Fluco is reef safe

[mikedrumm22]

Hola,
i am personally tired with the fear mongering with regards to fluconazole. Personally, while running this med, i see improved PE and growth in all of my SPS. Why? Because the algae ceases to outcompete corals for nutrient. For users who experienced losses, i attribute this to toxins released by sponges and other organisms that release toxins upon death. In short, if you dont have pineapple sponges, send it.

 

[MnFish1]

Hola,
i am personally tired with the fear mongering with regards to fluconazole. Personally, while running this med, i see improved PE and growth in all of my SPS. Why? Because the algae ceases to outcompete corals for nutrient. For users who experienced losses, i attribute this to toxins released by sponges and other organisms that release toxins upon death. In short, if you dont have pineapple sponges, send it.

What 'fear-mongering' are you talking about. Can you link to some of those threads?

A lot of problems with 'medications' - is mis-dosing. So - that can be why losses have occurred.
Losses also occur without using fluconazole
There are lots of tanks that have no algae problem at all - with fluconazole
It is generally IMHO not a good idea to use an antibiotic (antifungal) to treat something that is avoidable with proper maintenance - at least on a regular basis.

 

[BanjoBandito]

Perhaps you haven't noticed me, but I'm constantly posting "FLUC IT" on GHA/algae problem threads.

 

[melonheadorion]

i dont think ive seen any threads with worry about using fluconozole, or losses with it. in fact, it is generally the complete opposite. now, there are other medications out there that people report losses because of whatever reason, but i have never seen one for fluconozole, and that is from a person that has been researching via these boards and others, quite a bit over the last week. ive even read posts of people using 4x the recommended amount because they werent getting quick results, and it still didnt affect the tank negatively.

 

[mikedrumm22]

What 'fear-mongering' are you talking about. Can you link to some of those threads?

A lot of problems with 'medications' - is mis-dosing. So - that can be why losses have occurred.
Losses also occur without using fluconazole
There are lots of tanks that have no algae problem at all - with fluconazole
It is generally IMHO not a good idea to use an antibiotic (antifungal) to treat something that is avoidable with proper maintenance - at least on a regular basis.

theres a few threads on here posting tank crashes and blaming fluco… gave me a good heart attack after i dosed

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

The only "losses" I've heard of are losing macro... You'd think it would be common sense that a chemical/drug used to kill algae might also negatively affect... other algae! (Yes, I know not all macros are affected, but if you have to replace a ball of chaeto in order to kill a tankful of bryopsis, it's kind of a no brainer)

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

Personally I would never advise someone to dose any medication without worry, or with absolution that nothing bad can happen. But that’s just me. I have dosed it without issue, and with issues. A one time use without a problem is not a valid experiment. Everyone’s live stock is a little different.

 

[Gtinnel]

Perhaps you haven't noticed me, but I'm constantly posting "FLUC IT" on GHA/algae problem threads.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

theres a few threads on here posting tank crashes and blaming fluco… gave me a good heart attack after i dosed

You definitely need to be prepared for heavy filtering/ manual exporting of the dead algae via skimming, etc. Those who just toss it in the tank and don't account for the released nutrients can certainly end up with problems.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

You definitely need to be prepared for heavy filtering/ manual exporting of the dead algae via skimming, etc. Those who just toss it in the tank and don't account for the released nutrients can certainly end up with problems.

Or it ticks off some of your sticks and you consumption plummets, spiking your Alk if you’re not on top of it. I have no scientific evidence, and I’m no expert, but I personally have noticed a link between light output and stn with fluc. Fluc is light reactive, so I’m drawing a big assumption here, but when I’ve used it in lower par systems 250-350 I’m guessing, I’ve had relatively few issues. On high par systems 350+ I’ve noticed more stn issues on seemingly random acros. Most are perfectly fine and happy, while a random one or two starts stn within the first week. That’s with keeping everything as stable as possible with the skimmer being an airstone for several days and no water changes. Is it the meds, the drop in skimming, the lack of water changes, the position of the moon? I don’t know.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Or it ticks off some of your sticks and you consumption plummets, spiking your Alk if you’re not on top of it. I have no scientific evidence, and I’m no expert, but I personally have noticed a link between light output and stn with fluc. Fluc is light reactive, so I’m drawing a big assumption here, but when I’ve used it in lower par systems 250-350 I’m guessing, I’ve had relatively few issues. On high par systems 350+ I’ve noticed more stn issues on seemingly random acros. Most are perfectly fine and happy, while a random one or two starts stn within the first week. That’s with keeping everything as stable as possible with the skimmer being an airstone for several days and no water changes. Is it the meds, the drop in skimming, the lack of water changes, the position of the moon? I don’t know.

