Algae Inhibitor??

[chessie]

Another question for you all re: my green hair algae.
Bought a couple of phosphate filter pads w/a red/hair algae inhibitor. The stuff is a powder that you put on the pad itself. Thank goodness I'm a label reader cuz this powder contains Erythromycin Thiocyanate. Know that Erythromycin is an antibiotic but, am not familar w/Thiocyanate. Know that certain meds can work well for fish but may wipe out the rest of your tank! Did not want to even THINK of using this stuff til I got some good input. Am really grappling at straws here to get rid of this damn algae. Called the company & received no input from them at all so, here I am!
CAUTION: Be a label reader, it may save you wiping out your tank!!!!! Thanks!

 

[chessie]

If nobody out there has any input on this question, any good suggestions of where I might try to get an answer? An online site or a book maybe? Thanks~

 

[krazzydart]

Just wondering what you all have in your tank... Size, how long its been set up... all that jazz!!!!!!!! do you have a clean up crew??? I had a major prob with hair algae until I got a clean up crew and a sail fin tang it was all gone in a week... in a 120 gal reef set up..... also using ro water will help.... check your tank for phosphates...

 

[chessie]

krazzy -
The tank is 110 gal.
Had some hermits in there (for some reason, went on holiday awhile back & all the snails died ??)so got a package w/more hermits & 100 snails.
ALL H20 is run thru a purifier & phosphates are 0. All other tests are within the correct parimeters, too.
Have a Foxface & Yellow Tang that graze a little on the hair - not much.
Cut back my day lights to 4 hrs. daily - did have a total of 12 hrs. photoperiod.
Tank has been up & running for 2yrs.
Must tell you my tank looks like s---!!!
Am going to invest in a couple of Emerald crabs & a couple of Sallys & maybe some more snails.
Have taken just about EVERY piece of LR out & picked the stuff off but, it comes back w/in a week or so.
Boy, I need help BIG time!!! Thanks

 

[chessie]

BurnNSpy -
Nitrates 0, Calcium 350 (am working on getting that one higher), Ph 8.2, haven't done an Akalinity test yet. For additives have been using Mark Weiss' Coral Vital & finishing up a bottle of Liquid Gold. Am thinking of changing to some of the SeaChem line, i.e., Reef Complete, Reef Advantage,etc. If you have any suggestions on another type of additive(s), I'm ALL ears. Thanks - Chess

 

[beth]

I was wondering about these new "filter" pads that reduce algae....yeah, right. Of course anything with antibotics is going to kill of microalgae!
Do you want to have medication in your system?

 

[chessie]

BurnNSpy~
Probably mentioned it before but, Phospates are 0. Also, am very careful as far as overfeeding goes - I know that can really add to an algae problem. Was also thinking of trying that Black Powder. How do you like it so far? If you do use that, do you need to add anything else?
Am also thinking of flushing that algae inhibitor powder that came w/those filter pads. I CERTAINLY don't need any more problems w/my tank at this point!!