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API Algae fix and moss

30K views 49 replies 16 participants last post by  Cardinal's Keeper 
#1 ·
I had a pretty major catastrophe this Summer in my moss that caused a bunch of hair algae. Has anyone used API Algaefix with their moss and would know which ones it will kill for sure? I know its not safe with snails or shrimp, but has anyone rinsed the moss and tossed it into a shrimp tank without losses? Just thought id test the waters here before I begin testing at home. Thanks!
 
#28 ·
Dwarf clover (marsilea minuta): http://goo.gl/UBD9j

and River Buttercup (ranunculus inundatus): http://goo.gl/d8ucO

Two of my favorite cool looking plants, too. It wasn't overnight. I had large areas of my tank floor covered with both, as they were well established. Over 1-2 months they both died back to nothing. I had some of the clover in another tank so I could restart it but the buttercup...oh, my buttercup how I miss you so :(
 
#30 ·
Very interesting thread indeed. Although I would be seriously surprised if it killed BBA. I have some of this that I have never used but bought it just so I have it. I try my hardest not to put too many chemicals in my tank and try to figure out the problem that the algae are there in the first place but there are times that you just need to go chemical warfare on some algae. I will be interested to see your results.
 
#33 ·
I'm with Tom here remember that your tank is a closed system what goes in you have to take out, I recently just about melted my jungle Val's in my fight against BBA, it was a painful lesson to learn
 
#34 ·
I'll add this here
i've done two doses of this, once before my water change, and once after. i've been dosing excel because my co2 distributer's compressor was down and i was without co2 for 2 weeks. needles to say, i got some hair and black algae on some leaves. i was lss concerned with black as it just needed to be trimmed off. the rotala looked pitiful and i didn't want to thrash that plant.

i missed a few spots of the black algaes when i did my water change this past time. tuesday was water day so i performed my trimmings, changed my filter pads after stirring up all the muck i could, chagned 80% water. added ferts, 3 ml of the tetra algaecide. and my co2 is back up and running. i continued my dosage of excel which was 5ml. lights were turned back to full on, instead of half (4 bulb fixture)

by thursday the few strands of black algae in the tank were red. TO MY UTTER SURPRISE. i'd love to get some samples to sewingalot. under bleach this stuff turns green. but its dead and red, and brittle at this point and rubs of with my fingernail now.

oh and my hair algae went POOF.. rotala is making a sharp recovery with lights and co2 back to where they should be
 
#35 ·
This is good news to hear. I like that some folks are sharing their experiences. Its not like ALL of us havent experienced the algae plague at some point. Useful information like this is what helps others to keep their stuff free and clear of the plague. As has been stated, Its no substitute for good practice, but sometimes you need that quick fix or boost to get things going back in the right direction. With that being said, I am going to switch water in the cups and give it another 3 days of treatment. Pictures to come tonight.
 
#36 ·
Well, generally, if you have hair algae, a minor annoyance= likely fairly good conditions for plants, but you should know what you did wrong/correct.

This will reduce the labor and the time to get rid of the annoyance.
So that has some real value with this type of algae.

Root causes always should be addressed since good plant growth is what we are ultimately after.
 
#37 ·
100% Agreed!

After a 3 day treatment at regular dosage. I just started the second round of a 3 day treatment at regular dosage...

Spirogyra. Its dead but now I suspect I have the name of this one wrong :)



BBA. It looks like its on the downhill slide, but Excel will kill this stuff in 3 days.



Hair algae on Mini Rose Moss is untouched.



Blanket Clado looking slightly weaker(or wishful thinking) :)



Clado in Subwassertang holding strong.



I didnt put up the pics of the rest of the mosses that I shot the first round because they werent affected by the treatment at all. If one should start to show distress, ill post it up. Its nice to know some of these more delicate mosses arent affected by it. I was sure they would be. At least somewhat :)
 
#38 ·
The hair algae on the rose moss should die in the next 2-3 days, I gave things a week.

This assumes that the tank is actually running good CO2 etc, in those pics, it looks like just cups and water and maybe some light.

It took a little longer, 5-7 days, after the 1st treatment, but it did all die in a similar non CO2 test tank.
 
#39 · (Edited)
Yes, the tank this was pulled from has Co2. You are right, I didnt want to treat the whole tank with the possibility of melting down all the Mini Rose, so these are specimen containers(deli cups). Im not sure how much impact that will have versus a tanks conditions.

EDIT: In a tank I should still be dosing the ferts at regular dose right?
 
#40 ·
I'd do everything the same in the planted tank. But I'd likely up to the CO2 progressively very slowly and obverse plants, fish carefully, never do this and then leave for the day etc.

Hit with 3 doses, one each day, it will kill any green hair algae.
It had no effect on Cladophora, which is about as close to moss and plants are anything we ever see.

I've only seen 100% kill for 3 dose for the same stuff on the rose moss.

If you catch the hair algae early on.....then 1 single dose and very few shrimp losses will occur.
 
#41 ·
I want to caution you once again, Chad. I wouldn't go beyond this last series of treatments for awhile. The problems I had happened when I ignored the directions on the bottle and went past the 3 day dosing/once a week top off. I went daily for a week, and that's when I got into trouble. YMMV of course. I would also continue fertilizing as well.
 
#42 ·
The bottle says 1 ml per 10g every three days. I am running it like this for now. I am going to up the dose to see if I can damage the Clado without damaging the moss later on, but its per directions for now. Its all experimental in cups for now. Theres no way I would risk the contents of ANY of my tanks for the price of a ten dollar bottle of evil. :D
 
#43 ·
Now im impressed. I see some of the tips on the blanket Clado is clear. AKA, dead. I already feel like ive won the battle of getting my moss collection back in order. Saving it from hair algae was the biggest battle and this is just a bonus effect. Some of the MP is hard to separate from the Clado it got from being split up and tied on a dowel rod.
 
#45 ·
Chad, I did a similar thing, same similar experiences........ the next step was a real live planted tank with fish and shrimps.

The shrimps took a real beating, did not all die, but.....I would not suggets anyone do it with shrimp they do not care to lose.

Same result for myself and most folks I've spoken to, the product has very consistent results.

Which is rather surprising given the poor history of snake oil algae cure. But it's pretty limited to green hair algae.
 
#48 ·
Sorry for the resurrection, but I have read all I can find on the specific use of Algaefix to treat spriogyra on this an every other forum that comes up on Google. However I have read conflicting info a couple of times. Everyone clearly states to follow the recommended dose and directions of 1ml per 10 gallons, but I have read that people are using it for 3 days... Although the bottle says to use every 3 days... Is it "use for 3 days consecutively" or "every 3days for three treatments"? With the suggested 50% WC before and after treatment, it would seem that what is being suggested is the 3 consecutive days and not the every 3 days per the label.

So if a participating member of this thread could confirm, I would be very appreciative.

And yes I know my cause, its fixed, never had spiro before and hope to never again. :)
 
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