first use of Fluconasole

[Ron Reefman]

This will be the first time I've tried fluconasole in my 110g system. Any suggestions?

I have a green fuzzy algae I think is bryopsis. I'm planing to mix up 1000mg in RO/DI and adding it to the tank. I know that is a half dose. I'm doing a half dose out of caution. I don't want any bad reactions. If all goes well, I'll dose the other 1000mg in a few days. That seems to be the preferred dosage (2000mg of fluconazole to 100g of water).

I've removed the chaeto from my sump. The tank is 70% zoas, 20% sps and 10% lps. I have lots of other inverts including shrimp, stars, cucumbers, snails, anemones and crabs.

Any suggestions for how to deliver it to the tank or about my dosage plan would be appreciated. I HATE adding odd chemicals to my tank. 99.9% of the time it's just Ca, Mg and soda ash.

 

[ScottB]

This will be the first time I've tried fluconasole in my 110g system. Any suggestions?

I have a green fuzzy algae I think is bryopsis. I'm planing to mix up 1000mg in RO/DI and adding it to the tank. I know that is a half dose. I'm doing a half dose out of caution. I don't want any bad reactions. If all goes well, I'll dose the other 1000mg in a few days. That seems to be the preferred dosage (2000mg of fluconazole to 100g of water).

I've removed the chaeto from my sump. The tank is 70% zoas, 20% sps and 10% lps. I have lots of other inverts including shrimp, stars, cucumbers, snails, anemones and crabs.

Any suggestions for how to deliver it to the tank or about my dosage plan would be appreciated. I HATE adding odd chemicals to my tank. 99.9% of the time it's just Ca, Mg and soda ash.

There is maybe -- anecdotally -- a 5% chance that it will wipe out your SPS. If you are very attached to your SPS, it would be worth confirming that you have real bryopsis and not just some general nuisance algae. If it is bryopsis, it might well be worth the risk. Fluc does a number on bryopsis like nothing else will.

We don't know why this occasionally happens, but there is a huge Fluconazole thread here. I can't find the pattern though. If I had to guess why, my theory would be that SOME systems have a certain type of fungi that releases something bad when attacked by this anti-fungal medication.

Keep an eye on your alkalinity daily to make sure it does not bounce around.

 

[bayoukid89]

i have tried it on my tank and i didnt see the algae get any better so now im trying Vibrant bc so far everyone says its better soo we shall see if it works lol

 

[ScottB]

i have tried it on my tank and i didnt see the algae get any better so now im trying Vibrant bc so far everyone says its better soo we shall see if it works lol

It is a rather effective treatment for bryopsis algae. It is very hit/miss for the other ~500 types of algae. That is the secondary point I was trying to make. If you really have bryopsis, well, you don't really have much of a choice. It is impossible to get rid of otherwise whereas other algaes are much more manageable, IMO.

 

[Ron Reefman]

I opened the capsules into some RO/DI water to dissolve and mix into the tank. But it doesn't dissolve very easily. I let it sit overnight and still only about 1/2 to 2/3rds have dissolved.

It says to use tank water, but I can't imagine that saltwater would dissolve it better than RO/DI water???

 

[aarbutina]

Watch your Alk closely over the first couple days of the treatment. I had great success treating briopsis with this.

 

[Melanie Fish]

Works great for me with bryopsis. I've never lost anything using it. Just make sure to follow the instructions with water changes. I think not doing the proper water change at the end is when a people run into problems.

 

[Jman76]

I opened the capsules into some RO/DI water to dissolve and mix into the tank. But it doesn't dissolve very easily. I let it sit overnight and still only about 1/2 to 2/3rds have dissolved.

It says to use tank water, but I can't imagine that saltwater would dissolve it better than RO/DI water???

I'm not sure if theres a difference between Reef Flux and FluxRx...I use FluxRX....It definitely does not break down easy when you mix it. If you start with dry powder in a glass and add only a few drops at a time it will almost completely mix. It cakes back up but keep crushing it down as you add drops, it will break down into a paste.

 

[Ron Reefman]

I'm not sure if theres a difference between Reef Flux and FluxRx...I use FluxRX....It definitely does not break down easy when you mix it. If you start with dry powder in a glass and add only a few drops at a time it will almost completely mix. It cakes back up but keep crushing it down as you add drops, it will break down into a paste.

When it didn't dissolve overnight, I decided to heat up the water in the microwave. After it was fairly hot and I stirred the water it did dissolve. I then put it in the refrigerator and cooled it down to 70F before adding it to my tank. BTW, my tank runs a bit warm, so I took advantage of adding slightly cooler water than the tank.

