Hydrogen peroxide as algea killer

[Kevnjeep]

Hey guys so I've recently discovered a lot of info on how great 3% hydrogen peroxide can instantly kill all types of algea. I was wondering if anyone else has used it with success. If anyone has had or Hurd of having issues with z-p when dipping with it. Or any first hand expirence using it. Thanks

[Squishie89]

Following as I am curious about this as well. Especially the ratio of hydrogen peroxide and water, what strength HP, and it's affect on inverts and corals.

[flooddc]

There were a few thread about using H2O2 here. One member almost wiped out his tank.

http://wamas.org/forums/topic/63616-an-oldie-but-goodie-hydrogen-peroxide/?hl=h2o2&do=findComment&comment=564591

[OldReefer]

I kills very nasty algea without killing most corals and bacteria. It is pretty amazing. Multiple applications may be required. Nutrient control is still really important. It is pretty safe in the tank. All it does is increase redox levels in the tank for a little while.

 

If you need to knock an algea problem back, it is a reasonable approach, but you will still need low nutrient levels and a good clean up crew to keep it in check..

[Kevnjeep]

I have my levels good now but I don't keep hermits so I have some small patches of hair algea and bubble algea I'm trying to rid the tank of. I'm not planing on dosing my tank with it because I can't test for it. I just wanna use it to dip a few times. Thanks for the advise.

 

I read to use 10:1 ratio tank water to 3% hp. Than rinse in separate container of tank water. Does that sound right?

 

I may if all goes we'll do some spot killing in the tank with a syringe. But nothing crazy and right before I do a water change just to be safe

[Crob5965]

I used to use glutaraldehyde (substitute for Flourish excel) in my freshwater tank to kill Black beard algae, which seems similar to hair algae in reef tanks, I tried it once in my reef tank and it killed the algae and although it didnt kill any inverts or coral, it did cause all my coral to close up for a few hours, I think I tried it 1 more time after that and got the same results so I took a different route.

 

 

[YHSublime]

I have my levels good now but I don't keep hermits so I have some small patches of hair algea and bubble algea I'm trying to rid the tank of. I'm not planing on dosing my tank with it because I can't test for it. I just wanna use it to dip a few times. Thanks for the advise.

 

I read to use 10:1 ratio tank water to 3% hp. Than rinse in separate container of tank water. Does that sound right?

 

I may if all goes we'll do some spot killing in the tank with a syringe. But nothing crazy and right before I do a water change just to be safe

 

I did a mix similar to this when I first started and my rock was covered in hair algae. Turned white and died off. I did it before I had coral or fish, so I can't tell you what kind of effect it had on the "live" part.

[Squishie89]

What effect does it have on coraline?

 

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[Kevnjeep]

I read that it does kill that too. Their are you tube videos of it being done and it looks like it just completely cleans the rock of everything except coral

[Rob A]

I have used it against bryopsis algae in the past and now as needed.  Since it seems to accumulate mostly around the base of the frags I soak the base of a frag (frag plug or rock) in straight peroxide (whatever they sell at the pharmacy) for 1 minute then place items back into the tank. Bryopsis would turn white within a day and disappear. I always try to avoid letting the peroxide touch the coral flesh but some still gets on there. It had a bleaching effect on some montis that got peroxide splashed on them but they recovered.

I put just enough into a small container and just let the peroxide coat the frag plug or rock. I have also used a hypodermic needle from the aptasia x kit to squirt peroxide on tricker items while suspending it over a bucket. Again for like 1 minute. That doesn't always kill everyting. 

Recently I made a 50/50 mix of peroxide and tank water and dropped 3 different zoa colonies into it (30+ heads each) and let them each sit for 1 minute. They are fine now but they were really cranky for about a week. They closed up and barely opened for days. But they got over it. I have some bryopsis still growing on one of the 3 colonies so it didn't get all of it.... 

