Hair/Thread algae? CLADOPHORA sp. Algae?

[Jungle-mania]

I agree with blue33 about cleaning out dirt, if you siphon the floorbed of your tank, you should pick up alot of dirt.

[Blaze88]

Just an update: Tried both methods:

Excel : It does destroy the algae with spot treatment, but also kills the fissiden along with it, treated areas will turn brown and die. I would advice against using it on US fissidens,

Hydrogen peroxide Treatment: It manage to "kill" the algae as after treatment, the algae turns white, but its still as annoying to see white threads on your fissiden, Damage to fissiden could also be noticed but not as extensive as excel treatment. I guess ill have to wait for my shirmps to clear the dead algae, though they dont seem much intrested.

Can anyone tell me if they have done bleach treatment before? I feel like taking all my plants and dump it into bleach solution for 5 minutes, wash them and quarentine while i annihilate all the algae in the tank. Garghh

[Navanod]

Bleach is the worst, more so than excel or H2O2. Plants very likely to also go. If you cannot get the excel dosage right (and its the most forgiving of the 3 IMHO) then you'll likely kill off everything with bleach.
Try excel at 20-25% dilution if you're doing direct application to the plant outside the tank, and leave it on/soak for no more than 15mins.

[Blaze88]

Would like to update on the status of the algae,

I have done a 3day total blackout and dose excel into the tank . There was a visible reduction to the hair algae, those that were still visible were whitish in colour. So i guess this method could work on them. However i am not clear if this would completely remove them or just a temporary solution.

There were also hair algae in between my xmas moss, i am not sure whether these were killed aswell, will check on them again.

Hopefully the hair algae wont return once i restart the normal tank lighting hours.

[jamesneo]

Just an update: Tried both methods:

Excel : It does destroy the algae with spot treatment, but also kills the fissiden along with it, treated areas will turn brown and die. I would advice against using it on US fissidens,

Hydrogen peroxide Treatment: It manage to "kill" the algae as after treatment, the algae turns white, but its still as annoying to see white threads on your fissiden, Damage to fissiden could also be noticed but not as extensive as excel treatment. I guess ill have to wait for my shirmps to clear the dead algae, though they dont seem much intrested.

Can anyone tell me if they have done bleach treatment before? I feel like taking all my plants and dump it into bleach solution for 5 minutes, wash them and quarentine while i annihilate all the algae in the tank. Garghh

Hi,

1) What is the brand that you bought for the hydrogen peroxide from pharmacy?
2) If i just tell the pharmacy staff about this hydrogen peroxide, would they know what is this?
3) Do you add the peroxide directly into the tank or do you inject with syringe near to affected area.?
How many XX ml /dosage did you add each time?

[Jungle-mania]

I have used 15 to 1 chlorox solution before, it was effective, but also damaging to the plants.

James, H202 can be used directly with no dilution with an oral syringe. Any pharmacy has it.

[jamesneo]

I have used 15 to 1 chlorox solution before, it was effective, but also damaging to the plants.

James, H202 can be used directly with no dilution with an oral syringe. Any pharmacy has it.

Alright, thanks. Tomorrow will go to the pharmacy shop to get a bottle of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2).

By the way out of curiousity, what is H202 commonly used for? Why is it on sale in the pharmacy instead of LFS?

[Blaze88]

The reason hydrogen peroxide is in the pharmacy is because it can be used to clean wounds, though there are much better alternatives as wound cleaning with h202 can slow down the speed of recovery.

[nicken]

The reason hydrogen peroxide is in the pharmacy is because it can be used to clean wounds, though there are much better alternatives as wound cleaning with h202 can slow down the speed of recovery.

just curious , why would someone want to slow down the speed of recovery ?

[Blaze88]

Haha, bro, its a side effect.

h2o2 was used as an antiseptic as they found it to be able to clean wounds well, but it also damages your cells slightly, so recovery is slower compared to the newer antiseptics that we have around.

The same way it kills your algae and bacteria, it will also damage your cell or kill them.
It is still in use widely but not as much since we have alternatives.

[Navanod]

Haha, bro, its a side effect.

h2o2 was used as an antiseptic as they found it to be able to clean wounds well, but it also damages your cells slightly, so recovery is slower compared to the newer antiseptics that we have around.

The same way it kills your algae and bacteria, it will also damage your cell or kill them.
It is still in use widely but not as much since we have alternatives.

Abit OT

Those are the 3% H2O2.
Higher strength of 30% or more is also used to sterilize equipment by vaporizing the H2O2 and letting the item sit in the fumes.

Of course, high concentration of H2O2 is no longer available off the shelves as its an explosive precursor...similar to some of the fertilizers that were banned.

