Algone?

[wallysworld]

Anybody use this stuff? Does it actually work to get rid of algea? I am thinking about trying it to get rid of my bryopsis problem

http://www.northcoastmarines.com/algone.htm

I would assume this would also kill my cheatos?

Walter

 

[KathyC]

It won't get rid of your bryopsis for you but it will work to help knock down your nutrient levels, which will help you get your parameters in order...which will definitely help with the bryopsis. Basically you need to treat the cause, not just the symptom, that is going to take some manual labor too!
It won't kill your chaeto
Follow the directions on the packaging. I know a few folks here who swear by it

 

[NYPDFrogman]

Kathy is right. you have an algae problem because you water is nutrient rich
there are other ways to knock down the nutrients and keep it that way.
what are your parameters?
what is your bio load?
do you have a skimmer?
how often do you do water changes?
what size tank?
you can bet anything that happens fast in a SW tank is not good!
the reason FW is so for giving is FW ihabintants are usd to change,t things happen slowly in the ocean because of it's size.

keeping your Mg around 1450PPm will help get rid of the
bryopsis Kent Tech M works best for that.

 

[wallysworld]

Ok, great I will give it a try then.
My parameters are(as of yesterday):
Nitrate= not detectable
Phosphates= not detectable
using Salifert kit

Thanks,
Walter

 

[NYPDFrogman]

Ok, great I will give it a try then.
My parameters are(as of yesterday):
Nitrate= not detectable
Phosphates= not detectable
using Salifert kit

Thanks,
Walter

my guess is going to be the algae is taking up your nutrients
I wonder what your phosphates are on a hanna photometer
I use a lamotte test kit for my nitrates

 

[House of Laughter]

If they're undetectable on salifert for Po4, then you're close to .2 on the photometer. That's High for Po4 and likely feeding your algae problem.

House

Ok, great I will give it a try then.
My parameters are(as of yesterday):
Nitrate= not detectable
Phosphates= not detectable
using Salifert kit

Thanks,
Walter

 

[michaelp]

If they're undetectable on salifert for Po4, then you're close to .2 on the photometer.

House, can you elaborate? I don't understand how if the PO4 test comes up with nothing that it means you would have high PO4. Wouldn't it be the opposite?

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Because test kits are close but the meter is best.

 

[KathyC]

House, can you elaborate? I don't understand how if the PO4 test comes up with nothing that it means you would have high PO4. Wouldn't it be the opposite?

No, it isn't the opposite.
The phosphates are still in your tank, it is just that the symptom of them -- some variety of algae -- has used them as food to enable it to continue growing, so your test kit may read that there is none there (or a relatively low number on the kits 'scale') but they are still in the tank but not in the water column where you can measure them, but inside of the algae as a food source. As more phosphates are added, they too are taken up by the algae and it continues to flourish.
You'd still have high PO4 but need to look to the algae itself to 'see' it.
If you have a lot of algae in the tank and still get a high PO4 reading then you have a very high amount of phosphates that even the algae cannot absorb of all.
If you reduce the entry of PO4 into your water column, you will starve the algae and it will eventually die out (though some algae will have to be manually removed to make it go away entirely & faster).

 

[wallysworld]

Kathy, thanks.

Interesting thing is I manually pull about a tablespoon of algae every three days maybe four? I added cheatos to my refuge about 10 days ago. It seems like its starting to help. I also stopped using flakes and are only using H20 frozen food since Sunday. We'll see how that helps. I also added the "Algone" to my Fluval 404 along with ESV carbon.
I am pretty sure it's phosphates and not nitrate because the biggest change was when I added Puru phosphate remover mixed with carbon and other stuff. However I had the remove it after a month (afriad stuff would leak back...).

I am getting a ASM G3 and more powerheads along with BRS ferric oxide for my reactor. I'll keep you all posted.
I usually like to do one thing at a time to see what truely solved the problem but to do that my live stock may suffer so...

I can get the water tested with a really good tester at the next LIRA meeting but thats not until May 1st I think.

Anybody know of a lfs that tests with a real kit?

Thanks,
Walter