Green Star Polyp VS Green Hair Algae

[Brad Coughlan]

Hi I have had this frag of GSP for a few months and over past few weeks there's been a ton of green hair algae growing over it to the point where only around 2 polyps are opening. I did brush over the frag with a toothbrush very lightly and I think that also damaged the polyps. Could I dip the coral again? I need to get rid of the algae on it since only 2 polyps are out...

 

[JoJosReef]

Hi I have had this frag of GSP for a few months and over past few weeks there's been a ton of green hair algae growing over it to the point where only around 2 polyps are opening. I did brush over the frag with a toothbrush very lightly and I think that also damaged the polyps. Could I dip the coral again? I need to get rid of the algae on it since only 2 polyps are out...

Hydrogen peroxide bath. For GSP, I just take straight hydrogen peroxide from a plastic dropper and drop it onto the frag out of the water. Let it all bubble up for a bit, then dip the frag in a cup of tank water to chill out for a bit. Then back in the tank. GHA should be gone and the GSP should open back up in a day or two (will be a bit angry at you for the H2O2 shower). I'd do this unless my GHA looked very damaged.

 

[Brad Coughlan]

Hydrogen peroxide bath. For GSP, I just take straight hydrogen peroxide from a plastic dropper and drop it onto the frag out of the water. Let it all bubble up for a bit, then dip the frag in a cup of tank water to chill out for a bit. Then back in the tank. GHA should be gone and the GSP should open back up in a day or two (will be a bit angry at you for the H2O2 shower). I'd do this unless my GHA looked very damaged.

Ok,
I did think about hydrogen peroxide but I thought that was only for rock and corals couldn't survive, would a standard dip also work or is peroxide the only way?

 

[Narideth]

I've peroxide dipped GSP, zoas, firework cloves and hammers, and other than being ticked off for a while, these all survived. Peroxide breaks down the algae cells, which is what the bubbling is. The corals all excreted mucus to show their disdain for my cleansing practice, but are now open and happy once more.

I wouldn't have normally dipped a hammer this way, but this struggling hammer regrew a new internal skeletal structure and the outer one was growing some tough algae I couldn't get rid of.

 

[Brad Coughlan]

I've peroxide dipped GSP, zoas, firework cloves and hammers, and other than being ticked off for a while, these all survived. Peroxide breaks down the algae cells, which is what the bubbling is. The corals all excreted mucus to show their disdain for my cleansing practice, but are now open and happy once more.

I wouldn't have normally dipped a hammer this way, but this struggling hammer regrew a new internal skeletal structure and the outer one was growing some tough algae I couldn't get rid of.

Ok nice, how long do I need to dip for?

 

[Narideth]

I've done it one of two ways depending on how fragile I perceive the coral to be. Before you dip/spray, of course remove what algae you can, the less algae the better penetration, the less waste is going back into your tank.

For GSP and zoas, corals that seem to typically dip really well, I use straight 3% peroxide and spray it on with the spray bottle that I refill from the larger standard 3% bottle I bought from amazon, and leave it for about 4-5 mins. Give it a good rinse in a separate cup of tank water before you put it back into your tank.

More fragile corals get a spray and then I add a little tank water to sort of dilute it a little to sit in for the same amount of time. I don't have exacts on this, but so many people have used peroxide for algae, you could probably find something more precise.

The algae will turn sort of pale/translucent and melt away over the next few days. If you didn't manage to get it all in the first dip/spray, dip that sucker again, but I would give the corals a few days to settle again so they're not constantly stressed out, or see if your CUC will handle any that may be left. If it's just GHA then one good dip/spray should kill it all until and if it regrows from scratch.

 

[Snail Man]

I've done it one of two ways depending on how fragile I perceive the coral to be. Before you dip/spray, of course remove what algae you can, the less algae the better penetration, the less waste is going back into your tank.

For GSP and zoas, corals that seem to typically dip really well, I use straight 3% peroxide and spray it on with the spray bottle that I refill from the larger standard 3% bottle I bought from amazon, and leave it for about 4-5 mins. Give it a good rinse in a separate cup of tank water before you put it back into your tank.

More fragile corals get a spray and then I add a little tank water to sort of dilute it a little to sit in for the same amount of time. I don't have exacts on this, but so many people have used peroxide for algae, you could probably find something more precise.

The algae will turn sort of pale/translucent and melt away over the next few days. If you didn't manage to get it all in the first dip/spray, dip that sucker again, but I would give the corals a few days to settle again so they're not constantly stressed out, or see if your CUC will handle any that may be left. If it's just GHA then one good dip/spray should kill it all until and if it regrows from scratch.

I have the same issue, but my GSP is going on the glass, what should I do?