This makes a lot of sense.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

This makes a lot of sense.

It must be a cold day in hell if I’m making sense! That, or you’ve had one too many! Haha

 

[mikedrumm22]

Or it ticks off some of your sticks and you consumption plummets, spiking your Alk if you’re not on top of it. I have no scientific evidence, and I’m no expert, but I personally have noticed a link between light output and stn with fluc. Fluc is light reactive, so I’m drawing a big assumption here, but when I’ve used it in lower par systems 250-350 I’m guessing, I’ve had relatively few issues. On high par systems 350+ I’ve noticed more stn issues on seemingly random acros. Most are perfectly fine and happy, while a random one or two starts stn within the first week. That’s with keeping everything as stable as possible with the skimmer being an airstone for several days and no water changes. Is it the meds, the drop in skimming, the lack of water changes, the position of the moon? I don’t know.

Where are you getting that its light reactive? Does anyone know what exactly the fluco does to filamentous algae in particular. My only coral that has stned while i have fluco running is a seriatopora, but i dont quite if fluco is 100% the cause. I know BN are considered an easy sps but i read they can be finnicy.

my issue is just that the algae is overwhelming and its either gonna outcompete all the corals or its gonna get flucced

You definitely need to be prepared for heavy filtering/ manual exporting of the dead algae via skimming, etc. Those who just toss it in the tank and don't account for the released nutrients can certainly end up with problems.

I have a plan geared up for when the cyano sets in and all the detritus. Gonna really hate to do it but I’m gonna pull all the rocks and siphon whats underneath and then rinse them good n well. Gives me a chance to epoxy my scape and maybe make a few updates.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Where are you getting that its light reactive? Does anyone know what exactly the fluco does to filamentous algae in particular. My only coral that has stned while i have fluco running is a seriatopora, but i dont quite if fluco is 100% the cause. I know BN are considered an easy sps but i read they can be finnicy.

my issue is just that the algae is overwhelming and its either gonna outcompete all the corals or its gonna get flucced

I have a plan geared up for when the cyano sets in and all the detritus. Gonna really hate to do it but I’m gonna pull all the rocks and siphon whats underneath and then rinse them good n well. Gives me a chance to epoxy my scape and maybe make a few updates.

Cyano is not a foregone conclusion... but if you want to do some major maintenance, there probably won't be a better time.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

Where are you getting that its light reactive? Does anyone know what exactly the fluco does to filamentous algae in particular. My only coral that has stned while i have fluco running is a seriatopora, but i dont quite if fluco is 100% the cause. I know BN are considered an easy sps but i read they can be finnicy.

my issue is just that the algae is overwhelming and its either gonna outcompete all the corals or its gonna get flucced

I have a plan geared up for when the cyano sets in and all the detritus. Gonna really hate to do it but I’m gonna pull all the rocks and siphon whats underneath and then rinse them good n well. Gives me a chance to epoxy my scape and maybe make a few updates.

As far as where I got that it’s light reactive….I’ve read the my battle with broyopsis using fluconazole thread, which has a ton of info. I’ve also read a couple thesis related to fresh and saltwater algae and the affects of fluconazole, and listened to a couple podcasts where a much smarter person than I was interviewed about what they studied and found in regards to fluconazole and how it affects algae. I’m no scientist, I’m a high school dropout. I guess technically, fluconazole isn’t light reactive, but the method in which it affects the sterols within the plant is greatly boosted by photosynthesis which requires light. Increased photosysnthesis, the greater the spread of medication throughout the plants cells. I keep telling people I’m no expert, and I never claim to be. I have no reason to question the theory’s and conclusions I have read. Or it could have been from a fortune cookie, it is the internet after all!