Cleaning Algae Off Zoas

[ptrick21186]

Anyone have any tips on how to clean algae off a small zoa frag? It's not super bad. Not effecting growth. Just looks ******. It's small amounts of a redish hair algae growing in between the polyps. I can't quite grab it with my sausage fingers. Was thinking tweezers but that seems to be a pain in the butt. Any chance you can run a soft toothbrush over them without hurting them?

 

[ReefStable Verified Sponsor]

The best options are:
- Use a Turkey Baster to blow it away
- Use a SOFT tooth brush (keep coral under water, wear gloves, just in case)
- Mexican Turbo Snails

Best of Luck!

 

[Reefer Matt Verified Media Partner]

I use a soft toothbrush under the sink with tap water, with the stop in the drain (in case the polyps fall off the frag). Then immediately return to the tank. But, that's just me, and I am comfortable with it.

 

[Reefing.with.Rich]

Anyone have any tips on how to clean algae off a small zoa frag? It's not super bad. Not effecting growth. Just looks ******. It's small amounts of a redish hair algae growing in between the polyps. I can't quite grab it with my sausage fingers. Was thinking tweezers but that seems to be a pain in the butt. Any chance you can run a soft toothbrush over them without hurting them?

Most people recommend a peroxide dip

 

[ptrick21186]

Most people recommend a peroxide dip

Would coral dip work?

 

[SandNRocks]

1/4 or 1/3 of Hydrogen peroxide with water from the tank and about a 30 second dip is what ive used before. I also rinse it off in tank water before putting it back. Kills pretty much all algae over the course of 2 days. Zoanthids are back out and happy within like 2 hours in my experience.

 

[Trixter227]

1/4 or 1/3 of Hydrogen peroxide with water from the tank and about a 30 second dip is what ive used before. I also rinse it off in tank water before putting it back. Kills pretty much all algae over the course of 2 days. Zoanthids are back out and happy within like 2 hours in my experience.

This +1
I have had bad results with toothbrush. and not fully closed zoas....
However peroxide is a wonder. Just a few minutes works well, just dont surpass 50/50 ratio for most cases.

 

[bratfink]

Mine are glued to base rock so I’m not taking it out. So I’ve just been carefully brushing the algae off the Zoas. They close up and sulk for a day afterwards but then come out looking great with no algae after that. No ill effects to note yet.

 

[Salty_Northerner]

1/4 or 1/3 of Hydrogen peroxide with water from the tank and about a 30 second dip is what ive used before. I also rinse it off in tank water before putting it back. Kills pretty much all algae over the course of 2 days. Zoanthids are back out and happy within like 2 hours in my experience.

Yup even a 50% peroxide in 50% tank water in a small bowl for 5 min will kill the algae for sure. A fresh dip in another small bowl of clean tank water for a rinse and put back into tank and all will be good. I do it anytime I get some Zoa's from a neglected tank.. it's never failed me. They actually will appreciate the dip

 

[Salty_Northerner]

This +1
I have had bad results with toothbrush. and not fully closed zoas....
However peroxide is a wonder. Just a few minutes works well, just dont surpass 50/50 ratio for most cases.

I've done full strength at times especially if there's bristle worms. The only issue I had was with GSP.. it stunts there growth big time but pull through in about 7 weeks before they get back to original size.. just passing on my observations with it .

 

[Bruttall]

I have squirted hydrogen peroxide out of the bottle, undiluted onto my Zoas killing hydriods and algae. I do at 1 to 1 mix h2o, h2o2 and soak for 1.5 minutes as part of my Pre Install dip after I do a RXDip, then rinse in RO/DI and place them.

 

[Reefing.with.Rich]

1/4 or 1/3 of Hydrogen peroxide with water from the tank and about a 30 second dip is what ive used before. I also rinse it off in tank water before putting it back. Kills pretty much all algae over the course of 2 days. Zoanthids are back out and happy within like 2 hours in my experience.

That’s a pretty short dip
I do a 50/50 mixture and have left zoas in the dip for upwards of 30 minutes with great success of killing algae and not effecting the zoas

 

[JoJosReef]

If the frag is glued to rock and can't come out, try this with hydrogen peroxide (bother the zoas first a bit so they close up):

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If the frag can come out, I just take it out, remove what I can manually, then peroxide around and between all polyps with a pipette, wait a mintue, then back in the tank. Zoas are angry for about a day.

 

[Tangs-A-Lot]

A makeup brush can be used to clean up some.