Fluconazole addition directions - who's right?

[twistedfinn967]

I'm reading about the use of fluconazole to my tank to help get rid of an algae issue. I came across two greatly different sets of directions:
Directions:

• Turn off skimmer for first 3 days, and remove activated carbon and any chemical filtration for the duration of treatment. GFO and Phosban can remain in place since the media only removes phosphates.
• Empty 1 capsule for every 10 gallons of tank water (20mg per gallon) into high flow area in the sump. After 14 days perform a minimum 30% water change. Do not overdose. Filter socks are recommended during treatment in order to help clean the aquarium.
• 
  
• And then this set:
• Directions:
  Add 1 pre-dissolved capsule (200 mg) into aquarium for every 10 gallons of water to be treated. Repeat every 24 hours for 5 consecutive days. It is suggested that a partial water change be made between treatments. Discontinue use if no improvement is noted after 5 days.

As I said, big difference. So, who's instructions do you follow and why?

 

[Cherub]

I used the top directions for bryopsis and it worked 16 capsules for my tank

 

[WVNed]

I used the first directions. 8000mg into 400 gallons.

 

[Shufflepig]

20-40mg per gallon works well on most types of algae. Would not use the second protocol. That would end up 100mg per gallon. I’ve heard of people using 80mg per gallon successfully for bubble algae but that is certainly the upper end of the safe dosage range and some sps may not be happy at that dose.

 

[twistedfinn967]

Thanks all. I'll be following the first set of instructions as they seem to be a less extreme way of doing it.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I expect the skimmer direction is someone guessing that it might be skimmable. Based on its physical properties, I'm not sure if it is skimmable, and that part may be unnecessary, but I am not 100% sure.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The rationale for the GFO and phosban (strange it is mentioned since it is GFO) is wildly incorrect (lots of drugs will stick to them), but still comes to the right answer, since fluconazole is not going to bind to GFO or other phosphate binders.

 

[twistedfinn967]

The first set of directions comes from BRS - it's what they have listed with Reef Flux, which is pretty much right off the bottle.

 

[korallen-koch]

The rationale for the GFO and phosban (strange it is mentioned since it is GFO) is wildly incorrect (lots of drugs will stick to them), but still comes to the right answer, since fluconazole is not going to bind to GFO or other phosphate binders.

Do you think it's safe to use phosphate remover based on iron hydroxide while dosing fluconazole? I am fighting against briopsis for ten days until now dosing 8 mg/litre which should equate 30 mg/gallon. Works very well. Briopsis is almost gone but I want to keep on for two weeks to be sure it won't come back again. Now phosphate went up very high. Would like to use DIAKAT B if you know that adsorber.

 

[Bryknicks]

I went similar to the first set of instructions. My differences were adding the solution to the DT, no water change for four 24 days (as that's when it finally kicked all the bryopsis), and I left my skimmer on but removed the collection cup.

 

[rkpetersen]

Top directions work very well. I don't know where those second directions came from, but they sound dangerous, and importantly, completely unnecessary. After just one 20 mg/gal dose, you will be able to see more and more bryopsis disintegrating every day. It works that fast.

 

[rkpetersen]

Do you think it's safe to use phosphate remover based on iron hydroxide while dosing fluconazole? Would like to use DIAKAT B if you know that adsorber.

Don't know that product, but iron hydroxide media like Rowa Phos is a type of GFO.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Do you think it's safe to use phosphate remover based on iron hydroxide while dosing fluconazole? I am fighting against briopsis for ten days until now dosing 8 mg/litre which should equate 30 mg/gallon. Works very well. Briopsis is almost gone but I want to keep on for two weeks to be sure it won't come back again. Now phosphate went up very high. Would like to use DIAKAT B if you know that adsorber.

I don't know about safe (with respect to phosphate going too low, for example), but as I mentioned above, fluconazole is not going to stick to GFO.