Peroxide and vodka

Cory · Dec 17, 2016

I want to start dosing peroxide in my tank to remove hair algae. Im wondering whats a safe amount? I read 1ml per 10 gallons.

Also would peroxide destroy vodka? I dose vodka too.

twilliard · Dec 17, 2016

Dosage is based on the type of algae present. Also I have seen no impact to carbon dosing but do keep in mind H2O2 will lower ORP for 4-6 hours after dosing.

mcarroll · Dec 17, 2016

Just curious if you've tried other things to eliminate the algae?

Is the tank brightly lit with above-agverage nutrient levels?

Also, how much algae? Can you post a tank pic?

Cory · Dec 17, 2016

twilliard said:
Dosage is based on the type of algae present. Also I have seen no impact to carbon dosing but do keep in mind H2O2 will lower ORP for 4-6 hours after dosing.

Whats the dose for hair algae? Wierd i thought as orp raises that usually means more oxidizers present.

twilliard · Dec 17, 2016

Cory said:
Whats the dose for hair algae? Wierd i thought as orp raises that usually means more oxidizers present.

Ya that is not correct information as shown from the lab results. ORP does drop.
Hair algae is the 1ml@10 every 12 hours. It does take more time for whole tank treatment compared to rock treatment.

Cory · Dec 17, 2016

mcarroll said:
Just curious if you've tried other things to eliminate the algae?

Is the tank brightly lit with above-agverage nutrient levels?

Also, how much algae? Can you post a tank pic?

Tank has a kessil 160. Its 25 gallons woth sps and softies, the softies are dying from low nutrients from vodka. 0 po4 on hanna/salifert. 0no3. Yes ive tried an ats, iron oxide hydroxide, water changes, etcetera. I skim and dose vodka now. I feed my 4 chromis and yellow goby 2-4 times a day. My ats used to work good, but my montipora wouldnt grow. It wasn't until i started dosing vodka did it take off in color and growth. Now the xenia and devils hand are dying. I moved them to my softy tank to recover.

Cory · Dec 17, 2016

twilliard said:
Ya that is not correct information as shown from the lab results. ORP does drop.
Hair algae is the 1ml@10 every 12 hours. It does take more time for whole tank treatment compared to rock treatment.

It would be sweet to be able to dose it all the time and have an algae free tank. I wonder if i should remove the rock and spot treat it. Worried about my fish.

twilliard · Dec 17, 2016

Cory said:
It would be sweet to be able to dose it all the time and have an algae free tank. I wonder if i should remove the rock and spot treat it. Worried about my fish.

That is the best approach. Treat the rock then treat the tank. (H2O2 has NO effect on any livestock)

Cory · Dec 17, 2016

twilliard said:
That is the best approach. Treat the rock then treat the tank. (H2O2 has NO effect on any livestock)

Yeah i was thinking of giving the surface a spray with 3%.

I dosed it before and some of my fish would scratch from the irritation of h202. So thats got me worried, ive had these fish for 2 years.

Ive got some 35% at home. And if you get it on your hands, the skin will turn white and flake off.

Im also worried about killing off bacteria.

twilliard · Dec 17, 2016

Cory said:
Yeah i was thinking of giving the surface a spray with 3%.

I dosed it before and some of my fish would scratch from the irritation of h202. So thats got me worried, ive had these fish for 2 years.

Ive got some 35% at home. And if you get it on your hands, the skin will turn white and flake off.

Im also worried about killing off bacteria.

Those are all valid concerns. I hear them quite often.
I heed caution to 35%

mcarroll · Dec 18, 2016

twilliard said:
(H2O2 has NO effect on any livestock)

...which is not to say it's without side-effects to the tank as a whole.

(You know The Rules!! No free lunch – ever.)

Randy Holmes-Farley · Dec 19, 2016

Cory said:
I want to start dosing peroxide in my tank to remove hair algae. Im wondering whats a safe amount? I read 1ml per 10 gallons.

Also would peroxide destroy vodka? I dose vodka too.

I wouldn't store them mixed together, but they won't impact each other in the tank.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Dec 19, 2016

Cory said:
Wierd i thought as orp raises that usually means more oxidizers present.

The only explanation I can think of is that it causes microorganisms to break open and spill reducing organics into the water.

Cory · Dec 19, 2016

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
The only explanation I can think of is that it causes microorganisms to break open and spill reducing organics into the water.

Makes sense. How much peroxide would you add daily to 40 gallons? Ive got some 35% food grade.