the rocks. Slowly increase your nitrates or you will have the potential of getting dinos, which is more toxic and harder to get rid of.

Already have Brown diatoms. I use Phosguard in a bag and change regularly. I also use Phosphate absorbing pads and change regularly. Why raise Nitrates? And, how do you do that?

 

[Subsea]

Everything needs nitrogen to grow. When you limit nitrogen, oppoerunistic nuisance algaes thrive.

Feed more, reduce nutrient export. After 55 year’s of Reefing, I dose ammonia

 

[unclejed]

Everything needs nitrogen to grow. When you limit nitrogen, oppoerunistic nuisance algaes thrive.

Feed more, reduce nutrient export. After 55 year’s of Reefing, I dose ammonia

 

[unclejed]

How do you reduce nutrient export? Turn off skimmer? What do you mean?

 

[Subsea]

How do you reduce nutrient export? Turn off skimmer? What do you mean?

Less water change would reduce nutrient export.

If you are using a protein skimmer, dump skimmate into sump.

However, because you don’t need to increase phosphate, add nitrogen. I use ammonia.

 

[vetteguy53081]

So, I am getting a lot of conflicting info about peroxide dosing. I have read 1ml per 10 gal. aquarium water is the starter dose...true? Also, how often do you dose? I read, every other day for a week....true? Suggestions please.

Peroxide is an oxidizer and rarely treats anything and as Randy asked, what are you hoping to fix or accomplish with H2H20?