 

[Jman76]

Nice! I will definitely keep the heat in mind. Cheers

 

[Aere]

I opened the capsules into some RO/DI water to dissolve and mix into the tank. But it doesn't dissolve very easily. I let it sit overnight and still only about 1/2 to 2/3rds have dissolved.

It says to use tank water, but I can't imagine that saltwater would dissolve it better than RO/DI water???

Can you just put it in filter sock and let it dissolve through there?

 

[Ron Reefman]

Can you just put it in filter sock and let it dissolve through there?

That might work. But given it didn't dissolve sitting in water for 12 hours, I would like to see it dissolved before I put it in the tank. And filter socks get replaced every 4 or 5 days. What if (unlikely I admit) that some of it still hadn't dissolved? I'd be pulling good drugs out of the system.

But you are probably right.

 

[LOVEROCK]

There is maybe -- anecdotally -- a 5% chance that it will wipe out your SPS. If you are very attached to your SPS, it would be worth confirming that you have real bryopsis and not just some general nuisance algae. If it is bryopsis, it might well be worth the risk. Fluc does a number on bryopsis like nothing else will.

We don't know why this occasionally happens, but there is a huge Fluconazole thread here. I can't find the pattern though. If I had to guess why, my theory would be that SOME systems have a certain type of fungi that releases something bad when attacked by this anti-fungal medication.

Keep an eye on your alkalinity daily to make sure it does not bounce around.

withers away like ashes

 

[jt17]

I’ve use fluconozol twice with no problems to sps or softies. It cleared up the ulva and most of the turf algae as well. As mentioned above alk consumption typically declines during treatment.

 

[dwest]

Good luck Ron. I would also be very nervous putting chemicals in my tank.

 

[Ron Reefman]

Good luck Ron. I would also be very nervous putting chemicals in my tank.

I don't even use carbon or GFO. But sometimes we have to do what we have to do. I've never had a flu vaccine shot either, but this year I probably will, just to try and be safe. After all, I am an old dude!

 

[X-37B]

I used it on my 120 at 1/2 dose for GHA.
Did not turn off skimmer just carbon.
I manually removed it along the way as it is easy to remove.
Took about 4 weeks and no more algae.
Did a 12 gal water change as recommended.
Added 40 pyramid snails after and they have kept it under control.
If I would have put the snails in when I first noticed it appear I probably would not have needed the treatment.
Alk useage decreased so keep an eye on it as I had to dial back my carx for a few weeks.
No harm to anything and no algae visible at all and the snails keep it under control.

 

[old salt reefer]

I used Vibrant, in 2 months all it killed was my BTA. I used fluconazole twice. First time it killed all my GHA after 3 weeks and with no follow up on my part it grew back. Second time it killed all my GHA in 3 weeks and with follow up from me(50 % water change, running GFO 8 hours a day for first week after end of treatment, etc.), after a 8 month battle with GHA I won. Fluconazole kills the GHA as it grows--it needs to grow---turn up your lights for 3 weeks you are treating. This worked for me, it may not work for you.

 

[Ron Reefman]

I used it on my 120 at 1/2 dose for GHA.
Did not turn off skimmer just carbon.
I manually removed it along the way as it is easy to remove.
Took about 4 weeks and no more algae.
Did a 12 gal water change as recommended.
Added 40 pyramid snails after and they have kept it under control.
If I would have put the snails in when I first noticed it appear I probably would not have needed the treatment.
Alk usage decreased so keep an eye on it as I had to dial back my carx for a few weeks.
No harm to anything and no algae visible at all and the snails keep it under control.

This is good to hear. Thanks for the reassurance.
So far, it's only been a few days, I haven't seen any change.

I used Vibrant, in 2 months all it killed was my BTA. I used fluconazole twice. First time it killed all my GHA after 3 weeks and with no follow up on my part it grew back. Second time it killed all my GHA in 3 weeks and with follow up from me(50 % water change, running GFO 8 hours a day for first week after end of treatment, etc.), after a 8 month battle with GHA I won. Fluconazole kills the GHA as it grows--it needs to grow---turn up your lights for 3 weeks you are treating. This worked for me, it may not work for you.

I tried Vibrant once in a different tank and was not impressed.

Question for you: I assume what you meant to say was to turn down my lights? What would be the reason to turn them up?

 

[old salt reefer]

Algae needs light to grow, the faster it grows the fast it dies with fluconazole. Turn your white(and red if have it)--- UP---. You should start to see results by the end of the of the first week. Pictures of about half of how bad my GHA became,and same spot now. Oh vibrant also killed my coralline algae.