Paraguard and algae

Bossman · Jun 7, 2020

I've been dosing my tank for the last 2 weeks with Seachem Paragaurd. The tank is a RS 260 so 70 gallons or so with the sump. I've dosed 25ml per day. The reason I started dosing was due to a newly acquired Coral Beauty angel developed some white film and spots. The paraguard made a noticeable improvement within a couple of days.

What I've noticed is a stark reduction in algae in the tank. The tank has never looked so clean. I have a refugium and the chaeto has deteriorated considerably. I have lost 90% of the chaeto. The coral are unaffected. The only reaction I see is immediately after I add the paraguard. The coral recedes, and then after a couple hours pass, the coral open back up. I have no SPS, mainly leathers, mushrooms, zoas and palys.

Have any of you had similar results using paraguard? I will continue to observe. I may try the paraguard next in my RS 425. I have bubble algae in that tank I have been battling for some time.

The tank might not look pristine, but it's algae free.

I

HuduVudu · Jun 7, 2020

If it was hitting your algae I would be concerned about anything that has photosynthetic algae in it.

I would be really really careful using these treatments, you are throwing off your low level diversity this can cause problems in the future. Medicating shouldn't be taken on lightly.

Bossman · Jun 7, 2020

HuduVudu said:
If it was hitting your algae I would be concerned about anything that has photosynthetic algae in it.

I would be really really careful using these treatments, you are throwing off your low level diversity this can cause problems in the future. Medicating shouldn't be taken on lightly.

I'm definitely not taking it lightly. I've used paraguard before in my reef tanks. LIke I said, I only have easy corals, but the paraguard has not affected them at all.

From what I understand, some nuisance algae treatments have antibiotics in them. So is paraguard a viable nuisance algae treatment?