Every time I do this there are pods that come out of their hidey holes and it generally kills them :(

[jaddc]

There were a few thread about using H2O2 here. One member almost wiped out his tank.

http://wamas.org/forums/topic/63616-an-oldie-but-goodie-hydrogen-peroxide/?hl=h2o2&do=findComment&comment=564591

 

I started that thread. It worked great for me. Just go slow -- a little goes a long way. Dosing out of the tank is safest, but I used a syringe to squirt a small amount of peroxide directly at the root of the algae. 

 

Go slow.

Edited June 10, 2014 by jaddc

[LCDRDATA]

Following as I am curious about this as well. Especially the ratio of hydrogen peroxide and water, what strength HP, and it's affect on inverts and corals.

 

I've used it as a dip at 3-5 parts tank water to 1 part standard 3% hydrogen peroxide (five minutes or so). It's worked pretty well for me. I've also used the aiptasia-x syringes to inject full-strength into various patches in the tank, with mixed results.

[Grav]

We use this stuff in a number of ways.  We have had success with dipping aquaculture frags and colonies (they often come in with lots of algae on them) at a mix far less than what I've seen suggested.  10 or 15 parts tank water to 1 part Hydrogen Peroxide and a 5 min dip for 5-8 frags works well.  I'm not saying that a greater concentration is trouble, but it stands to reason that a lower does is easier on the coral and still gets the job done.   

 

It can also be used to treat some conditions in fish such as Brook and Velvet and is used to deactivate potassium permanganate. An ORP monitor can be helpful to monitor in larger systems and you can also buy test strips that will quickly measure H2O2 in PPM. 

[s2nhle]

Good information. Thank you all for sharing.

[Squishie89]

I did a test just now of about 50 oz of tank water with about 5 oz of hydrogen peroxide (~10:1 ratio). I did this to a flowerpot colony and a small rock, the FP colony was/is infested with hydroids and the rock has/had bubble algae on it. I did the FP first and I immediately saw bubbles coming from the hydroids/coral skeleton. I used a toothbrush to really scrub the skeleton to try and loosen any dead things and really get the HP in there. I had the FP in the HP solution for about 5 minutes, and then put it in plain tank water to rinse off. So far the live coral seems fine, although a bit upset (who wouldn't be?). Hopefully I will know in another day or two the affect it had on the hydroids. For the rock, it did not really fit in the bowl but it was in about about 10 minutes. I used the toothbrush again but left one colony of bubble algae on the rock so I can monitor the affects. No noticeable affects on bubble algae or the coraline. Again, hopefully I will see the affects in another day or two.

However, somethings that WERE immediately affected were inverts, brittle stars, stomatellas and limpets DIE from this, so do be careful with this when putting this in your tank or doing dips and such. I only let these guys die so I know in advance the affects, usually I would not have let these critters go in a dip like this.

[John Ford]

The coralline only bleached for me at 100% peroxide. When diluted I didn't lose any. I dipped all of my lps and zoas in a 10-1 and the only thing I lost was the algae I was battling and some bristle worms. It really is an under rated method in my opinion.

[Squishie89]

Can you dip gorg/sea fans in hydrogen peroxide?

[sen5241b]

I've killed a lot of algae over the years with HP. I recently dipped some zoas in both Bayer and then in a 50% HP/50% tank water mix. The Bayer to kill pests and the HP to kill algae. They seem none the worse for it although an aptasia seemed to survive both dips.

[John Ford]

I've killed a lot of algae over the years with HP. I recently dipped some zoas in both Bayer and then in a 50% HP/50% tank water mix. The Bayer to kill pests and the HP to kill algae. They seem none the worse for it although an aptasia seemed to survive both dips.

I think after we destroy earth, cockroaches and aptasia will rule the land and oceans. Just sayin

[LCDRDATA]

I think after we destroy earth, cockroaches and aptasia will rule the land and oceans. Just sayin

 

Sounds like the plot of a bad SyFy channel original movie - some hapless group on a snorkeling / scuba vacation to a remote island (including a family and sacrificial hunks/scantily-clad females) loses several members to giant mutant aiptasia underwater and then escapes to the island only to be attacked by man-eating cockroaches (either huge size or numbers would do).     

[sen5241b]

I tried killing it with "stop aptasia" but my hypodermic needle clogs. How do you kill'em?