Algaefix experiment

[cyberdude47]

Yesterday was dose #10. Algae is almost completely eradicated. There are still some very faint signs of it though buy difficult to see. Started with carbon again and will continue to dose probably until couple more doses to make sure as many spores as possible are killed offAttachment 10257

[asylumdown]

This stuff recently saved my tank. I know my algae problem started because of a high nutrient condition, but once it was there, I think I had enough algae to basically outcompete any of the other sources that would normally remove nutrients from my tank. I think it's telling that as Algaefix wiped out the algae in my tank, my phosphate and nitrate levels didn't budge (and they were both near undetectable). It's just a guess, but I think an established mat of one of the various species of GHA is going to be a better competitor for phosphate and nitrate than media running in a reactor. The reactor (biopellets, GFO, etc.) can only instantaneously treat the water in the reactor, which is a small percentage of the water that's made it to your sump. An established bed of algae in your tank is 'treating' all the water in the display tank (where nutrients usually first become available), and over a much larger surface area. And unlike GFO, it doesn't clog or wear out over time; it's capacity to consume nutrients goes up the more it grows.

I honestly think there's more to problem algaes than just nutrients and lighting. There's certainly more to it out on real reefs.

FWIW, This was after 4 doses. I didn't stop GFO or skimming, but have never used GAC:
before:

After:


Before:

After:

[lockrookie]

I'm thinking of trying this for some minimal algae I have on both tanks thanks for keeping us informed its well worth the try even if it helps clear the water


Sent from my porcelain aquarium

[cyberdude47]

Asylumdown. Thx for the post. Good to know it worked well for someone else also. It also saved my tank because if it didn't get the algae under control I had plans to shut down as I had enough o the battle

[Psyire]

I'm trying a bit of an experiment with this stuff as I'm cycling my tank right now. My goal is just to reduce the algae breakout during the cycling process.

[asylumdown]

The little stubbie bits you could see in the photo I posted are all gone now. This stuff is incredible. It looks like hiding in the masses of the rest of the algae were a couple of patches of Bryopsis though, and man that stuff is stubborn. At least with the super low nutrients it's not growing at all, but it worries me that it's sitting there like a ticking time bomb.

[reefloving]

It's the API brand?

[asylumdown]

yah, API. I didn't think it was made by any other companies? You can get it on Ebay if you find a seller who's willing to ship it to Canada. I tried ordering it from a couple places in the US like Petsmart and some of the big online reef stores and they all have an automated block on Canadian addresses (at least the ones I tried).

[cyberdude47]

I can get it in but shipping it is costly if its just that getting brought in. Ends up being about $40 a bottle unless I order other stuff to bring the cost down

[Psyire]

I found it on a well known auction site and bought 3 bottles for $75 including s/h.