Can also find H2O2 in hair bleach too

[jamesneo]

Just an update: Tried both methods:

Excel : It does destroy the algae with spot treatment, but also kills the fissiden along with it, treated areas will turn brown and die. I would advice against using it on US fissidens,

Hydrogen peroxide Treatment: It manage to "kill" the algae as after treatment, the algae turns white, but its still as annoying to see white threads on your fissiden, Damage to fissiden could also be noticed but not as extensive as excel treatment. I guess ill have to wait for my shirmps to clear the dead algae, though they dont seem much intrested.

Can anyone tell me if they have done bleach treatment before? I feel like taking all my plants and dump it into bleach solution for 5 minutes, wash them and quarentine while i annihilate all the algae in the tank. Garghh

Alright, just brought hydrogen peroxide 100ml in glass bottle from pharmacy to try it out. I have a Christmas Moss on mesh with some green hair/thread algae at different location of the mesh. I am quite eager to killing off green hair/thread algae at one go. Thus instead of using syringe method,
1) Could i just pour the H2O2 to a flat tray container and dip the mesh into it say for 5 sec?
2) Do i need to dilute the H202 first using this method? eg 70% of H202 and 30% of Water
3) Will this "burn" the moss?
3) Any standard practise?
4) Is the H2O2 resusable?

Thanks

[alvinchan80]

Alright, just brought hydrogen peroxide 100ml in glass bottle from pharmacy to try it out. I have a Christmas Moss on mesh with some green hair/thread algae at different location of the mesh. I am quite eager to killing off green hair/thread algae at one go. Thus instead of using syringe method,
1) Could i just pour the H2O2 to a flat tray container and dip the mesh into it say for 5 sec?
2) Do i need to dilute the H202 first using this method? eg 70% of H202 and 30% of Water
3) Will this "burn" the moss?
3) Any standard practise?
4) Is the H2O2 resusable?

Thanks

dont pour the h2o2 into the container and dip it in.. you might kill the moss as well... tested & proven by myself... my mini pelia was almost wiped out even when i dose too much on them.... (luckily right now they are growing again)
you can actually do a 25% h2o2 and 75% tank water into a spray bottle and just spray on the mesh.. leave it there for 10mins.. den rinse it off... use a toothbrush to lightly scrub away the remaining hair algae/cladophora...

whether you are using excel or h2o2.. better to dilute with tank water... both i have tested to cause burnt results on moss if not use properly...
for h2o2, try to separate what you are going to be using into another bottle so as not to mix other liquid inside....

no standard practise on how you want to use it.. but i learnt it the hard way.. hahahaha

[jamesneo]

dont pour the h2o2 into the container and dip it in.. you might kill the moss as well... tested & proven by myself... my mini pelia was almost wiped out even when i dose too much on them.... (luckily right now they are growing again)
you can actually do a 25% h2o2 and 75% tank water into a spray bottle and just spray on the mesh.. leave it there for 10mins.. den rinse it off... use a toothbrush to lightly scrub away the remaining hair algae/cladophora...

whether you are using excel or h2o2.. better to dilute with tank water... both i have tested to cause burnt results on moss if not use properly...
for h2o2, try to separate what you are going to be using into another bottle so as not to mix other liquid inside....

no standard practise on how you want to use it.. but i learnt it the hard way.. hahahaha

Yeah, got myself a 50ml spray bottle after work today. Will try out your method. Thanks Alvin.
Finger cross

[Kiatster]

Wow...the amount of Clado growing in your tank is a nightmare man. The moment i see little strands of it growing out from my moss i already headache. Its one of the toughest to remove, no fish will eat it. I never tried chemical treatments but manual removal in the beginning before it outbreaks managed to somehow work for me, now i don't see any of it.

Read somewhere that battle against this algae needs patience also. hahha. Good luck!

[blackBRUSHalgae]

I really wonder why nobody try a Rosy barb, but rather went for chemicals? They have never failed me in removing any form of green filamentous algae, even hard to reach places. And yes, they are ever so hungry, so it can readily eat way faster than the algae can reproduce. the largest tank I tested was 200L tank with just one rosy barb, all forms of green filamentous algae reduced by more than 50% within 1week, and by 3 weeks time... no traces left...

[blackBRUSHalgae]

Hi bros, i came back from malaysia and check on my tank to find these :



Thanks

my 1 feet tank was in this condition. 1 rosy barb and 2 weeks later... all gone.

[Jungle-mania]

Wow! Never heard of it, I tried koi mollies, but they pooped equally as much. I will consider them next time, besides they make great pond fishes.

[hyun007]

One more usage for hydrogen peroxide.
It is also good as a mouthwash.
Mixed 50-50 with water and then gargle.
It is better than the commercial washmouth for bad breathe.
Last of all, when you gargle in your mouth, it help to whiten your teethas well.
Yes, teeth whitening main agent is hydrogen peroxide.

[hyun007]

I love the idea of Rosy barb but it is not feasible for shrimp tank.
They will go for the plant where the shrimplets will be hiding.

I am only able to get the 3% concentration Hydrogen Peroxide.
How long do I have to soak with it to kill the algae?
What are the proportion to use?
Many thanks.