[Tex Gal]

The thread continued to state that this is the active ingredient in products such as Oxiclean. No one here is actually recommending using OXiclean, are they?

At 1.5 tablespoons per 100 gallons with water changes before and after 2 hour treatmens (filtration and water current off) it sound pretty easy to use. If floats down and lays on the leaves, rocks etc. The up side of this is supposed to be that the crystals stay in contact with the algae creating peroxide killing it.

I just ordered some from here. It's much cheaper than excel. Excel doesn't work well for some thread algae.
http://www.chemistrystore.com/Chemicals_S_Z-Sodium_Percarbonate.html

 

[Tex Gal]

Hoppy, I'll be glad to help in any way I can. I can sure share my experience! What a good idea about repackaging it and sharing! I also had to order 4 lbs. Like you said it's pretty cheap.

H2O2 is cheap but I can't keep it in extreme contact with the leaves, rocks, etc. I think it's worth a try for plants like anubias and other slow growers. Much better than taking them out of the tank and bleaching them. Bleach is so harsh on the leaves.

I wouldn't use any of the commercial cleaning products either because of the possible additives. That's why I thought it would be worth mentioning....

 

[Tex Gal]

Tex Gal, I hope you realize that we will be a cinch for the Nobel Prize in Aquatics if this works well! I may just go out and buy a new Prius with my share of the prize money.

A Prius?! You gotta get a bigger car than that! You'll have lots of friends!

 

[Tex Gal]

Boy Hoppy! What a mess! So glad you were the one to take the heat. Don't think I'd be as strong to take it. Keep up the good work. As long as you have been in the hobby- it bears out that you are a respectable gentlemen that cares about the fish and the plants. (I got my order a couple days ago. Gonna try it soon. I will be ready with a water change. I'm not sure I'll be as brave to post my findings given the attacks that have ensued.)

This hobby has a long learning curve. Algae treatments are necessary when you can't help how things happen (ie, moving, hurricane, equipment failures, etc.). We have all read that even the "experts" have had to use excel and such from time to time. I doubt there are any of us out there that would not rather have a balanced algae free aquarium than to continue battling algae. Learning how to do that from tank to tank is the challenge. For those of you that are really good at this - Please won't you be patient as the rest of us learn how to do this?! Don't forget what it was like when you were a newbie!

 

[Tex Gal]

Thought I'd post in this thread. I did get some of the product and wanted to let you know what happened.

BEFORE I do that, I wanted to say that since this thread I have noticed that Hoppy is much less participatory on APC. I wonder if his treatment in this thread had anything to do with it. I don't know. I would hate to think that members of APC are more concerned about "potential" harm to fish than kind treatment to a member of the forum. That seems a little out of kilter to me.

Now to my less-than-scientific results. On two separate occasions I took anubias out of my tank and put it in a bowl with 1 gallon of Prime treated water. Time #1 I sprinkled 1 and 1/2 tsp of Sodium Percarbonate. The anubias had some BBA and Green spot algae on it. I did this 2 times in about 2 hours. The product fizzed with fine bubbles. Afterwards I inspected the plant rinsed well with tap water and put it back in a fresh gallon of water overnight. In the am the plant appeared nice and clean, algae free. No damage what so ever. I stuck it back in my tank. No ill affects anywhere. I want you to know I WAY WAY OVER TREATED this plant OUTSIDE my tank. Never would I have put that much of this chemical inside my tank. I do think it kills algae.

Occasion #2. I used 1 gal of Prime treated water and again an infested anubias. It had green spot algae and a small amount of BBA. I again used WAY WAY too much, probably 5 tsp and sprinkled it on the plant. In a few hours I sprinkled more agian. I did this three times. Each time the product fizzed. The algae was dying. The next day I removed the plant, rinsed it well. I left it for another day in clean water. Then I put it back in my tank. The leaves began to disintegrate. The my shrimp (including CRS) swarmed all over it devouring the leaves. It became a mesh of leaf veins. I now only have the rhizome left. I am waiting to see if the rhizome will rot or if it will grow the leaves back. Obviously I reached critical mass with the chemical. NONE of my shrimp suffered any ill affects from eating the leaves. No dead bodies, no sick or slow shrimp. The fish in the tank are all very well. It's been about a week since I put this last plant (what's left of it) back in the tank.

Findings: This product does kill algae. You must use it sparingly. If you have a large area to treat do it little at a time. It will NOT harm fish or inverts that eat the plant treated with this product EVEN if the plant was killed. I would not hesitate to use it in the tank. I will use excel first for BBA. I will use this for clado or such that is harder to kill. I would also do the recommended water change 2 hours following treatment.

 

[Tex Gal]

I sure hope that whoever of whatever the issues were that they are resolved between the parties. It's sad to me when these things happen. Whether it was a misunderstanding or what. Two words go along way - "I'm sorry".

I miss Hoppy!

 

[Tex Gal]

I think one of the issues that impacts algae and it's battles are the types of plants you are growing. If you have the more difficult high light ones that require high tech everything algae will be more of a problem to get a handle on. Many of those that don't have algae issues aren't growing these plants. (I'm not saying that is everyone - so don't get upset if this doesn't pertain to you.) It's just a lot harder because there is NO ROOM for error. Things grow fast, consume fast, get messy fast. I have mostly rare and difficult plants. I got bba just from a weekend at the AGA conference when the tank was overfed. It's disappear fast now. But it was a mess!

If this were child's play there would not be so much talk about algae and the control of algae.

 

[Tex Gal]

I really think the point here is that everyone "wants" a balanced tank. No one "wants" to fool around with algae. Sometimes life happens and you get algae. SO now what? You have to clean and scrub and take action. It doesn't just melt away for most people. Clado keeps growing unless you get it all out. BBA damages leaf tissue and you need to prune. Until you get the system balanced you still have to deal with the stuff.

I lost a great field of UG because of clado that I brought in from an LFS. I didn't even buy plant from them! I bought fish. I don't even put the fish water in the tank. I must have scooped out a minute particle with the fish. When I changed my light bulbs trying to find the proper amount of light I had clado! I did get rid of it. Haven't seen it back since, (knock on wood).

Some of us just need a little extra help from time to time. It's not a "regular" thing. It's like a gravel vacuum sometimes!